StillSmart

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOONSHINE-DIS ... SwHnFVnSpA

Can't find much about them on t'internet but it looks like a fully automated gizmo. Should be good at that price.

Looks nice, sounds interesting but it's bloody expensive!!

And I thought my BM was enough money. This is too expensive. It is a shame to say it but I think this will be another "wine pod" Technically brillant and fully automated and over priced, sold about 8. Company folds. No support. Unit become a white elephant.

Smashing looking though.

+100....£4000 smackers???????????? ye gods.

There are stills far far less than this...

Looks similar to Odin's iStill at twice the price:
http://www.istill.eu/#!istill-50-base/yxacg

Looks nice, looks like it takes half the fun out of the whole process but if you want ready made its definitely nice. £4K though, my wallet just gave a little squeal! I often wonder how much of the bigger bits StillDragon sell, some of them get awfully pricey too

Yeah, for that price you would want a really nice 4"-5" SD build with a 50 litre milk can and maybe 6 plates plus a packed section.

It's all well and good creating somthing nice in 2" but you'll still be collecting at under 2litres an hour, where as with the above rig for half the cost you'll be easily pulling 4-5 litres an hour.

I would LOVE to own that. Just need a lottery win now.

Yes, I was looking to maybe upgrade the T500 but I think that's going to take some serious overtime. Almost bordering on commercial small batch distilling.

That seems like it either aimed at boutique commercial distilling or someone with more money than they can spend.

With a lottery win why are you making your own?

Just asking.

Robert

Easydrinker wrote:With a lottery win why are you making your own?

Just asking.

Robert

I've got to win it first, and I'm not banking on that happening anytime soon!

And I certainly don't have the skills to make anything myself. I have to rely on the good folks from Still Spirits to do it for me.

I tell you what, I would love to make my own. The problem is I'm not that handy. Don't get me wrong, I can turn my hand to plenty of things at a low level and I think I'm quite intelligent. However, I don't fully understand the advanced principles of distilling, my T500 takes the thinking out of it. I would like to understand more and how this relates to all the hardware (bubble plates, different columns) etc. Is anyone in a position to write a Dummies Guide to how stills work?

I will try to come back to this, but the way my laptop is treating me tonight,maybe not!
Feel free to harangue me for more on this,and I will try to help.
Not sure that I am the best person to explain bubble plates, but a bubble plate is a single HETP staqe.
A 2" column filled with SS scrubbies may be considered an equivalent 7 -9 stage ,if it is a metre tall.
And if I have lost you,you may meed to read more .

Robert.

mikew41 wrote:I tell you what, I would love to make my own. The problem is I'm not that handy. Don't get me wrong, I can turn my hand to plenty of things at a low level and I think I'm quite intelligent. However, I don't fully understand the advanced principles of distilling, my T500 takes the thinking out of it. I would like to understand more and how this relates to all the hardware (bubble plates, different columns) etc. Is anyone in a position to write a Dummies Guide to how stills work?

Mike hold on a little mate....I thought the same 4 years back....lets take it one step at a time.

If your handy enough to solder? then that's the first step...half a doz joints would get you a pothead.

You say you don't understand the advanced principles....I posted a thread here the blue section tells you what's happening inside your still/column.

The T500 is ok, all be it a basic reflux still...I saved this years back..

"the manufacturer states quite clearly that the T500 should not be run in pot still mode due to those synthetic components... Vapor temperatures above 185F/85C should not be exceeded due to potential damage to the synthetic components and contamination of your spirits... You are endangering yourself as well as shortening the lifespan of the T500 by disregarding the warnings given here as well as by the manufacturer".

This "warning" is because of the column, not the boiler...so you follow Vino Tinto's build of a pothead that easily fits the 500 lid. You now have a pot still for the strip run...change over to the 500 column for reflux.

With a setup like the above, you will learn a lot...and come to enjoy this hobby..also the forum is always here for you.

Couple of links that may help you...

Vino's Build

My Build

With the £3,500 you save take the family on holiday...