StillSmart

I recently bought an SD 2X4X2 SG Torpedo and my youngest son bought me two 4" Bubble Section for 4" Dash SG so I could build a hybrid Whisky still and do away with my slightly cumbersome 6lt thumper and it's associated 1/2" copper connections.

Once the parts finally arrived (don't get me started ) I cleaned everything like a demon then onto the boiler for a vinegar run to prepare for it's maiden spirit run.

All this activity meant taking the Sight Glass Lenses on and off a number of times and that's when I discovered my mistake.

We should have ordered the SGK models. Their the ones with the brass fittings for the lenses. I've now chipped all three of the lenses and, no doubt, their days are now numbered and all because I decided to go for the model that was €16 cheaper (Torpedo) and the son, based on my order, went for the SG model which was €40 cheaper for the two 4" Bubble Tee sections.

Ordering them to replace the ones I've damaged will cost an extra €99.70 plus VAT so they'll have to wait till mid 2015 as I've well overspent my budget this year

So, a word of caution and advice. If you are thinking of ordering anything from StillDragon Europe, (don't mention my name I'm probably in the doghouse with them) but seriously, spend the extra few bob on the SGK models of anything that has sight glass in it. You'll be very glad you did.

Now, anyone know where to get 2" and 3" Borosilicate Glass Lenses from? - other than SD!

AM

You might get away with it AM, I'v had a chipped glass for over a 18 months without any issue, they are pretty thick, and the still should be pressurized, so wouldn't sweat it.

If you are able to source TC fitting locally, might be worth buying a few blanking plates in case you do have a breakage mid run.

Yeah,I managed to over tighten a sight glass and chipped it.
That was OK,until I then gave it a kick,accidentally, and totally FCUK'ed it.
Items to be treated with care and respect.
My personal observation,don't take the glass off the SS Torpedo, this will have a similar result to using the Sight Glass Kit,both as fragile as each other,one requires a screwdriver,and is less likely to cause damage (because you don't do it),the other is just a tri-collar fitting and encourages you to play around.
I is Mr clumsy,and the amount of stuff that I break on a daily basis is really phenomenal.
Do I learn? No,not really.
It just costs me money.

Robert.

aidanmac wrote:Now, anyone know where to get 2" and 3" Borosilicate Glass Lenses from? - other than SD!

You may know this firm Here AM, you've been in this "hobby" for some time now. They do Borosilicate you just need to email them, worth a punt, whether they do the size...

Dear Aidan,

It's a matter of preference if sight glass with o-ring & tri-clamp or sight glass kit, they look differently, and besides the difference in price they are different to handle. The sight glass with clamp can quickly be mounted and removed, however the sight glass kit pretty much is destined to be installed for good, as it can get cumbersome after some mounting and removing.

The sight glass + o-ring + tri-clamp option is not a bad choice, some just prefer the all stainless look and quick access, but although the glass lenses are thick enough and quite sturdy they do not like pressure or bumping on hard surfaces, which is why we have additional handling info in the product description for our products with glasses.

The trick is to just tighten the tri-clamp enough to see proper contact to the o-ring, and it really needs very little pressure for that.

Edge chipping in most cases is just an optical problem, as long as it attaches fine to the o-ring you are good to go (simply use the better looking side on the inside). We always recommend to have a few spare parts at hands, which especially goes for sight glass lenses.

As said before, we value your input and take customer feedback very seriously, you don't get in the "doghouse" with us that easily. The long delivery time for your parcel was unfortunate but out of our hands, we assist in any way possible, and communicate as good as we can to rule out any misunderstandings.

As a special favour for you to be able to enjoy our equipment and to persuade you of our exceptional customer service we will send you three replacement sight glasses for free. Your delivery is already being prepared and will be picked up later today. Of course delivery will take as long as it takes, that's not going to change, though it will be interesting to see if there is consistency to your location or not, but well, nothing we can do about it anyway.

Greetings,
Michael

Michael, that's a very magnanimous gesture, greatly appreciated at this festive time of year, Thank You.

My son has been following things from New York and emailed me that he'll buy me the 3 SGKs for my birthday, he's a good lad.

In the meantime I'll be careful and having those backup lenses will give me a lot of peace of mind and I no longer care how long it takes for them to arrive, SD are a reliable company so I've no worries on that account.

AM

Yup think Michael and the SDE crew are going to get plenty of trade with this sort of service even allowing For the Austrian postal service

Well my bubble T has finally crossed the Austrian border and is heading to the UK like a mad Meerkat cuddly toy

The race is on will it be shiny Bubble T from the land where hills are alive with the sound of music or the Tri clamp coupling from the darkest corner of Shanghai city

More exciting than the Grand National this

Whoops come to think of it it's a shiny torpedo I ordered !

Got to be even faster that

Alibaba

Aidan, takes very little clamp pressure to seat the oring... which you can see through the glass lens...

again very little clamping pressure required..

FS

If you are using SGKs you probably don't intend to move them often. A smear of silcone adhesive makes them semi-permanent.

Removeable if you need to do so.

Thanks guys! Found out the hard way, as usual , but I'm ready to do a vinegar run tomorrow to get my new hybrid still ready for action on Sunday.



Can't wait to see this baby in action



It's all so fascinating, it's like starting all over again and the excitement of running my first 'large' still after schooling on my little Airstill.

Don't you just love it when Santa comes early

AM

Hi Aidanmac

Thats exactly what mine will look like one day, when I can finally afford some bubble tees to add to my torpedo, just noticed you have all your downcomers, in a row down the Middle, I think your supposed to have them at opposite sides between plates, or at least not above each other, you want your reflux liquid to collect on the plate before going down onto the next plates, if they're all in line it will create a short cut for the liquid and it might not work as efficiently as it could.

Oooo oooo that looks good stuff Aidan

Can't wait for my bits

Back to deliveries Michael have you tried the new courier in the UK found them v good and would be very appropriate

Whom I hear you ask well YODEL of course.

Where I live Yodel are shite.
Yodel International must be shitier,if they even exist.
Or are you just having a laugh AT?
'Tis late and my mind is slow.

Robert.