StillSmart

Hi,

I'm really pleased to find this form, learnt a lot from the posts over the last few days.

Looking at getting a new still, have the original SS 25l model which is OK but won't go above 80%. I noticed thie model on ebay which slaim to reach 96%

From the original listing-

The Distillation system is designed to produce high purity alcohol and give maximum alcohol recovery.

The MACHINE is able make 97% strength alcohol - SPIRIT
or produce essential oils and distilled water.


Thanks

If that's a take off valve under the elbow, it's a "Liquid Management" still, but as to the claims of 97%, that's a porky.

Thanks for the reply vino-tinto, do you think that I would be better off with a SS Turbo 500?

jonnyboy40 wrote: do you think that I would be better off with a SS Turbo 500?

That depends on a lot of things, firstly what is it you want to make?

jonnyboy40 wrote: do you think that I would be better off with a SS Turbo 500?

That depends on a lot of things, firstly what is it you want to make?

Mostly Vodka but I've also made some calvados in the past which was great.

I guess that distilling to 97% would strip the flavour out of calvados.

In the past the Vodka I produced has always needed carbon filtering despite try lots of different sugar wash recipes using turbo yeast and bakers yeast / tomato purée.

It would be great to be able to cut out the need for carbon filtering.

Thanks

Regards

Jon

Hi Jonnyboy and welcome to the forum.

I saw this and another one on Ebay last week..did you buy this one?? VT's correct it's a "Liquid Management" still, I checked up on it because of it's design.

Just had a look and it went for £82...the boiler and copper pipes worth that...bugger.

That looks like a condensor controlled still, as designed by manu de hanoi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vJn0lp-IP0

Except.. that what looks like the product take off is too close to the column and manus design doesn't use a thermometer, which I assume is the thingy sticking out at top right.

I'd guess that the product was measuring 97% on the alcometer as it was coming out and that the guy doesn't know about temperature correction.

I've got the bits for building one of those and they cost more than 3 times what that went for.

It's a Liquid Management still, very similar to the Bokakob,it does away with the slant plates for catching the condensate and uses a small dam at the bottom of the sloping section where the liquid is drawn off through a needle valve.

If it was a condenser controlled still it would not need the valve.

If you have the necessary height and the right packing their is no reason why it will not give you the same azeo output as a Bok.

This is sometimes made by rich people who do not want to make the diagonal cuts and solder the slant plate in, but who have five pounds to waste on a 45deg elbow.

A couple of photos of the "THAT" still...may help to to identify



The angle is just a cut soldered joint...you can see the take off point underneath. It's thought that there maybe a slant plate inside the elbow.



The condenser end is fixed by the looks of it...so no movement there..

Dear All,

Thanks for the replies and the warm welcome

Yes I bought it on eBay last week looked like a good buy but hadn’t seen the design before.

I asked my farther in-law to modify the column on my SS Super Reflux 25l still and my mother in law accidently threw it out so was looking for a replacement.

Thanks for all the information; the still should arrive by Friday if anyone is interested I’ll post pictures and further details.

What’s the best way to clean it?

I’ll get a sugar wash started this afternoon!

Kind regards

Jon

I cant see any vent holes.

The top should be open to the atmosphere

BRIAN

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply.

I’m not sure but I think there is a vent holes at the end of the still near the water-cooling input & outputs, it’s difficult to tell, as the photograph is quite low resolution.

Its interesting in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vJn0lp-IP0 that the end of that still is completely open.

Regards


Jon

Dear All,

My new still arrived today it looks like an impressive piece of engineering, please see pictures below-

The column is 1 meter tall and is packed with stainless steel scourers.

I’m trying to work out what the access tube is for at the top of the boiler anyone any ideas?

Any suggestions on what I should do first? Its looks clean should I just run a vinegar solution through it then just wash it out?

The heater is 1.5KW heating 7 liters.

Kind regards

Jon

7 litres is not very big, allowing for head space you are probaly looking at a charge no bigger than 5 litres. I would think that you are looking at multiple runs in one session.

If that is the case then the access tube is probably a recharge point to save you opening up the still.

When you have finished one run, openn the valve and use a syphon to empty the boiler, then use the same port to add the next charge.

Use an auto syphon - do not try to suck boiling backset up a tube.