Table Top Still ?

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

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4am
Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:51 am

Table Top Still ?

Post by 4am »

hi all

been thinking about getting into this hobby for a little bit.
i am not realy looking to start building a still till i am more happy with what i could make.
im woundering if anyone has tryed or knows of the Table Top Still ?
i seen it for sale here in the uk on ebay and at http://www.thebrewshopuk.com/index1.html.
dose anyone think that it would be worth while or is it just a waste ?


cheers
col
beelah
Trainee
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:38 am
Location: West Coast of Canada

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by beelah »

I bought one of these before I found this site and I wish I had found this site first. :(

I paid about $285 Canadian for it and if you are going to build one for yourself, you can likely biuld two or three very nice stills fo rthat amount, including al the copper pipe you will need, as well as getting a good sized stainless steel pot to being to learn about this hobby.

I bought it, also the turbo yeast that they advertize with it; made my first wash and then cooked it.

Having nothign to compare it too, other than memories from 25 years ago, I though I had made soom good Hooch!!

However, all my friends and family who tasted it thought it was crap!!! :evil:

So I found this site, started reading and started to understand about making cuts, what foreshots, heads, hearts and tails were all about.

I also found that the volume on these "airstills" is jsut too small to really get anykind of a good product.

So I build my self a simple Bokabob fractioning still, did a proper DWWG sugar wash and a nice slow run :mrgreen:

Talk about night and day. I got 92% ABV off my first run, and even my wife loved the stuff ( she really dosn't like scotch or burbon, or home-brew)
So
beelah
Trainee
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:38 am
Location: West Coast of Canada

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by beelah »

So to continue, I would not advise buying one.

Read this forum, everyday, till you have read it through several times, then build yourself a still.

There are really good, simple plans on this site, and the advice and information I have received has been great.

I do use my "airstill", but what I do use it for is to do a spirit run with the heads and tails from previous runs, that I have dilutes to 40 ABV, and usually get some not too bad product, usually coming off at about 80% ABV, but youahve to watch it close.

I am new at this, but my advice is take your time, and build your own, or get someone you can trust to build you one.

Good luck :D
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LWTCS
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: North Palm Beach

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by LWTCS »

Hey 4am,

Beelah's responce is an excellant example of what so many experienced members try to tell folks new to distilling.

And yet so many new distillers settle for these little wanna be stills as they fear that a larger unit would be to much of an investment or some such thing.

Beelah's newer to this hobby and has seen the light rather quickly. You should listen to his good advise.

This hobby is great and if you truthfully think you will enjoy,,,,then do it right from the begining.

I can assure you that you will wish for a real, larger (hobby) still very quickly. I did.

Good luck
Trample the injured and hurdle the dead.
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by rad14701 »

Every time you want to reach for the credit card to buy one of those units that sounds too good to be true, put it away and do more reading on this site... You can do much better for less by building your own... Or, at the very least, pay an experienced member here to build you a proper still... No, don't head on over to eBay to get ripped off either...

Good luck...
beelah
Trainee
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:38 am
Location: West Coast of Canada

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by beelah »

if you want to take look at a very well designed, easy to build and use still, click on the signature line of Rad's post just above this one.

I built one like this as my second build and I think it is great. :lol:

Easy to build, versitile ,in that you can use it as either a pot still or a fractioning still, vith the adddition of the column and some packing

You can also and take at look at the home site at the Bokabob design there.

I think however that for some one with a minamum of skill, Rad's design is the easier of the two to build :egeek:
manu de hanoi
Site Donor
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Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:06 am

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by manu de hanoi »

4am wrote:hi all

been thinking about getting into this hobby for a little bit.
i am not realy looking to start building a still till i am more happy with what i could make.
im woundering if anyone has tryed or knows of the Table Top Still ?
i seen it for sale here in the uk on ebay and at http://www.thebrewshopuk.com/index1.html.
dose anyone think that it would be worth while or is it just a waste ?


cheers
col
If you are still interested in buying a still I could build one for you.
please have a look at my web site :
http://www.stainlessstuff.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
4am
Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:51 am

Re: Table Top Still ?

Post by 4am »

thank you all so much for the good advice :D

i think i need to do alot more reading befor i even get to still stage :)
i am just geting more intrigued the more i read.

thank you all from saveing me from a rush decision

col
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