StillSmart

Hey,
I have been thinking about making a parrot.
The problem, as I see it, is the quantity of copper (or the high price for small amounts) that one has to but/pay for materials to get started.
A bit of calculating and I reckon it should cost around the £30 -£35 mark for one assuming I could use up all the material I had to buy. They wouldn\'t be polished or mounted.
Would anyone be interested if I could make them?

I\'ll have one

Hi MrCat, Lyon. I spoke sometime ago about this as I never had heard of a Parrot other than the bird. It was in relation to the Stainless Steel Parrot on the Distiller site and I agreed with you Mr Cat it would be tempting fate customs wise. However, I contacted Highland Spirits to get a price for one and they quote £110 which is ridiculous. Lyonacre, if you are going to make them go to your local scap yard you will get all you need for buttons from them if you desire to make them. Pennies at most bottle of his favourite tipple. Most likely tell you help youself for nothing but its nice to be nice. Body swerve B&Q.

Well I\'m interested too.........

Hope to have a go soon. Burst boiler and knee op. have got in the way of life!

Hey,

Couple of disasters due to my soldering skills and the lack of pipe benders but I haver just about completed the first one. Just 2 more joints, clean it up and it should be ready.
I will put a picture up as soon as I have got the last bits done and I guess I should try it out before i say it is a success, but I can\'t see why it wouldn\'t be.
A couple of issues have occurred with regard to how to mount the device. I think the easiest way is goint to be to drill a 23mm hole in a bit of wood and araldite the end into it but you will be able to make your minds up when you see a picture.
Hopefully I will get it completed this weekend.
Watch this space

By s64hww at 2011-04-15
Just waiting for the collector pipe!

Looking good Lyon.

I just won me one of these:





Was a logo comp at http://www.aussiehomedistiller.com/index.php

I used lead free plumbing solder - apparently that is OK with spirit and more \"substantial\" than silver solder which tends to be quite soft.
The inner pipe is a fraction higher than the outer to allow for overflow. I have looked at loads of pictures and people all seem to have different ideas about how much it should protrude. Can\'t see when it need to be very much at all, just high enough to be able to read the hydrometer easily, but once I have given it a try I may change my mind.
My only real question is how much \"head\" you need on the collector. Again I can\'t see why an inch or two wouldn\'t suffice but we will see soon.

I have finished one!!!
Here it is, the first operational Distillers Parrot!
It is made out of copper joined with lead free solder.
Fairly robust.
Will cope with a flow rate of 800-1000ml per minute - ant more and more head would be needed on the capture pipe.
I have run a full wash from the still through it and all was good!
I have bought enough materials to make about 4 of them so anyone that want one its £35 plus whatever the postman asks for.

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It looks ace - I\'ll have one

In use!!


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Into a plastic pitcher???
Other than that, excellent job!
(yes I\'m one of \"those\" anti plastic weenie\'s) LOL

My parrot arrived safe and sound yesterday only a couple of days after ordering it. It\'s a really nice bit of kit and I\'m very pleased with it. Had to make a quick mount for it (drill a hole in my base board) and it was ready to go.
Even with a T500 it\'s a worthwhile thing to have - I know SS say you can use everything you make but it\'s interesting to see how the % changes across a run. You do still get tails with a T500 and the drop in % marked this quite easily.

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Thanks lyonacre

Pleased it\'s working for you Mr. Cat.
I have to say the usage is more enjoyable than the manufacture!