My First Still...

[Spark]

Hey guys, I'm interested in getting into the whole distilling/home brew hobby but have a few questions before i jump in and start building my first still.

First off I'm after a nice clean neutral (but would like to get to make some great rum later on) so i was researching what the best/simple still would give me best results and of course i came across a Boka over on home distiller. Which look great but I'm not the handiest guy around and have never soldered anything in my life so making those slanted plates/awkward soldering is a bit daunting. Anyway I'm still keen for a challenge but then came across Rads combo still (http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =17&t=8439) which seem very appealing to me as it uses the same basic principle as a Boka to get neutrals but could also be use for that rum i was talking about :) and seems alot simpler to assemble

So my questions are what do you guys think of my plans?? i was thinking of a 2" or 3" Boka would rads still scale up to a 3"? (a 2" has already been done) and how much time dose that extra inch cut?

Also whats the best option for a boiler? a mate has given me a couple 30L fermentors so it has to be at least that. I would use a keg but hacking into one of them to put the column and element ( I'd rather go electric because where i live i don't pay for it :) ) is a bit off putting and i wouldn't mind forking out some cash to have one made right.

Anyway any feedback or advise is much appreciated :)

[MacStill]

I've built plenty of double reducer boka's (rad's still) and they work fine ;) also built myself a 3" a couple of years ago and it was a great rig until I cut it up to make a bubbler :laughing-rolling:

If you can afford it just build a 3" unit and be done with, with a 2" unit you'll soon want to upgrade after doing a 16hr spirit run :angry-banghead:

Cheers.

[Spark]

Hey thanks for your quick reply :)

How was the product that you pulled out of your 3"? and what wash did you use I'm thinking of using just a basic TPW or WPOSW .

[MacStill]

The product was at 95% + and yours will be too if you build it right ;)

For neutral I just used tomato paste wash

[Spark]

Ok thanks, sounds better and better each minute :D

What did you use for a boiler?? do you know of anywhere i can buy a pre-made one?

[maheel]

What did you use for a boiler?? do you know of anywhere i can buy a pre-made one?

a 50L keg is ideal :)

and fits a 2" or 3" no drama

[Spark]

Yea that's what i was thinking of and is the only part really holding me back :? how do you make a keg into a boiler?? what kind/size element would i need? how do you clean it? how do you attach your column ??

[SBB]

how do you make a keg into a boiler?? how do you clean it? how do you attach your column ??

A put a fire under it.
B Give it a squirt with garden hose or gurney
C See the following link these are easy as to make and a good project for any first timer.
http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=76

[Spark]

Yea i came across that since posting :D but im still no clearer on how to get a normal keg to something like this http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewt ... 624&p=9251

In the post he said he got the holes and stuff done at an engineering shop. Is there anywhere online that would sell ones already made?

[maheel]

. Is there anywhere online that would sell ones already made?

yes here http://www.kegking.com.au

look in the download section kegomax reflux brochure. i dont recommend the still head but the keg is fine ....

element here
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=3853

tri clover here
http://www.matrixps.com/products/tri-clover/index.htm
or here
www.geordi.com.au

copper pipe
Reece / tradlink etc, scrap yard, plumbing mate etc

[R-sole]

Yes, that's the Boka two cups, not Rad's design at all.

http://homedistiller.org/photos-alex.htm

I strongly reccomend NOT to follow his lead on allowing heads to vent into your still room. :evil:
If your still is venting vapour into the room, shut it down until you can correct the fault.

One more thing, there is a thermometer port in the reflux extension but I don't bother with the thermometer when the extension isn't in use... I simply watch for signs of vapor escaping and feel to determine when to begin water flow through the condenser... Most of what escapes before the head is up to temp is heads anyway, or so I'm assuming based on smell...

For someone who uses the safety banner to justify some total crap, this is something that should never have been published and left for newcomers like yourself to find proposed like a genuine operational procedure.


If you are looking for a still that is simpler to build and operate, you can't go past the vapour management stills in my opinion. 8-)

[Spark]

Yes, that's the Boka two cups, not Rad's design at all.

http://homedistiller.org/photos-alex.htm

I strongly reccomend NOT to follow his lead on allowing heads to vent into your still room. :evil:
If your still is venting vapour into the room, shut it down until you can correct the fault.

One more thing, there is a thermometer port in the reflux extension but I don't bother with the thermometer when the extension isn't in use... I simply watch for signs of vapor escaping and feel to determine when to begin water flow through the condenser... Most of what escapes before the head is up to temp is heads anyway, or so I'm assuming based on smell...

For someone who uses the safety banner to justify some total crap, this is something that should never have been published and left for newcomers like yourself to find proposed like a genuine operational procedure.

Interesting i never saw that post and i was going to cap mine anyway and coincidentally i was looking through the for sale section and McStill has a bok very similar for sale??

If you are looking for a still that is simpler to build and operate, you can't go past the vapour management stills in my opinion. 8-)

Care to point me in the right direction?? i haven't really looked in VM stills. :)

. Is there anywhere online that would sell ones already made?

yes here http://www.kegking.com.au

look in the download section kegomax reflux brochure. i dont recommend the still head but the keg is fine ....

element here
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=3853

Thanks for those links would a 2200 element be big enough? would i need a controller?? i have no clue on the heating side of things :?

[MacStill]

Spark,

Sorry bud but I'm not building stills anymore, however there are quite a few talented builders here that would be all too happy to make you one.

A few that spring to mind are Olddog, 5Star (if he's not busy), stubbydrainer and I'm sure there's more.

The still you mentioned is a boka 2" double reducer design, it's a good workhorse and is my favorite LM design however they (any 2") are bloody painfully slow IMO & you are better off going up to 3" if you intend to stick with this hobby for any length of time.....

The guys that own VM stills swear by them, so that avenue is well worth exploring too :mrgreen:

[Spark]

Hey sorry McStill i wasn't implying that i want you to build me one. I still want to do that :D I was just commenting that its the same design as what i hope to build :D

[maheel]

Thanks for those links would a 2200 element be big enough? would i need a controller?? i have no clue on the heating side of things :?

the 2200w is easily good for batches up to 30L in a keg and "maybe" up to 40+ the issue is the bigger the batch the longer heat up takes..
two would be better but you still woudl likely switch one off once "hot"

anything over +2400W and your pushing the 10 amp barrier (in Australia) of a normal power point... you also have to consider the possible watts on a pump added if you use one.
i recently put in a dedicated 15amp line to my shed so can run bigger watts if i want (it could handle 20 -> 25amp if i go to higher rated plugs / terminals )

my 2" boka on a 25L run likess a bit of temp control, it will run without it fine but i reckon it prefers about 1800w
my 1st run on my "new" 3" boka handled the 2200W easy and i did not bother hooking up my PSR-25 control box but i may use it in the future depending on variables

being new i would say slow down, start "small" but if you can with a keg boiler. dont rush out and buy a pile of stuff that you might not need.

you could happily run a keg on a camping 3 ring burner and gas bottle using water from the tap to cool. most of these things you could beg and borrow off mates to test the whole idea. you can ferment in cheap plastic barrels from bunnings

maybe start off getting a keg...

[R-sole]

Just keep looking down the page of topics in this forum if you want to research VM.

[Spark]

Alright thanks for your help guys now to get all the stuff together :s Its going to be a couple busy weeks so it will probably be in the new year before i get to put it all together either way ill be sure to post back here before i build :D

[Spark]

. Is there anywhere online that would sell ones already made?

yes here http://www.kegking.com.au

So i contacted these guys. They have a shortage of kegs and only have old German style ones which they want $65 for. Additionally they will cut and weld the tri-cover fitting for $140 plus $30 for the mount plus freight to me so yea that's a bit steep. Are there better options??

[MacStill]

Surely with all our brissy members somebody will be able to help you out, or try ringing around some scrap yards to see what they have lying around.

If you really get stuck there's a guy on ebay selling kegs, a bit pricey but if you got no choice it might just be the ticket.

I've got 2 spares here in WA so not much help there.

[photoman1966]

Thank you Spark for opening this thread, and thank you all for the advices and the short course of building the column, it been much help for me in planning my next reg.
I have some questions and I need some advice, since it’s on the same subject I don’t know if I need to open a new thread or using yours Spark.
Cheers