Our reflux still

[Jaeger]

Bokakob's plans
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bokakob

Also, the only reason I can think of for the two valves is to increase the efficiency of a stripping run.
I personally am leaning towards an offset head design, then again, bakakob's design is essentially an offset design without being offset

[Brett]

I have to admit Bokakob's does look far simpler to build, i guess the offset head could be simplified to one valve by placing the reflux pipe a little up the side (instead of the base), without the valve and building up a resevoir controling the amount of reflux by just adjusting the output so as to not drain the resevoir.

i think the 2 valves will allow a more acurate n finer adjustment, but i do like the simplicity of bokakbob's

[Grayson_Stewart]

You will find that the small needle or control valves are incredibly sensitive. Just the slightest turn opens the valve up to allow flow. It is a very fine adjustment from 2 drips per second to 20 drips per second. I used two valves in mine and the extra valve for relux return is a complete waste. If you place the reflux return line just above your product valve and allow it to "overflow" back to the center of the column, you will be much happier.

[Blueraven]

Well i like the eco-friendly design on that site the guest linked to and I learned some abt constructing one at that site...

The El-2 aught to work and later maybe build a real plate still.

Can any one provide the qwikest stepts to make the elliptical plates in the design. It was suggested I cut a slot in a portion of the pipe, I guess 1/2 way thru the diameter, and make a template from that..

Seems like some swift acad expert cld sap that out. then ya print the template out.

Hmm??

[Arnie_sla]

Blueraven, If you want to make templates for ellipts, just open up MS Paint on your computer. Its normally in Accessories on your desk top. There is or should be a button to the left of screen that you click on and then you just drag the ellipts to the size you need. print on to card or stick paper on to card once printed.

[Guest]

Blueraven; my heart warms.
Now the elip plates.
No need for templates lets just keep it simple.
Cut a slot at the angle you want just over half way through.
Trick is to get a hacksaw blade just a bit thicker than your plate.
Get a peice of plate a bit bigger than you need, slip it in the cut; braze it ;then linish/file/saw the bit left hang out off.

Now do the next on as the pipe will have regained its strength.

Take care.

[Guest]

needle valves

We've had this a few times as well.
What you buy with a lable "needle valve " for $4.99 at ace hardware is not a needle valve. Wether it has an "O" ring seat or not; it is more than likely a small version of the common old garden tap, or seat valve.

A real "needle" valve has just that in it, a needle.
This will set you back 10 times the ace or where ever, ring in. They are precission valves and hence cost $s
Now I might be wrong, because I haven't been to ace but I bet I'm not.
A real needle valve will have a graduated scale so you can reproduce your setting.

take care

[Uncle Remus]

My opinion of the theory behind UR's still is,its dubious. Yes it will work but why complicate it, and anything less than 95.5% ABV and you're wasting your time if you are making neutral spirit. If you can explain to me the purpose of the valve that takes condensate back to the column, or the purpose of the sight glass, or the purpose of trying to hold the resivor of condensate there at a particular level, and any of them have merit,then I will bend over.

I have only one comment. If I can take 60 litres of wash and turn it into 88-90% spirit in about 6 hours, why the f*** would I want to spend 12-17 hours and burn twice the fuel to get it up to 95% only to turn around and water it down to a 40- 45% spirit. The first time we ran this still, we did a stripping run first and and then distilled it a second time and yes we got about 94-95% alcohol and it never took 12-17 hours either. After this spirit was cut down to 40% or so, it never tasted any better than the 88-90% that we've been running since.

I think people get way to anal about trying to achieve the max alc/vol.


....but I guess THE GUEST KNOWS BEST!!

[Guest]

Brett.

good reasoning, but why do you still want a resivour of condensate.
Seems to me that the less held there the better, you will still be able to draw what ever ratio you choose by setting that one valve. It's not as though a resivour will let you draw of any quicker.


If you have a valid reason I'd like to know

just asking,
take care

[Blueraven]

Guest,

Yeah you got it..thats what ill do and i just got thru drawing an ellipse for a template. HA!.

But your method is better so ill try that first..

Thanks Guy..I guess the Guest is a guy..Cld be a ahh no way..Not many Sheilas here.

BAYL...

[Blueraven]

Also,,

I see the wisdom of a metal cutting blade for the miter saw..Bad news is they are about $100+ here.

[Guest]

Uncle remus, why so offended,glad i keep the shades for you !

Yes your plan of doing a stripping run is spot on.
Infact if you do 2 stripping runs and then combine them and run that to max % you will save even more power and time.

Now the reason I prefer to distill to 95.5% is because I'm not just taking out water, I'm taking out all the other (excuse me ) crap.
I then add water to 40%abv, or just put less in the coke.

If your line of thought was carried to the rediculous; why not just do a stripping run in a pot still to 40% and put that in your coke.

I do like your idea of running your product through a liebig to cool it so you can get an accurate SG reading. Seems to me that hot ethanol that comes out of a LM still must evaporate quite a bit.
Ofcourse I wouldn't want to suggest seeing you have the liebig just to run vapour into it via a gate valve and have the easiest to control VM still.

mmmmh, need to think about that.

And by the way I never said i knew it all, but I am interseted in learning as much as I can. I suppose I could just make crazy posts about the first lame thing that came into my head,, but what's the point.

So slow down brother, relax.

take care