Small benchtop still

[C2H6O]

why is everyone so addicted to 2 inch columns ?.

Its funny you say that as i get the impression that 2" isn't really that popular anymore. It certainly has its benefits with cost and ease of working with but the run times are still painfully slow. I really enjoy running my 2" VM/LM but very rarely have a full day to devote to it. For me its been a great learning curve but am constantly on the hunt for some 4" or 6" to upgrade.


Cheers

[Stoney]

for your 'small benchtop still'?

lol. I got a look in simms metal copper bin last weekend, lots of columns in there, right up to 4 inch and some 5ft lengths of 6 inch .. mouth was watering.

then they gleefully told me they do not sell to the public at all.
grr

[hillzabilly]

for your 'small benchtop still'?

lol. I got a look in simms metal copper bin last weekend, lots of columns in there, right up to 4 inch and some 5ft lengths of 6 inch .. mouth was watering.

then they gleefully told me they do not sell to the public at all.
grr

I would have asked if I turned up the next day with a carton of his favourite beer and cash wether that would still be the case .hillzabilly

[C2H6O]

for your 'small benchtop still'?

lol. I got a look in simms metal copper bin last weekend, lots of columns in there, right up to 4 inch and some 5ft lengths of 6 inch .. mouth was watering.

then they gleefully told me they do not sell to the public at all.
grr

Hey mate the small benchtop still i started this thread for was one i was making for friends who are space limited. The 2" pipe was some i had left scrap in my shed, so just wanted to have a play.

My still doesn't quite fit on the bench :D

still.JPG

[Stoney]

nice keg connection.
boka or pot still too, do you remove the column for pot still mode or just the packing ?

i just grabbed the parts to convert my old aluminium pressure cooker to a little pot still for ouzo, lots of hearsay about ally pots and I had one doing nothing so might give it a go for myself.
its an old one with a rubber seal though, might just try wrapping the entire seal with plumbers tape.

no drilling needed, punched out the old pressure lock with a punch a 1/4 pipe to 1/8 bsp fitting screws in perfectly and seals with a o ring.

[hillzabilly]

Ally pot still :angry-banghead: your jokeing right.Safety First Allways.Copper,stainless,glass.tryed tested safe .Just my opinion hillzabilly

[Zak Griffin]

^ :text-+1:

Aluminium is no good mate!

[MacStill]

^ :text-+1:

Aluminium is no good mate!

:text-imwithstupid: :text-lol: :text-+1: :text-+1:

[Stoney]

yeh its just for a test run. if i like the speed and result then I will find myself an SS pot, waiting for aldi to have the big ss crockpots in again. they looked awesome apart from the glass lid.

theres not much real info around on any real risks, alzheimers is bollocks, disproved years ago and I used this same pot to make hundreds of meals in .. some acidic, like pasta sauces.
now thats a few litres, you eat the lot ..

now I am not going to put an acidic wash in it, i am going to put dilute pure spirits, say 40% and herbs, not particularly acidic. aluminium is listed on the ethanol msds as a safe container.

then distill in it, may or may not get some ally salts into the wash, may or may not make it into the distillate as it may or may not get to the end of the copper .. only going to run 2 litres or so, enough to pull out maybe 800ml to a litre at 60-80% .. then that gets diluted again and is likely consumed over probably a month period at maybe 200ml a week. not a big drinker, i like a nip.

if I can even taste the tiniest taint of ally or anything metallic, i will bin it. compare the risks to cooking in one, like millions of people still do. never tasted off then, why should this be any different ?

there is plenty of people on google been using an ally boiler for many years with no issues. not a lot of real info on why not. just lots saying not to with no real reasons.

things with lots of aluminium .. toothpaste, anti-persperants, the earth (7% of the crust), drinking water, foods - tea, cocoa, tomatoes, cereals.

we breath it, eat it, rub it on our skin .. i can't see drinking a tiny amount intermittently life threatening. discuss.

[Sam.]

Instead of derailing this thread you could revive this old thread in the safety section if you like :handgestures-thumbupleft:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1794

[Zak Griffin]

1.

[Stoney]

its a small benchtop still, didn't think it was derailing but sure..

[Zak Griffin]

2.

[C2H6O]

nice keg connection.
boka or pot still too, do you remove the column for pot still mode or just the packing ?

Cheers mate, I run the forshots and the heads off through the LM (boka) then take the hearts off with the VM (red gate valve), you don't get much tails through the VM. Boka is great for compression of heads and VM for compression of tails, leaves me with a good amount of hearts.

I haven't actually run it as a pot still yet but have a piece of stainless thread so I can remove the gate valve and do this. Oh I also have a cap so I can remove the reflux coil. Will prob remove packing and keep the column.

Cheers

[hillzabilly]

For a bench top still i like Linny,s check it out viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4889 It,s a good combination .cheers hillzabilly

[C2H6O]

Cheers mate, perfect link :handgestures-thumbupleft:
If I could make something half as good as that the lads would be happy..

Thanks