Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Arismac wrote:Help ... someone called Aus Post has got my Boka. Will it ever reach me, Carol? Just joking.

I want to do a practice run or two before committing a wash. Suggestions please on how much white vinegar, or whatever, and water. I will even chuck in a bottle of metho or heads that we have collected for hand washing and cleaning if that will be better than the vinegar.

Use feints not metho :?

Yes. Stripped wash and straight spirit run.

Do you mean chuck my cache of spirit (3 gallons/12litres) back into the Boka boiler and run? Probably not. So clarify for me please. Boka still on the road.

Half in Sydney and the other half still in Brisbane apparently.
But both due or estimated to arrive in Friday .
Let's see :laughing-rolling:

Andrew wrote:Half in Sydney and the other half still in Brisbane apparently.
But both due or estimated to arrive in Friday .
Let's see :laughing-rolling:

Got twice the chance of one parcel ending up in the right place on Friday. :laughing-rolling:

Gotta love the post, even some of the freight companies for that matter. If only freight companies checked the back corner of their storage depots and made sure things got put on the truck!
Arismac- Vinegar seems to clean things up nicely for me, followed by some feints that have been stripped of all their goodness. I dont ditch my vinegar everytime i clean the still, just when its getting fairly dirty looking.

Rolls912 wrote:Carol, I’m no expert but 300mls per 12 minutes seems like it’s running pretty fast. What was the %?

The Stig wrote:If Im correct this was stripped wash and just a straight spirit run so 1.5L/Hour is about right.

Carol wrote:Yes. Stripped wash and straight spirit run.

Mac I have put quotes in now so that it makes more sense. Not suggesting you use you use your cache of spirits in a practice run.

Andrew wrote:Half in Sydney and the other half still in Brisbane apparently.
But both due or estimated to arrive in Friday .
Let's see :laughing-rolling:

I see your parcel is also enjoying the scenic route! Fingers crossed for Friday. I looked up the tracking on the net and then called AusPost to complain. Parcel was tagged as subject of enquiry and it did not get lost again after that.

The Boka on Thursday now and the Controller on Friday. Fingers still crossed.

Boka has arrived with the controller. Let the fun begin.

Wow - earlier than expected. Have fun playing with the new toy.

What temperature should I be seeing on the thermometer. I know ethanol temp vaporises at 78C but I feel that what the thermometer shows will be a little different from that.

One more then I think I'm done. How many rolls of copper mesh should I load in the column?

Arismac wrote:One more then I think I'm done. How many rolls of copper mesh should I load in the column?

I have 7 copper rolls in the column.

Thanks Carol and what temperature are you running at please?

I think each roll I put in Carols Boris was about 120 grams.
You should be looking at 78deg, but you'll soon get a feel for your still

I try to run Boris (Boka) at 78-ish - using the power controller to tweak the temperature. I have the pot still variation as well ( aka Natasha) so I use that for stripping runs - just run it flat out until it is done.

:laughing-rolling:
Natasha the stripper
:music-deathmetal:

Arismac wrote:Thanks Carol and what temperature are you running at please?

Running a still by temp is NOT a good idea.

What you are looking for is a stable temperature. As different compounds boil off in the boiler your boiling point will change.

Your temp will be lower at operating temp to start with as you still have the lighter compounds present. Once you are in the hearts the vast majority is going to be ethanol and your temp should stay stable for a fair while. When it starts to creep up again can be a good indicator of tails.

The specific temp doesn't matter unless you have a very well calibrated thermometer. Just use the same thermo each time and notice the temp it stays stable at.

The power controller is so you can balance the power input to the reflux by cooling water for the still to operate correctly. Don't use the temp controller to determine temp OR offtake speed with a boka (liquid management) still (offtake is achieved by the offtake valve).

You might be getting confused with people talking about running their bubblers (cooling management) by the use of the controller which is a different kettle of fish (or wash).

Many thanks, Sam. I actually do have a very accurate digital readout thermometer correct to 0.1 degrees which I use in cosmetic making and the probe fits perfectly into the Boka port. I will learn by experience just how much bias I need to apply to allow for the fact the the probe is not in direct contact with the vapour.

I am seriously considering using/trialing the T500 Water flow controller in conjunction with the Boka Tower. It appears to me that if that works I will have the vernier water valve and the Power Regulator to adjust the temperature to a corrected 76.6C. Once the hearts are coming off I will not be doing any further adjustment.

I have the toys and I am looking forward to playing. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Is anyone able to suggest a glue/cement to join the hose to the fitting, please? The outside diameter of the hose is the same as the inside diameter of the fitting. Low water pressure only.

Get a hose clamp :handgestures-thumbupleft: