StillSmart

Really confused about types of still

2009-04-17T20:07:22+00:00

I don\'t know about the rest of Canada but in Nova Scotia there are [/b]NO people available to search/prosecute etc with regards to home made spirits. Basically if you are selling and somebody told the cops or if you \"blew up the garage\" then which ever cop investigates the disturbance would be the the one tasked with investigating/charging you.
In Halifax there is one of many homebrew shops that sells everything to make wine and beer. They now have the complete \"StillSpirits\" display including the air distiller. I asked (yesterday) about the stills and they said several have been sold to local cops. Also, the chainstore had it\'s employees operate the air still so they would be \"familiar\" with it so they can answer questions.
Very open, no concerns. Perhaps if it does stir the pot then maybe it will be brought to the forefront and the laws can be changed as they were with making beer and wine at home for personal use?
As far as fermenting size goes? I don\'t like to be out fermenting/stilling a few ml EVERY NIGHT! I would rather run off 8-10 gallons of 75% once every couple months.

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:07 pm

Really confused about types of still

2009-03-29T16:03:22+00:00

As far as the smell from running a batch or even fermenting, I don\'t really notice it and I\'m sure the neibours don\'t, my next door neibour is a RCMP and he hasn\'t come sniffing around! LOL!

Ho hum! Maybe not, but I\'d guess that it isn\'t RCMP that fulfill customs and excise duties either!
Cos you can bet yer arse, that if he did, he\'d have the sense of smell of a shithouse rat and would have been round and busted you for it
Though I\'ll agree with Jimmy 100% about the total convenience of the smaller smart/easy stills.
I know that turbo sugar wash isn\'t "everyones cup of tea", but the whole point is that it\'s easy to manage making it in 25 litre batches, the still takes up no room at all, etc etc.
I\'d love to have something on a larger scale, but I haven\'t got the room for 100ltr batches of wash (yes I\'ve toyed with the idea of tracking down PET/Food grade plastic barrels and fermenting in that), but it\'s still little more than a dream as I could only really do that in the summer, I haven\'t got the space in the shed and it\'d get too cold etc (ha! just thought, I might see if I can track a plassy barrel down and then I might be able to use my band heater, or even 2 of them laced together to keep it at about 24C in the shed)......
Plus if I did get the polar bears in the garden, I\'d know for certain that theres some sort of global warming problem. Though the only thing it\'d find to eat would be one of the neighbours cats - a ginger tom that tries to get in the house to piss all over the place marking it\'s territory.... I can dream cant I

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:03 pm

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-10T00:08:45+00:00

Yeah, that's right - it has it's limitations like the small capacity and the fact that it is a pot still, but on the plus side it only takes 3-ish hours and it's so predictable that you can run it from a timer-plug providing you keep an eye on it. Plus it is a genuine water distiller so people don't even notice it in the corner of the kitchen unlike a full on setup! Horses for courses is definitely my view on it, it does what I need it to do so it's good enough for me.

Statistics: Posted by Jimmy — Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:08 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-09T05:32:48+00:00

"I have never had a polar bear in my garden, but it's cold enough for one at the moment!!! "
Must be the "global warming" that the environazi's like Gore are talking about! LOL!!
Thanks for the compliment but over here mines not too impressive.

Besides it's more about what you do with what you've got, right?

I think I read you guys load 4L and get about 1L out of an easystill, is that right?

Must be a convenient little setup. Store under the counter so the old lady ain't bitching, hmmm, definate plusses there eh?

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:32 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-08T19:38:58+00:00

"That's why this forum is so important to me, the other sites are more geared to people with those impressive looking stills and polar bears in their gardens. I feel I'm more amongst kindred spirits here lol amazing set up though goinbroke2."
Thanks Ian, it's good to know that people feel that way. That's why I started this site in the first place! There's room for everyone, but like you say over here there are difficulties with the bigger setups and it's good to have a place for us small-scale types!
I have never had a polar bear in my garden, but it's cold enough for one at the moment!!!

Statistics: Posted by Jimmy — Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:38 pm

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-08T03:16:15+00:00

I took info out of the top for personal reasons, it's 557 cubes with P-51 heads.

460 based engines are TORQUE monsters. (just ask my frame connectors LOL)

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:16 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-08T03:07:58+00:00

Dyno sheet for another engine, BBF.

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:07 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-08T02:56:48+00:00

The poor girl is a 83GT. I ran a 2-4bbl 302 for a while (dragging the back bumper)then converted to c-4 to make it more consistent. A number of small blocks and then 2 kids came along.....yeah exactly! I've got a 460 stroker with 429 heads to go in it someday. Waiting to paint it and re-do the rollcage. Right now it's a 400hp 302 with c-4/4500 stall converter/9" rear with 4.86 gear and 29.5X9 Slicks. Looks rough but someday...
As far as the smell from running a batch or even fermenting, I don't really notice it and I'm sure the neibours don't, my next door neibour is a RCMP and he hasn't come sniffing around! LOL!

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:56 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-07T23:02:06+00:00

goinbroke2's setup is excellent, but it's fair to point out that over this side of the pond, most of us just don't have the space for setups like that. Plus it's not so easy to get hold of those SS kegs - the breweries keep them "on a very tight rein".
There'd also be the issue of the smell that can come from batches of corn mash, the neighbours would notice it in an instant.
Apart from that, how's the bleedin' post man gonna get to the door to deliver the mail if there's bloody polar bears in the garden ;-D
That's why this forum is so important to me, the other sites are more geared to people with those impressive looking stills and polar bears in their gardens. I feel I'm more amongst kindred spirits here lol amazing set up though goinbroke2. I was womdering if that was a mustang too Jimmy.
Regards, Ian

Statistics: Posted by quietman — Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:02 pm

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-07T22:30:13+00:00

And on a completely unrelated note, kudos for placing your still next to an 80's Mustang unless I am very much mistaken!

Statistics: Posted by Jimmy — Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:30 pm

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-07T21:40:48+00:00

Ah! well I'll go along with Jimmy pretty much.
The still spirits 25ltr super reflux still doesn't come with any filtration kit, unlike the smart still that has a little plastic holder to contain the carbon filtration sachets.
So I got a "Z filter", it's an "S" shaped plastic arrangement, that has pipe connectors top and bottom, the bottom one also containing a small mesh grid that retains the carbon granules. It comes with 2 10 litre buckets, one with a tap for the reservoir and the other has a hole drilled in the lid to act as the catcher.
It's all made from food grade PET, so should be chemical/alcohol resistant. It works well. I run the batches from the reflux still through it 2 or 3 times.
goinbroke2's setup is excellent, but it's fair to point out that over this side of the pond, most of us just don't have the space for setups like that. Plus it's not so easy to get hold of those SS kegs - the breweries keep them "on a very tight rein".
There'd also be the issue of the smell that can come from batches of corn mash, the neighbours would notice it in an instant.
Apart from that, how's the bleedin' post man gonna get to the door to deliver the mail if there's bloody polar bears in the garden ;-D

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:40 pm

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-07T02:08:10+00:00

My label

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:08 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-07T02:06:19+00:00

The lyne arm and hook up
The 58L SS keg heating up
Worm bucket 20L pail and 25ft of 1/2" copper tube
Polar bear in the graveyard Yeah I know it wouldn't appear to be likker related, but I thought I was wasted when I saw it! LOL

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:06 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-07T01:40:36+00:00

[img][img]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/goinbroke2/MILLERORIGINAL.gif[/img][/img][img]http://[img]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/goinbroke2/stillin3.jpg[/img][/img][img][img]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/goinbroke2/stillin.jpg[/img][/img][img][img]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/goinbroke2/stillin7.jpg[/img][/img]Naw, don't want to start anything. I'm just extremely cautious (anal?) about safety that's all. Somebody mentioned using brass fittings and I'm apprehensive about brass too as brass is made with lead in it. I used a copper to copper fitting to connect my worm to my still head. SS and copper with some silver solder and lead free solder holding it together. I even went so far as to see if there was a "food grade" flux for soldering...but there isn't. Shows you how paranoid I am about being safe I guess.
Never used or even seen a easystill or whatever. I couldn't stand doing all the work to get just one bottle or so. Going to a party tonight so I went to the garage and poured off three 750ml bottles of 50% rye whisky. Part of a batch. I understand a lot of you guys in the UK rent or live in apartments so yeah my set up might be a little big.
Since the topic is "types of stills" I'll see if I can upload pic's of my potstill.
EDIT: figures, can't get it to work. I'll keep trying....

Statistics: Posted by goinbroke2 — Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:40 am

Really confused about types of still

2008-12-06T03:10:28+00:00

Oh, and on the plastic pipe front - many people say no plastics whatsoever, and some (like myself) are a little more relaxed about it - not careless, but I will allow some plastics in my distilling with the following rules :
No plastics in the still itself i.e. pipes, etc.

No plastics with anything hot.

No plastics with anything above 40% or so.

No storage in plastic containers.
In other words, I'm happy to use a plastic pipe for my filtering because the strength of the alcohol is relatively low and it's basically passing through the carbon anyway rather than sitting against the plastic. Some people think even this is too much, and they're entitled to think that way - for me, it's alright. I also have a plastic funnel which I use for bottling, and a plastic measuring jug which I use to transfer the wash into the still. I would not store alcohol in plastic containers, and if anyone wants to know why then distill some strong stuff and leave it in an empty pop bottle for a week or two and see what it does to the insides!
Let's not have an argument about it on here - I think I make the relevant points but if I've missed any then intelligent debate is always welcome - for ultimate safety, don't use plastics at all. If you do, use them sensibly and with an understanding of why you're doing it so you can keep risks to a minimum.

Statistics: Posted by Jimmy — Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:10 am