Pot Still Gasket / Seal

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Deezil
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Deezil »

I contacted a place a few times about getting a PTFE gasket made, they asked questions one of the time, and still no reply, they suck.

I make two wraps around the top of the pot with the Teflon tape, put the lid on, no leaks.. bammm
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Truckinbutch »

Spiraled cotton cord or fabric embedded in flour paste and you got a custom seal for pennies .
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Aaron_the_distiller »

Truckinbutch wrote:Spiraled cotton cord or fabric embedded in flour paste and you got a custom seal for pennies .
I got to thinking about that last night. Or perhaps a old cotton tshirt cut to form a gasket then rub paste on it and go. Ive got several i could use
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by S-Cackalacky »

Surprised nobody mentioned the "Everlasting PTFE/cardboard" gasket. There's a thread here somewhere describing how to make one. I use two - one for my stock pot boiler lid and one for my stock pot thumper lid. Works great for me and should work for that uneven (hammered) lid you have. I've noticed that it tends to swell a bit when it gets damp from the steam.

The cardboard I use is from a sheet of mat board from a picture frame shop. Sometimes you can find a scuffed/damaged sheet for a couple of dollars. Even at full price, it's only around $6 for a 24X36 inch sheet.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Prairiepiss »

Aaron_the_distiller wrote:Well it was just a thought. Looks to be safe but im not gonna pay $45 for a sheet of it to make one gasket and it not work
Looks to be safe and being safe. Are two different things. Just because it says food grade. Doesn't make it hot alcohol vapor safe. And we are dealing with more then just ethanol. There is many different alcohols and other nasty stuff. That needs to be considered.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Aaron_the_distiller »

Prairiepiss wrote:
Aaron_the_distiller wrote:Well it was just a thought. Looks to be safe but im not gonna pay $45 for a sheet of it to make one gasket and it not work
Looks to be safe and being safe. Are two different things. Just because it says food grade. Doesn't make it hot alcohol vapor safe. And we are dealing with more then just ethanol. There is many different alcohols and other nasty stuff. That needs to be considered.
Yes i realize that. Thats why im a little skeptical on it but it was worth looking into.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Aaron_the_distiller »

S-Cackalacky wrote:Surprised nobody mentioned the "Everlasting PTFE/cardboard" gasket. There's a thread here somewhere describing how to make one. I use two - one for my stock pot boiler lid and one for my stock pot thumper lid. Works great for me and should work for that uneven (hammered) lid you have. I've noticed that it tends to swell a bit when it gets damp from the steam.

The cardboard I use is from a sheet of mat board from a picture frame shop. Sometimes you can find a scuffed/damaged sheet for a couple of dollars. Even at full price, it's only around $6 for a 24X36 inch sheet.

What we really need to invent is a teflon gasket/o ring! Us rednecks and "improvisers" should be able to make it. Thats food for thought right there!
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by jholmz »

just wrap the lip of the pot in teflon tape and wrap the lid edge and clamp together the tape being on both parts will adhere to each other creating the seal
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

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Aaron_the_distiller wrote:What we really need to invent is a teflon gasket/o ring! Us rednecks and "improvisers" should be able to make it. Thats food for thought right there!
just read your redneck still thread. oring, ptfe oring, eptfe, expanded teflon, samahons gasket. search each term and read all the threads and posts.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Ghostpepperman »

Hey guys I stumbled on this site...I use the Cardboard/PTFE as a gasket.


http://www.allsealsinc.com/Teflon_Products.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Zombie Killer »

Any more info on those o rings from mcmaster ? still thinking flour paste is the way to go but was interested in these o rings ?
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Truckinbutch »

Zombie Killer wrote:Any more info on those o rings from mcmaster ? still thinking flour paste is the way to go but was interested in these o rings ?
I've not looked any further in that direction . I've got a flat flange mating surface between boiler and cap that I had a problem with flour paste squeezing too thin when I clamped it . Used twisted cotton cord in conjunction with flour paste that worked better . Just changed the codage to a larger diameter jute cord and that is working better . Thin layer of loose flour paste on the bottom flange , spiral the jute cord on the flange with a bit thicker flour paste (still thin enough to dip your finger in it and spread it ) , set the cap and clamp . So far it seems to be extremely durable without the squeeze out mess of flour paste by it's self .
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by FranklinNewhart »

Go to Napa or Canadian Tire or any other Automotive supply store and ask for a roll of Gasket Paper that is made for cutting your own gaskets. It is grey and you use a lino knife or a pare of sissors to cut it to the size and shape you need. The roll is a grey thick paper made specifically for gaskets. It is a sheet when rolled out of about 16 inches by 48 inches. some rolls are smaller and are 12 inches by 36 inches. How hard can this be?
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by cob »

FranklinNewhart wrote:Go to Napa or Canadian Tire or any other Automotive supply store and ask for a roll of Gasket Paper that is made for cutting your own gaskets. It is grey and you use a lino knife or a pare of sissors to cut it to the size and shape you need. The roll is a grey thick paper made specifically for gaskets. It is a sheet when rolled out of about 16 inches by 48 inches. some rolls are smaller and are 12 inches by 36 inches. How hard can this be?
ABSOLUTLY NOT!!! you have a lot of reading to do. start with cranky's tutorial.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by S-Cackalacky »

FranklinNewhart wrote:Go to Napa or Canadian Tire or any other Automotive supply store and ask for a roll of Gasket Paper that is made for cutting your own gaskets. It is grey and you use a lino knife or a pare of sissors to cut it to the size and shape you need. The roll is a grey thick paper made specifically for gaskets. It is a sheet when rolled out of about 16 inches by 48 inches. some rolls are smaller and are 12 inches by 36 inches. How hard can this be?
Says you only have one post. How did you get past the Mods and the Welcome Center with that one?
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by FullySilenced »

If reference to the automotive gasket paper... it is only compressed paper and is available in number of thicknesses... the thick ones are grey the thinner ones come in brown, red or white...

This material is fuel proof and is of no issue in regard to safety it is not a rubber cork or compressed plastic gasket...

I have used it for more than 20 years on various projects as many of you have as well..

happy stillin,

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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by cob »

bleached white, grey, brown, or red dye? i use the stuff in automotive apps. but not food.

unknown manufacturing processes and or additives no thanks.

the thin brown gasket material i have feels like it is treated with oil.

it's not even claimed to be food grade.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by FullySilenced »

I did work at a large poultry plant ... and in the flanged connections ... they used either orings or paper gaskets... same materials ...

I will say make up your own mind use it or not use it .. its not my responsibility to convince you or to argue with you over paper gasket material...


When its clamped between metal surfaces just how much area will be exposed to the wash or wash vapors... its not in the column in this instance...

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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Truckinbutch »

I considered the same material then stuck with tried and true flour paste and string . If we get a definitve answer that it is safe to use it would sure make life easier for me .
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by S-Cackalacky »

I found this - http://msdsreport.com/msds/BQDZR" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow . I don't know how specific it is to the auto supply gasket material we're talking about here. Could there be different formulations depending on manufacturer. Anyway, this particular MSDS would seem to indicate that there are no problems with it as far as our hobby goes.

Edit: Someone who knows how to read these things should take a closer look.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by FullySilenced »

Natural cork may be an option as well as its used in wine bottles etc. its available in sheets up to 48" wide as well .. all natural cork not the rubber bonded stuff..

Cork contains a natural alcohol which works as a binder and preservative...

I have not done research on the cork its just something i read years ago.. .. so if someone has more info on it .. pass it on..

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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by rad14701 »

I have many sheets and rolls of various gasket materials in the basement and barn but would absolutely never use any of them where they would come into contact with my spirits... Cooling water, maybe...

"Just compressed paper" is not an accurate assessment of any gasket material you don't know the exact composition of... Paper made from wood pulp...??? Maybe recycled paper...??? Maybe bonding agents...??? Maybe dyes, as previously mentioned...??? Maybe impregnated with pulverized scrap metal or synthetics...???

We've all seen recalls on chicken, mass slaughters of millions of chickens, entire building being sanitized or destroyed... Not gonna base anything on what some chicken farm does... :crazy:
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by thatguy1313 »

Jeez. Just use PTFE or flour paste. Both damn easy and accepted as safe. An everlasting gasket works very well.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by ben stiller »

what that guy said!
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by jmashspirits14 »

I was reading this thread on gaskets suitable for stills and safe for exposure to high temp ethanol vapor and I just wanted to say something has to exist. I have seen many commercial stills that have connections and sections of piping where alcohol vapor flows and there has to be some kind of gasket between the sections where they bolt together. Has anyone ever contacted any distilleries our supply companies to ask what material or sealant is used in commercial alcohol production? What about column stills that have the different levels and see through windows, there has to be gaskets of some kind there too. If its all soldered why would there be bolts?
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by rad14701 »

jmashspirits14 wrote:I was reading this thread on gaskets suitable for stills and safe for exposure to high temp ethanol vapor and I just wanted to say something has to exist. I have seen many commercial stills that have connections and sections of piping where alcohol vapor flows and there has to be some kind of gasket between the sections where they bolt together. Has anyone ever contacted any distilleries our supply companies to ask what material or sealant is used in commercial alcohol production? What about column stills that have the different levels and see through windows, there has to be gaskets of some kind there too. If its all soldered why would there be bolts?
Nobody goes around checking distilleries to confirm that they are using safe materials... They self-regulate, which what we also do here... Distilleries could very well be using materials we find unacceptable and might hold the opinion that they produce such large volumes that the dilution of any toxins would be spread out far further than our hobby scale rigs... Do you want to take the profiteering, bean counter answering, stance or do you want to be as safe as possible...??? I'll opt for personal safety because I have to answer to me and I'd prefer to stick with clean ethanol as my poison of choice...
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

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I read a thread about this once. There was even a guy who contacted the manufacturer and was satisfied that the gasket material was safe. You know what he didn't do? Give the name of the manufacturer or product. Do you know how many different places this gasket material comes from?? Do you really think it's all the same??? Do you think they have it made in the same place with the same process that they did 5 years ago???? They never intended for this product to be food safe with high temp ethanol. If anything they intended for it to be ethanol resistant due to modern fuels, which usually means synthetics are added. Addressing this as if anyone in the world reading this could just walk into their local parts store and get exactly the same quality product is just ridiculous.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by jmashspirits14 »

How can we be sure of anything though? How do we no for a fact that alcohol vapor coming into contact with brass, copper, stainless, lead free solder, and water based flux insnt producing more poisonous chemicals than food grade high temperature chemical resistant sealer or some other synthetic? Just because copper has been used for decades? They find out things that weren't known everyday. Anymore the air we breathe is slowly killing us, some of the foods we eat everyday, so how is anyone sure of anything thier using? If no synthetics are proven how do we know teflon is ok? I have access to pure teflon sheets in any thickness I want, I could easily cut gaskets out of this material with a dremel tool. If there was a dangerous chemical reaction between alcohol vapor and a synthetic product the material would deteriorate even if ever so slowly. After several runs one would notice upon inspection a change of some kind in the material. A discoloring, hardening, softening, powdery substance, smell, taste, something would happen. If chemicals were being released the material probably would slowly disolve from high temperature solvent. Basically there is nothing safe besides flour paste? Im going to secretly ask some distillery equipment manufactures about this subject. Im just curious to see what they say.
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by rad14701 »

Ah, but those so-called distillery equipment manufacturers don't make most of the components they use, they source them from regular everyday distributors... Some might argue that a specific silicone mix is inert once cured... But in what environment... And can you be 100% sure it was totally cured all the way through...??? You are relying on Room Temperature Vulcanization where chemical additives "theoretically" do what they are intended to do... But that doesn't always happen... I've removed years old RTV sealant only to find that it never fully "cured" and gave off that very distinctive burning sensation that most folks nostrils detest... I wouldn't consider that RTV sealant to be in a food safe state... Would you...???

You can do whatever research you want but we won't be changing our blanket stance on what is or isn't safe for use in contact with high proof high temperature distillate any time soon for the reasons stated herein... Someone gets all whipped up several times a year and the results remain the same for the rationale of safety... It took years, and some chemical analysis, before we even decided to add Teflon to the acceptable materials list...

What distilleries do is on them but what I do could have a direct impact on me and my SOH, so I will always err on the side of safety... And you can rest assured that before I have ever used fertilizer as a nutrient, for example, that I have done ample research and pored over the MSDS for the exact mix I am considering using... The same goes for any materials or ingredients I use in this hobby... Safety, first and foremost...!!!
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Re: Pot Still Gasket / Seal

Post by Brutal »

Jmash your argument is no argument. Why don't we just all use lead stills. I unblocked you and now you're going back. Have a good life. Out.
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