Search found 207 matches

by mrhooch
Sun May 23, 2010 9:36 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: tomato past... taste
Replies: 19
Views: 1869

Re: tomato past... taste

Well that just tickles me pink! This is the internet don't ya know, you can type in "malting grains" and have more information than you are likely to read in a year. I did not profess to be an expert in malting grains, I merely explained the basic process. From there you can find all the i...
by mrhooch
Sun May 23, 2010 7:45 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: detachable liebig
Replies: 10
Views: 1423

Re: detachable liebig

Wow lots of worried questions!!!! Your liebig will work fine, as long as it is surrounded by water to absorb the heat. How much heat it will absorb is dependant on the temprature difference, ie the temp of the cooling water. The theory tab has a section on condensor design, you can play with the num...
by mrhooch
Sun May 23, 2010 7:06 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: tomato past... taste
Replies: 19
Views: 1869

Re: tomato past... taste

Pikluk: The enzymes the convert starch to sugar develop naturally in the grain as it germinates. It is a process called malting. If you still got some rye left, soak it in some boiled water, I've heard mention of adding a few drops of bleach to retard mold growth, throw it on a tray, cover it keep i...
by mrhooch
Sun May 23, 2010 6:50 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: My second first still.
Replies: 10
Views: 4129

Re: My second first still.

Caveguy:

Nice looking unit! I wish my copper working skills were up to your standards...

What kind of boiler does it attach to?

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 7:41 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Bernzomatic torch
Replies: 13
Views: 4627

Re: Bernzomatic torch

Rubberduck: There are lots of those types of torches out there. I have one of the original spitfire (the guys who invented the swirl flame torch) torches. I don't know if you are soldering 2" pipe or not, if you are, I would suggest the 8000 cause it is adjustable and has extra heat. I've used ...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 7:31 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: just found this place
Replies: 17
Views: 1814

Re: just found this place

Maritime: It sounds like you're a wiz at pipe, so take kiwi's suggestion, you can make the parts fit together based on what they have designed. Here is a still build to look at: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6842 However, I would use one of hooklines 2 layers coils instead,...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 1:11 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: just found this place
Replies: 17
Views: 1814

Re: just found this place

Maritime: I'm wondering if you are thinking of something similar to what I did, and it didn't work worth a s**t. Almost every successful design has reflux (liquid) condensors over the top line of the column. Reflux has to be dribbled into the center of the top (or better yet dispersed evenly over th...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 9:50 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: Sugar Wash-what now?
Replies: 20
Views: 3099

Re: Sugar Wash-what now?

Richee: I would air it out for a day or two in a mason or other wide mouthed jar covered with something to keep the fruit flies out. Makes a big difference in the sharpness of the product. At the end of the day, how do you enjoy your product? Mixed with pop? Soda and a chunk of lemon? Charcol filter...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 9:40 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hello from the Great Lakes!
Replies: 86
Views: 6827

Re: Hello from the Great Lakes!

So what kind of mash did you make?

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 9:14 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: just found this place
Replies: 17
Views: 1814

Re: just found this place

Maritime: What you are proposing will get you a few points in ABV, a pretty clean neutral, but won't likely get you into the 90's. Refluxing is pretty simple in theory. If you can wrap your head around the the reality that when you distill a higher ABV liquid, you get a yet higher ABV vapour. To put...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 8:34 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: detachable liebig
Replies: 10
Views: 1423

Re: detachable liebig

BigJake: it depends if you're trying to make a neutral, or a product with some of the original taste of the wash in it. If you are making a corn/grain wash, then you want the column to be shorter than you would use for refluxing so you get the tastes and aromas. If you are just doing a stripping run...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 8:11 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: just found this place
Replies: 17
Views: 1814

Re: just found this place

Maritime: I know how pricey those threaded 2" fittings are, have you tossed around the idea of using a pipe expander? Anneal the end of the pipe, put the expander in and you can make a nice slip joint with a really good seal. You can make it tighter and lap it with valve grinding compound to ma...
by mrhooch
Sat May 22, 2010 7:55 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: My Still build (with pics)
Replies: 12
Views: 2355

Re: My Still build (with pics)

Braddie: Finally commited the design to copper.... Looks sweet! :D The hydrogen peroxide they sell at the hydroponics store is a lot more concentrated 35% vs 2% for the drug store variety they let you put on your skin, so the smallest bottle out to do you. You'll need a mechanical action (steel wool...
by mrhooch
Fri May 21, 2010 5:37 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: My Parrot
Replies: 19
Views: 6436

Re: My Parrot

I agree with Kiwi (with no rolling eyes) that there is a point where it is useless to push the still too far to get that last drop out. I thought I did mention that the thermometer was in the boiler, I think of it more as a gas gauge to tell me how much alcohol I got in the left in the pot. There is...
by mrhooch
Thu May 20, 2010 8:25 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: My Parrot
Replies: 19
Views: 6436

Re: My Parrot

Well, you should have got more product out of the batch.... But yes the elusive 3%, you got the right basic setup, it might be just how you pack the column, I just scruch mine up, roll them actually, so it fits tightly in the column. I could be the reflux is channelling. where you get little rivers ...
by mrhooch
Thu May 20, 2010 6:22 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: replying to mrhootch - with thanks
Replies: 8
Views: 1400

Re: replying to mrhootch - with thanks

Rad: It's not about thermal efficiency, it's about the thermal reality. Energy is neither created or destroyed, it just moves from one place to another. In the case of heat energy, the heat moves from the hotter region to the colder region. It moves based on the thermal characteristics of the materi...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 11:04 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: My Parrot
Replies: 19
Views: 6436

Re: My Parrot

+1 on the if you ain't got copper, put some copper in the path. For % remember you need 13 cm of scubbies for each plate, and the jump from 93 to 95 is at least 4-5 plates. Casper, before you go futzing around, you've got a portal into what your flux coil is doing, with the side attachment. See if t...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 10:35 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: replying to mrhootch - with thanks
Replies: 8
Views: 1400

Re: replying to mrhootch - with thanks

http://www.mhi-inc.com/Converter/watt_calculator.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow This one.. tells you what amount of energy does what... tells you that its equivalent to about . Like it says .2125lbs of natural gas. So I had a bit of an idea, som...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 5:01 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: replying to mrhootch - with thanks
Replies: 8
Views: 1400

Re: replying to mrhootch - with thanks

I agree totally Rad, you need to get ahead of the game by freezing water first. A compressor should be able to run pretty much nonstop, they are designed for a fairly high duty cycle, I know when I dump a load in the freezer, it doesn't stop running for about 2-3 days. According to the energy calcul...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 2:58 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Recirculating Water Cooling System
Replies: 20
Views: 10139

Re: Recirculating Water Cooling System

Sounds a bit bigger than the one I got, but no matter, it'll work. You don't need as much flow as you might think, you should be able to drain through a rad, but perhaps consider using maybe a car heater core, pretty cheap, don't need pressure just the gravity alone should do the trick.

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 2:49 pm
Forum: Related Gas Accessories
Topic: Car Rim Burner
Replies: 10
Views: 2749

Re: Car Rim Burner

Way, way to sexy, especially the free part....

Sigh, wish I had a welder.....

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 2:46 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hello from the North (Canada)
Replies: 10
Views: 1121

Re: Hello from the North (Canada)

No kidding, I'm in the north GTA... You can't really go wrong with a water heater for a boiler, that's what I use, check craigslist and kiiji for them, slightly used, but you need to gut them anyways. As for the type of still, they all do work, it is more a how complicated do you want it to look. :s...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 10:16 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: replying to mrhootch - with thanks
Replies: 8
Views: 1400

Re: replying to mrhootch - with thanks

Sorry took so long to post back to you, things have been a little hectic around here. And of course your questions need answers that require some thought. Didn't help much when one of the critters blew away my rough draft to you, so back to square 1. Here is an energy calculator, one that allows you...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 9:03 am
Forum: Related Electric Accessories
Topic: Idea for a heating element controller
Replies: 5
Views: 1217

Re: Idea for a heating element controller

It's simple. Once you stop applying heat, guess what? There is no energy being applied to convert the liquid ethanol to gaseous ethanol, so within seconds (the amount of time it takes the for the hot spots to transfer their heat to the wash), it stops boiling. Any heating controller must use some fo...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 5:16 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Recirculating Water Cooling System
Replies: 20
Views: 10139

Re: Recirculating Water Cooling System

Ras: It all really depends on how much heat you are going to apply to the system, which determines the amount of cooling flow. That of course and the temprature differential between the coolant water and the alcohol vapour. I use a mag drive pump used for ponds and aquariums. It is rated for 1000 gp...
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 5:01 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: My Parrot
Replies: 19
Views: 6436

Re: My Parrot

:ebiggrin: :ebiggrin:

Fine job there Casper! I'm sure you'll bet many fine years out of it!

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Tue May 18, 2010 4:55 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hello from the North (Canada)
Replies: 10
Views: 1121

Re: Hello from the North (Canada)

Hello, good to see a fellow canuk here!

It is a lot of fun to build a still.

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Sat May 15, 2010 2:21 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: running to hard?
Replies: 2
Views: 769

Re: running to hard?

I'd hazard a guess that you got boiler "puke". Way too fast, the boil set the wash up your worm.... How long is it anyways? How does the thumper smell?

Hooch.
by mrhooch
Sat May 15, 2010 7:36 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Keg build
Replies: 29
Views: 3176

Re: Keg build

Yup. Copper pipe is a bit of a bitch to thread. You have to check the material thickness based on the thread size used on the keg. Pipe threads are standard, and are tapered. Your keg *might* be a metric pipe thread rather than an imperial thread. The reason it could be a bit of a bitch, is that the...
by mrhooch
Sat May 15, 2010 5:12 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Keg build
Replies: 29
Views: 3176

Re: Keg build

Well if you want my 2 cents worth, here it is: 1. When you build a still, you are building it with parts that can pretty much last a lifetime. Then you ask yourself the question, "Am a a tinkerer and experimenter?". Will you build it once, or build it then tinker with it later? 2. While st...