StillSmart

Im trying to build a parrot using a plastic trial jar,pipe and small funnel,the funnel and tube are a good tight push fit so that part is ok,what i have done with the trial jar is drill a hole near the bottom of the jar the same size as the plastic pipe and the plan was to use my soldering iron to melt the plastic around the pipe/jar to make it water (alcohol)tight,which i have found impossible,so plan B is to try and glue it together,problem is trying to source a glue that is food/beverage safe,anyone got any ideas on that one?

The ideal thing would be to build it all out of copper but to buy it from the DIY stores would cost a fortune,pity i dont know a plumber i could scrounge a few off cuts from..lol.

chers optic

Assuming the spirit passing through will initialy have quite a high ABV% is plastic suitable or could you be leeching out undesirable stuff out of the plastic?

The one I\'ve been thinking about was made entirely from copper tube and solder.
Opus

Hi Opus27

that was a concern about the plastic,like you say copper is the way to go think i will have to find somewhere to scrounge a few off cuts from because its a bit pricey to buy new and you end up with yards of the stuff when all thats needed is a few inches,it should be a fairlly easy build with copper,it would be a good bit of kit to have because i dont know about you but what i do at the moment on a spirit run is to use 2 colection jugs marked to 100mls and keep swapping them and checking the abv of each 100mls.

Optic

Yep I do exactly that my son bought me a good selection of Lab Glass when I started this hobby and it's proved it's worth. Theres an article on the "Home Distillers" site with photographs for a parrot made from copper tube, it's included in a general article on distilling I did myself a hard copy but unfortunately I didn't save the link.
Opus

Hi Opus

try looking under related hardware and appurtenances subjects on home distiller forum and its a post by Rumlover it was only posted on the 27th Dec,i know the post you mean this one looks a far easier build IMO,ive put out a few feelers to scrounge an off cut of pipe,wonder if i can get away with going into B&Q with a hacksaw and sawing a little bit off...lol

Optic

Sorry to do this but, whats a Parrot (I guess its not a bird)

Hi Andy,

It\'s a device that you put your hydrometer in that has a continuous flow running through it so that you can monitor your alcohol %. I assume the name comes from it\'s appearance.
Opus

one question. Is it worth all the effort? I understand what it does but

what advantages does it have? ok thats two questions lol

It allows continuous monitoring of abv% as it flows from the still.
Opus27

Don\'t know if you seen the beast I built on another thread here;

http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/topic ... 215&page=2

Don\'t know if you seen the beast I built on another thread here;

and a fine beast it is goinbroke2, would build one myself but am proper strugglin to find a steel keg at the mo\'
hoppin