StillSmart

Hi All,

a very longtime - no see!.
Had a few probs with my user and password issues and a BIG thanks to Jimmy for helping me out - as you can see sir - im all sorted now thanks again...

Hi to aidanmac, Brian (YHB) and the captain especially as you guys helped me a year or so back with my mini 2" boka setup....which is nicely refined for me and my sole still. Ive got used to its charactaristics and using huskers instructions from the american site, i reguarly produce safe, very nice spirit runs.

Ive made a parrot, made small mods to my runoff and liebig to strengthen it with extra soldering and spare pipe attatching it to the main 2" pipe - and it is the best still in the world.

Had a brill xmas with some of the produce and although still using turbo (moved from 24 & 48 hr to vodka star) as thats better for me...im still here and loving the hobby even more.

Got a few questions that ill post in due course but its great to be back.

belated happy new year all

Rich

and a quicky, my latest project is gaskets...I can get some nice 10thou sheets of ptfe leftovers from work so im looking to make a gasket pad for the boiler to head seal. Gonna cut a few half moon shapes and try and bind them with ptfe tape for a reusable gasket.
Beats wrapping tape round the top of the boiler numerous times as i do...

Welcome back and Happy new Year to you too

Post a few pics of the parts you're trying to seal - might prompt a few suggestions

AM

Hi ya Rich..

A welcome return to the fold, I've joined while you've been on a sabbatical.
Loving every minute of my new found hobby, finding this forum was a great help in getting me going on the right road.
I'm in the "getting my head around building my own" section at the mo...any chance of a photo of your setup??

Your idea with the ptfe for a gasket, I've used a food grade baking sheet for cutting gaskets for my boiler for brewing. I also found this site..here I know plastic is a no no in this game, but it wouldn't touch the distill it's food grade and it's good for 200c which you don't get anywhere near.

BJ

Hi icefever..

Ill definitely share some pics if it helps others.
Regarding the ptfe - its a thicker version of tape. Difficult to get but we use it in high temp application at work exceeding 200c. Its a good release film and gives no contamination at temp. Its regarded as safe for this hobby.
Ive looked at the ptfe washer in my ss run off valve and im confident its the same material.
The buildup is easy once you get going. I broke mine down into separate projects..boiler...lid and column...electrics and condensor and pipework.
Found a lot out by trial and error. And discovered things I wasnt aware of.
Ive had a fair few spirit runs through mine and vg results.

A few things I found...
Dont recirculate water. I use mains into condensor. If running properly it only uses a couple of bathfulls over 8-12 hours. I found the constant temp was more stable for running with less tweaking needed as it was running. Use a small tap inline to control flow
Use a pc powersupply as a power module case. Strip out most...leave switch. And wire yer power controller / dimmer into it. Use a wall plug as output bolted on case. Check the dimmer function with a lamp
Build condensor first then cut slant plates to suit in main column. Condensor is not easy and the length may differ from exact plans online. Mines massive so this was important as a condensor is harder to adjust.
Use the good knowledge from the pros here...you cant go wrong
Rich

I'm waiting for the photos... I find I work out a load of things by having a photo in front of me.

BJ

Ok..lol. heres a couple. Still working out how to stop em rotating so you may have to rotate your monitor .

Head having mods


Before head mods up still corner...


Sorry for rotation. ..ive got to re figure that out. Some older posts ive done had pics.

Ill take a pic of the gasket material in a bit.
Rich

As you can see the needle valve is a lump so had to renew solder on runoff to main shaft. Also added a support bar on leibig to body and its solid.
Also integrated the water flow rate onto the unit and this means coupling the garden hose to it is easier