Ever used tygon tubing?

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MisterSteve124
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Ever used tygon tubing?

Post by MisterSteve124 »

Has anyone ever used tygon tubing to seal the pot and lid of their still? I have seen a couple places where people say that they use that. I was thinking about trying it so that I don't have to reapply flour paste every time. I would just get some and splice it down the middle and then place it along the rim of the pot and just use binder clips like usual. Anyone have any opinions on it?
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Post by BW Redneck »

Hmm. Tygon. Sounds sort of like a plastic or rubber.

I wouldn't trust it. The only gasket materials I'd ever use would be paste, paper, cork, and teflon tape on threaded joints. And I'd be slightly wary of the cork, since some are bonded with synthetic resin.

Even if it says that it's "chemically resistant", I don't trust it. I've seen a chemically resistant graduated cylinder turn white and make the spirit milky.
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20lt small pot still, working on keg
junkyard dawg
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Post by junkyard dawg »

there is kind of a split in the homedistilling community about using plastics... Those that do use them tend to post in other forums. Most folks here advocate using no plastics in stillbuilding. There have been some epic arguements on that topic. I would never consider a tygon gasket on the boiler acceptable. I keep telling people to get kegs for boilers and one of the main reasons is that you can make a bombproof gasketless design that won't cost an arm and a leg.

If you do use a plastic gasket then do your friends a favor and keep that hootch to yourself.
MisterSteve124
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Post by MisterSteve124 »

Yeah it is a plastic/rubber. I saw that some of the photos on the main site said people used it as a gasket material. It can withstand temperatures in the 400's. It is supposed to be very chemical resistant and I saw one site where it said it was resistant to certain types of alcohol. I guess I won't use it, just find it annoying to reapply flour paste every time, especially when I am doing double/triple distilling.

Oh here it is
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/produc ... 5Fid=26053

Here's what it says: Virtually unaffected by acids, bases, ketones, salts and alcohols, fitting the requirements of many applications from battery acid filling to hazardous material handling
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Post by pothead »

MisterSteve124 wrote:Yeah it is a plastic/rubber. I saw that some of the photos on the main site said people used it as a gasket material. It can withstand temperatures in the 400's. It is supposed to be very chemical resistant and I saw one site where it said it was resistant to certain types of alcohol. I guess I won't use it, just find it annoying to reapply flour paste every time, especially when I am doing double/triple distilling.

Oh here it is
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/produc ... 5Fid=26053

Here's what it says: Virtually unaffected by acids, bases, ketones, salts and alcohols, fitting the requirements of many applications from battery acid filling to hazardous material handling
1st- "virtually"
2nd- I don't care what my booze does to the plastic.......BUT.....what does the Plastic do to the booze??
It may leach some nasties into the booze.
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Post by Tater »

Well said pothead. Good to see ya posting again welcome back. 8)
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
MisterSteve124
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Post by MisterSteve124 »

good points, guess I'll have to stick to flour paste.
arkansas
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Post by arkansas »

Never heard of tygon at all, I am not against change, but would rather a few hundred (thousand) go ahead of me, when tried and true are so easy. Little warm water and a good puddy knife, beats the heck out of the other "knife" they talk about.
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Post by CoopsOz »

Are you using flour paste or are you making a dough? I make dough, about 1 cup of flour and a little water....that's it, not difficult at all. My setup only uses about 1/2 that so I put the rest sealed in the fridge. On my next run it's good to go, it actually works better, it seems to hold it's elasticity better when I roll it into a long strip. I don't know why, maybe some of the cooks or bakers on the forum could let me know.
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Post by MisterSteve124 »

I just take some flour and add some water till its a little gooey and then lather it on the rim of the lid. It works fine its just everytime I want to take the lid off and on I have to pry it open then apply more flour paste. It just gets annoying when I just want to open it just to add more mash in to do another run.
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Post by BW Redneck »

'Zactly what I try to stress when using paste, Coops. The word "paste" is a real misnomer, especially when we use more of a dough. Less shrinkage, easier to work with, and other benefits.

Actually, I'd like to experiment with extracting the gluten from flour and using the gluten as a sealant. The gluten is really what gives the dough its stickiness and elasticity, and sealing properties. But for now, I just use the dough like everyone else.
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20lt small pot still, working on keg
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Post by HookLine »

Not sure, but I recall seeing packs of gluten in a health food store.
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Post by pothead »

tater wrote:Well said pothead. Good to see ya posting again welcome back. 8)
Thanks Tater.

Good to be back, and see some of the changes here, and all the new people.



But, back to the subject...
I use both a paste and a dough.
I make a dough gasket, then I have some paste mixed up just in case I need to quick-fix a leak. (I have had to do it at a couple of fittings before with my old still)
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tygon

Post by guest »

Tygon tubing is usually either polyvinyl or polyvinylidene chloride polymer that is heavily plasticized to make it flexible, although there are some silicones as well (higher $$). I wouldn't use 'em with alcohol at higher temps, but they can't be beat for cooling water connections.
Dunderhead

Gluten

Post by Dunderhead »

Readneck
Hodgson Mills Makes gluten look in bread flour in store
I thank they add to non weat bread ?
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noodle gasket?

Post by stillsmokin »

pasta as a gasket?

spaghetti?

linguine?

I like the T-shirt material/dough idea though, seems like it would clean up better.
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no

Post by Uncle Jesse »

do NOT use plastic.

if there's another distillers forum or group and they advocate using plastics or rubber in the still or vapor path, then I'd be very suspicious about any other advice they give you.
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Post by bronzdragon »

I wouldn't use it in the still or transferring of high percentage alcohol. However it has piqued my interest in the past and would make a good transfer hose for your beers or wines, due to the nature of the hose not letting any funky mold or anything grow on it.

~r~
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Post by GuySmilie »

MisterSteve124 wrote:Yeah it is a plastic/rubber. I saw that some of the photos on the main site said people used it as a gasket material. It can withstand temperatures in the 400's. It is supposed to be very chemical resistant and I saw one site where it said it was resistant to certain types of alcohol. I guess I won't use it, just find it annoying to reapply flour paste every time, especially when I am doing double/triple distilling.

Oh here it is
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/produc ... 5Fid=26053

Here's what it says: Virtually unaffected by acids, bases, ketones, salts and alcohols, fitting the requirements of many applications from battery acid filling to hazardous material handling
Also from the link you submitted:
"Plasticizer-free, eliminating fluid contamination and premature embrittlement and cracking. Exceptionally smooth inner surface inhibits particulate buildup and reduces the potential for contamination. Working temp. range -94°F. to 125°F"

So it's plasticizer-free meaning it contains no plasticizers. That's a good thing.
But it's rated at 125°F....not in the 400's. I think your still will exceed that spec. So that's a bad thing.
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Post by MisterSteve124 »

Some of them where rated higher but the one I linked isn't, but whatever the case is I decided not to use it.
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Post by frikz »

Tygon tubing has quite good chemical resistance and I believe it's used in chemistry labs etc. Personally I wouln't use it though.

The only plastic that I use confidently for gaskets is Teflon (PTFE) as it's virtually chemically inert. It also has high temperature resistance.
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