Reboot advice

[vossy]

Hello All,
So about 12 years ago I bought my first still a Esscencia "Super Reflux" . Pictured.
So Used it well for many many years about 8 years ago I made up heaps and stored away. Just about out of my stash and about to reboot the old girl. Problem is so much has changed. When I used it I just packed it with cermanic saddles. Anyone give me some advice on what I should use now? Or any other mods I can do to improve output. Cant really afford to purhcase new equipment yet.
Thanks in advice for your help.

[scythe]

Build a copper pot head for it to make whiskey and rums, or just to make bulk low wines faster.

Then you can run it through your current still head if you want, or make a copper boka head to replace the plastic one.

Either way try and avoid using plastic.

[vossy]

Thanks for your reply, the only plastic is the tubes. This has successfully worked for many years. I was just after after some advice about what packing to now use, as whenI did this years ago I just used the ceramic saddles, now I see there are stainless and other types of packing. The condesner is not plastic. I dont have the time currently to make anything else.

[wynnum1]

Have the same and found that stainless steel scrubbers worked better then the original ceramic packing not sure how to buy ones that are real stainless steel so many cheap Chinese now.

[vossy]

Thanks wynnumm1 I have heard people suggest chaning the plastic hoses to copper, but cant see that doinganything special. I can get local stainless ones the the HBS pretty cheap as a starting point.

[warramungas]

Everyone here will recommend you ditch the plastic as you don't know what chems will leach out especially in tubes that are over a decade old.
However, its your stomach and what you're happy to put into it is up to you ultimately. I personally wouldn't use plastics or rubber now I've learnt better.
If you want neutral you'll need a longer column or do multiple runs to get the strength up. If you can pack it with copper scrubbers at a minimum it should help with sulfide removal but in such a short column probably not much with the strength. If you put a power controller on as well that may help boost your strength a little.
A copper column would not be too hard or expensive to add under the head. A few people have done it on this forum even.

[prawnz]

Gday Vossy

i have this same still .

On my last run I bought a copper scrubber from a brew shop , removed a few of the ceramics and stuffed the scrubber in at the top of the column . HUGE difference , just dont pack it in to tight .

Cheers Al

[Doubleuj]

I don't know anything about your still but welcome here mate :wave:

[rumdidlydum]

Welcome mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:
For a cheap alternative to the ceramics stainless steel scrubbers are perfect.

Definitely ditch the plastic ;-)

[scythe]

Copper "structured mesh" is excellent,
stainless and copper scrubbers are great,
Saddles are good.
Ceramics are ok but hard to clean.

[vossy]

Thanks everyone for your advice so far. Just to be clear the plastic tubes are for the water cooling only.

[sp0rk]

Thanks everyone for your advice so far. Just to be clear the plastic tubes are for the water cooling only.

I used one of these for a few years and the product outlet is plastic too
I replaced it with a 2 foot long piece of 1/2" copper, wound some teflon tape onto the barbed outlet fitting and jammed the copper on

[vossy]

yes was going to do that since the plastic product line is long gone on mine.

[vossy]

So in between reading as much as I can, BTW best forum Ive ever found, I think I should try building my own. Would like to keep the boiler i have at this stage.
Now I am a fridgey and sparky so have access to all materials and tools I need.
Just after some designs. I'm pretty sure wnat a reflux as I would like a neutral as I flavour everything (at this stage). Obvisouly would like to get the most out of my watch with minumal effort. Also the fact I have yopung kids and need to watch them on the weekends, when the better half works, need something to be realtively easy to run.
Any thoughts or link to put me in the right section direction.(I am trying to find all the info but getting side tracked reading everything..lol)
Thanks

[Professor Green]

There's plenty of reflux designs floating around the forum, check out the Reflux and Plated Column sections for some great ideas.

Whatever reflux design you end up going with, make it modular. You'll be able to re configure it to run as a pot for when you want to do flavoured spirits or as a column for neutrals. You WILL at some stage want to try a flavoured spirit that does not not require essences! Also, if it's modular you can add more bits as you need to.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

[EziTasting]

Copper "structured mesh" is excellent, ...

FSD has some copper mesh currently I stock, just ordered mysel a kilo!!! :happy-partydance:

[vossy]

FSD??

[warramungas]

FSD??

Top left of the page. Lightning bolt then 5 star store link.

[Zak Griffin]

5 Star web store - http://www.5stardistilling.net/

[WTDist]

Also the fact I have yopung kids and need to watch them on the weekends, when the better half works, need something to be realtively easy to run.

you will want to make something 3" and bigger than. i suggest 4" ready for a bubbler. 1m (just a guess with the 1m, cut some up for plates when ready)4" packed section with a 4" RC over into a 2" PC. then just add plates when your ready. easy as