Hi from New Zealand!!
Moderator: Site Moderator
Hi from New Zealand!!
Hi guys. I'm Phil, diesel mechanic, engineer, ex underground miner, from the beautiful Hawkes Bay in New Zealand. I've been distilling for years, and have always come back to this site for problem solving, you guys are an amazing resource. Thanks to you guys I now solely birdwatchers. I'm part way through building my new still, previously I was using a 50 litre beer keg with a 65mm boka, 1 metre column packed with half stainless wool and half broken up car windscreen. It was working well, with a gas burner, but I wanted more so have built a 100 litre boiler with a 3kw element. This set up works live a dream, but I'm having a problem which I will address in the appropriate section.
I look forward to hearing from you, and bouncing around new ideas.
Thanks
Phil
I look forward to hearing from you, and bouncing around new ideas.
Thanks
Phil
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- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 3036
- Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 12:03 am
- Location: Texan living in Missouri
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Welcome in. Not sure about in nz but u.s. windshields are two layers of glass with a layer of plastic laminated between.
Welcome in though. Please read the site rules in regard to plastics.
Edited to add...
Of course, the side windows are just tempered glass so they are safe.
Be safe
Welcome in though. Please read the site rules in regard to plastics.
Edited to add...
Of course, the side windows are just tempered glass so they are safe.
Be safe
Remember not to blow yourself up,you only get to forget once!
Deo Vendice
Never eat Mexican food north or east of Dallas tx!
Deo Vendice
Never eat Mexican food north or east of Dallas tx!
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Welcome. It's good to have another Kiwi here.
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Just a word of caution to go along with this... I would be hesitant to use tempered glass from modern vehicles as most have tinted glass and you can't be sure what that tinting comes from or whether it could leach into distilled spirits... Safety, first and foremost...jb-texshine wrote:Edited to add...
Of course, the side windows are just tempered glass so they are safe.
Be safe
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Sorry, I should elaborate. It's the side glass from an early 90s vehicle and I have been distilling through it for about 6 years now
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Tempered glass will break into small cubes nd I cant see any reason that could not be used for a packing medium.
New Zealand is a beautiful country mate ... wish I could retire there.
New Zealand is a beautiful country mate ... wish I could retire there.
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
It does work but I'd go with older car windows or tempered patio door glass... I had some patio door glass that I tried once but I should have tumbled it to knock the sharp edges down... Just didn't like it... Plus is seemed to pack too tight and channeled...willee wrote:Tempered glass will break into small cubes nd I cant see any reason that could not be used for a packing medium.
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
I just smashed it on the ground, scooped it up and put it in a sealed bucket with a few rocks and some water and rolled it round the lawn. Sieved it through a colander whilst running water thru it. Figured even if any shards made it through that process, they certainly wouldn't make it up the still, and certainly not through the carbon filter. Stainless wool is still better I think, but I ran out and figured with a column height of 1 meter I could afford to run both. Results agree with me. Now to sort out the stalling when it reaches tails..
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Turning it off when the shit hits the parrot sounds pretty good to meKiwi_phil wrote:Now to sort out the stalling when it reaches tails..
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
It's still coming off clean at 85% when it stalls tho.NZChris wrote:Turning it off when the shit hits the parrot sounds pretty good to meKiwi_phil wrote:Now to sort out the stalling when it reaches tails..
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
What is the charge temperature when it happens?
What is the SG of the backset?
What is the SG of the backset?
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
I haven't used a thermometer since the kids broke it a few runs ago (pre new boiler) back set sg? I'm not clever with terms. Is that the sg of what's left after it stalls?
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Backset is what is left in the boiler at the end of the run. If there is no alcohol left in it, there is no point in flogging it.
SG = Specific Gravity
SG = Specific Gravity
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- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 3036
- Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 12:03 am
- Location: Texan living in Missouri
Re: Hi from New Zealand!!
Good point!rad14701 wrote:Just a word of caution to go along with this... I would be hesitant to use tempered glass from modern vehicles as most have tinted glass and you can't be sure what that tinting comes from or whether it could leach into distilled spirits... Safety, first and foremost...jb-texshine wrote:Edited to add...
Of course, the side windows are just tempered glass so they are safe.
Be safe
Remember not to blow yourself up,you only get to forget once!
Deo Vendice
Never eat Mexican food north or east of Dallas tx!
Deo Vendice
Never eat Mexican food north or east of Dallas tx!