Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Went to bunnings today looking for silicone. They have Sellys' 401. Is this one suitable for sealing my lid to my pot and m,y colum to my lid? I will be making my own gaskets.

I'm pretty sure the forum doesn't recommend this approach.

Found this on selleys' website:

If selleys don't recommend it for continual contact with food then I don't think it'd be good for a still.

One option for a custom gasket is a ring of cardboard with lots of layers of plumbers tape. Just use the white tape, not the pink.

How about this one https://crcindustries.com.au/products/f ... 14088.html

db1979 wrote:I'm pretty sure the forum doesn't recommend this approach.

Found this on selleys' website:

Screenshot_20190421-205051.png

If selleys don't recommend it for continual contact with food then I don't think it'd be good for a still.

One option for a custom gasket is a ring of cardboard with lots of layers of plumbers tape. Just use the white tape, not the pink.

:text-+1: exactly what I use for my gasket

Thanks fellas, think i'll try the cardboard and tape metho. Play it safe.

Good idea. I had one that lasted me ages, in fact it's still going, I just don't use that still anymore.

How about cutting them from one of those BBQ liner sheets of silicon?
It’s gotto be food grade if it is designed to cook food on.

AA

Hi, I used Dow Corning rtv to make the lid gasket on mine as we use the stuff for food equipment where I work.

Food safe or food grade DOESN'T MEAN ALCOHOL SAFE. Alcohol and alcohol vapour are a solvent and will dissolve pretty much everything except for ptfe tape and epdm gaskets. As said b4 you can make your own gasket with a ring of cardboard and ptfe tape, ( Google search never ending gasket ) or bite the bullet and buy a gasket from 5 star. Your liver and kidneys will thano you in the years to come

Plumby wrote:Food safe or food grade DOESN'T MEAN ALCOHOL SAFE. Alcohol and alcohol vapour are a solvent and will dissolve pretty much everything except for ptfe tape and epdm gaskets. As said b4 you can make your own gasket with a ring of cardboard and ptfe tape, ( Google search never ending gasket ) or bite the bullet and buy a gasket from 5 star. Your liver and kidneys will thano you in the years to come

:handgestures-thumbupleft:
Got them.
Use them.
Ordering more for spares.

I’m just curious about whether the stuff is any good.

I’m definately not squeezing anything out of a tube into the rig.
:)

Plumby wrote:Food safe or food grade DOESN'T MEAN ALCOHOL SAFE. Alcohol and alcohol vapour are a solvent and will dissolve pretty much everything except for ptfe tape and epdm gaskets. As said b4 you can make your own gasket with a ring of cardboard and ptfe tape, ( Google search never ending gasket ) or bite the bullet and buy a gasket from 5 star. Your liver and kidneys will thano you in the years to come

Isn’t silicone better than epdm gaskets? https://silicone.co.uk/news/silicone-rubber-vs-epdm/ which is what 5star gaskets are made from? I need to make a silicone gasket so researching which to use, not all seem the same.

Lots people use silicon, silicone epdm and ptfe(teflon). The filler in cheap silicone is the problem That's why 100% silicone is what you want. You can get it in a tube and is what is used on fish tanks or a two part substance often used for moulding stuff or people use silicone baking mats. Plenty builds on here use gaskets cut from baking mats

Think it's also called non acetic cure silicone

Thanks Bluc.

I had some EPDM seals go all sticky after long term use, they were starting to break down so I switched to all silicone seals and they are all still in the same condition they were when new.

Beware of the cheap baking mats, they have something else in them. Best way to check is to fold the mat sharply and see if the fold turns white. If it does it's no good.

You will be finding it hard to get a straight answer here because not many have ever used a tube of silicon for their still because it's risky. Not many are willing (rightfully so) to take the chance on something that's not proven. To be honest if your keen to try you'll need to do some trials to see what works by testing it in high % alcohol for a decent amount of time, say 2-3 weeks. The silicon would need to stay unchanged in that time for me to be comfortable using it.