StillSmart

Re: Equipment and Sundries - Cold Fingers

2011-10-23T18:02:24+00:00

Hi,

As part of my research before starting to build a stillI I have been visiting this site for a few months, I have now committed to the project and have started work on it also I have become a member of the forum.

Firstly - many thanks to everybody who has contributed to the forum - I and many others really appreciate the effort that it has taken to get this site to where it is now and the effort it takes to maintain it, thanks.

OK I have decided to build a 2" slant plate "Boka" with a removable column section to convert it ino a Stripping/Pot still. Space is limited and I would rather go this route than have another pot still. I am not in a hurry to finish the still, as the site I will be using it at will not be available til next June, so I am planning to add a few"Extras over and above the ones normally found on a "Boka".

The following pictures are of my condenser, it is a 15mm cold finger with an 8mm outer coil that was formed on a 24mm mandrell. To prevent the 8mm tube creasing I packed it with salt.

This is the first coil that I have made and I am quite pleased with the results. I enjoyed the build and would not hesitate to make another.

I do not know if this is the correct board for this type of post, or is there a more suitable board for items regarding the building of stills, your advice would be appreciated.

That's it for my first post I hope there will be many more.

Brian

(YHB)

Statistics: Posted by YHB — Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:02 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-10-18T21:52:28+00:00

Cool - mine is a single wind, slightly longer at 220-240mm with 22 winds. Should be fairly comparable.

mine can handle 1850w with a slow trickle of cooling. Good luck with the rest of your build.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:52 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-10-18T18:26:40+00:00

Very nicely done - whats the overall length of the coil?

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:26 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-10T18:21:32+00:00

Ha. BTW I have no issue with you using sodium hydroxide - I have used food grade before to raise the PH of a molasses wash that had too much much backset and stalled due to being very acidic.
Food grade is very pricy though - cheaper grades can have a higher arsenic content - still shouldn't case any issue if you give everything a good rinse.

My concern was only for the copper being eaten away if you forgot about it in the soak. The blue stuff is the copper oxide - shows the cleaning is working, the copper should have a pink tinge if its all been cleaned off.

CC

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:21 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-10T14:36:09+00:00

Bases will eat copper - watch out for the solution turning pink as it dissolves the copper.
I normally just use citric acid which eats the oxides and mostly leave the copper alone - and its food safe to boot, I buy it in bulk from the Halal grocers.
dash of hydrogen peroxide activates it, and does a great job in no time at all, without the H2O2 its just as good, but slower.

CC

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Sat Sep 10, 2011 2:36 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-08T19:33:05+00:00

aidanmac wrote:
Just finished making my new Wort Chiller Coil for cooling my Corn Whiskey Wash in a hurry. Anyone got any suggestions how to get and keep copper looking nice and shiny - I love nice shiny copper!

aidanmac

Yeah, a polishing mop and metal cleaner/polish. Except I wouldn't put it anything you might want to drink afterwards though.....

So for hygiene and safety reasons, I'd have thought soap and water, applied with fine grade wire wool giving you a "brushed" finish is about the best you can hope for.......

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:33 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-05T12:40:09+00:00

aidanmac wrote:
Digital Thermo at Aus$16.99 and the SS Jugs at Aus$12.99 - Isn't the internet great - that's about 40% more than here WTF!!

Digi temp at Dick Smith = $6 and jars from friends are free.
I rest my case.

Statistics: Posted by Andy — Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:40 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-05T03:45:24+00:00

Andy wrote:
Yes we do have Ikea but its more over priced Yuppie stuff that doesnt interest me

Fair comment, though if its not too far, it might still be worth a look, in case they have the same offer. Though I suspect its seasonal, with all the preserving stuff - jars and bottles and so on....

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:45 am

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-04T21:33:15+00:00

Yes we do have Ikea but its more over priced Yuppie stuff that doesnt interest me

Statistics: Posted by Andy — Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:33 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-04T14:44:11+00:00

Andy wrote:
I did look at Pyrex beakers but they are just as expensive.
I think I will just stick with asking friends to keep the coffee jars for me
Edit to add: This is what we get for living on an island in the middle of bumfucknowhere

Hum ? Not really what most of us would consider an island Andy !

Population size and climactic conditions probably have more to do with the lack of choice as anything.

Hell, I don't know how much larger our population is than Aus, but damn we still suffer if business doesn't think that there's a market for "it"...... And some businesses are just arrogant enough not to want to bother selling stuff in smaller quantities....

Notice that Aidans post alludes to Ikea. Well I understand that they're only the largest single retailer of furniture on the planet now......... Maybe they do have branches in Aus ?

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:44 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-04T13:09:02+00:00

I did look at Pyrex beakers but they are just as expensive.
I think I will just stick with asking friends to keep the coffee jars for me
Edit to add: This is what we get for living on an island in the middle of bumfucknowhere

Statistics: Posted by Andy — Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:09 pm

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-04T10:13:51+00:00

Andy wrote:
Wish we had Stainless Jug's that cheap here, bloody things are so expensive.

Perhaps you could locate laboratory glass beakers for a reasonable price ? They come in sizes up to about 5 litres with graduated markings for quantity.....

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:13 am

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-04T09:55:43+00:00

Wish we had Stainless Jug's that cheap here, bloody things are so expensive.

Statistics: Posted by Andy — Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:55 am

Re: Equipment and Sundries

2011-09-04T09:12:14+00:00

looks like it might be time to visit the nearest Ikea then......

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:12 am