StillSmart

As a noob distiller using an air still I have read the arguments for and against the use of filters and understand where both sides of this are coming from but until I gain the experience in making cuts I have decided to give filtering a go as my results so far have been ok but could be better so rather than buying a ready made filter I came up with this idea using bits and pieces I had kicking around after upgrading my HERMS brewery.




As you can see non of the pipework is cut to size or sealed yet it’s just been used as it was on my brewery, the outlet from the demijohn is going into a length of 22mm copper pipe with an 8mm tap on the bottom to control the flow rate, in use I intend to fit a coffee filter paper in the bottom above the tap and possibly as has been suggested somewhere fit a slim cigarette filter into the outlet pipe from the bottom tap I may even T off the output from the demijohn and run two of these side by side.

I welcome your thoughts on this idea as well as suggestions on pipe length, what carbon to use and flow rates through it, this is a basic idea using what I have kicking around and I already have ideas for improvement on but if its not going to work in your opinion I will not bother going forward with it.

Hi mate that's an impressive looking construction you've put together. It is of course preferable to make a clean product in the first place that doesn't need and wont benefit from the use of carbon, which of course you've heard before. With an air still however you probably don't have an option.

Goto

http://books24-7.com/en/free-distillati ... n-140.html

and download the free booklet. You will need to create an account using whatever spurious details you like, there is no checking and you can download immediately. It is I believe generally regarded as being pretty much the standard reference guide for doing exactly what you are after and will Im sure answer all your questions better than I could

Nice setup,I use activated carbon granular from the auction site
fish tank type I find its up there with the best, just the usual
rinse with water and filter paper at the bottom of the pipe, my setup
holds 2.7lt with a tap so you can let the product absorb the carbon
for as long as you want then slow drip filter.
Hope this helps ya
Scotty