Search found 28 matches

by acetate
Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:36 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Making a Tabletop Still
Replies: 9
Views: 4415

Re: Making a Tabletop Still

I hear the concerns on size and cuts but Dunderhead hit it...well...on the head. I am thinking of this more to run wine, and flavoring neutral. Making things like Ouzo, Absinthe, Gin, etc. I think it is a lot of fun for me to do that and it would be fun to share with some close friends that are over...
by acetate
Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:53 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Making a Tabletop Still
Replies: 9
Views: 4415

Making a Tabletop Still

I have seen some photos of tabletop size stills (1L-2.5L) on various websites. But I am thinking of trying to make one. I am enjoying running my LM columns and pot stills (on my 15.5 Gal keg) but think it would be fun to have the conversation piece that also actually works. Before I get too far into...
by acetate
Sat Jun 26, 2010 11:31 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: DWV Fittings
Replies: 24
Views: 2774

Re: DWV Fittings

I forgot to thank everyone for their responses. Husker's post was particularly helpful.

Don't knock the de-leading process until you try it. That greenish color liquid sure looks like lead to me.
by acetate
Sat Jun 26, 2010 11:24 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: DWV Fittings
Replies: 24
Views: 2774

Re: DWV Fittings

I de-leaded the fitting. Boy did that hydrogen peroxide and vinegar solution turn an unnatural green/blue color. I cleaned the fitting up. I then managed to assemble my entire pot still and liebig in one evening. Can't wait to finish the leak test and do a vinegar run tomorrow.
by acetate
Sat Jun 26, 2010 8:12 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: DWV Fittings
Replies: 24
Views: 2774

Re: DWV Fittings

I think I will do the de-lead process just to be safe. You guys have converted a guy afraid of soldering to a guy that spends all his free time in the garage with steel wool, a hack saw, and a torch. This hobby sure is a good escape from software development.

Thanks.
by acetate
Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:37 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: DWV Fittings
Replies: 24
Views: 2774

Re: DWV Fittings

So someone had posted that they thought it was cast copper instead of pressed but then the post disappeared. Not sure what happened there. Not sure if the person second guessed themselves or if this is true.
by acetate
Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:10 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: DWV Fittings
Replies: 24
Views: 2774

DWV Fittings

So I just received my copper fittings order from an online retailer. They were just so much cheaper than big box stores or the local plumbing store. The MIP/FIP fittings that i received are different colors and textures but are both labeled on the pick list as the same fitting just as MIP or FIP. I ...
by acetate
Sun May 30, 2010 11:07 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Soldering Moron Needs Help To No Longer Be Moron
Replies: 2
Views: 459

Re: Soldering Moron Is Now Less of a Moron

I forgot about not heating the joint. I went back to heating the pieces and things sealed up nice and tight. I struggled for three weeks on this damn thing. Anyways, now I'm on to a simple potstill.
by acetate
Sun May 30, 2010 8:35 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Soldering Moron Needs Help To No Longer Be Moron
Replies: 2
Views: 459

Soldering Moron Needs Help To No Longer Be Moron

I had my first VM still made by a local guy who did a pretty good job. I had to do some mods on the condenser but other than that I got up and running without having to learn to solder. However, I now have the itch to make an LM and potstill and have spent the last couple weeks trying my hand at sol...
by acetate
Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:49 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Chest Freezer for a Fermentation Vessel?
Replies: 21
Views: 4419

Re: Chest Freezer for a Fermentation Vessel?

I also just acquired a chest style freezer to accomodate my winter hobby of Charcuterie. I use the chest freezer as a curing chamber during the winter months to dry pancetta and salami. I was thinking of using it in the summer months to chill the condenser water while the still is running. I had the...
by acetate
Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:54 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Separating Grain after Ferment
Replies: 25
Views: 4840

Re: Separating Grain after Ferment

Why not just ferment in a cooler lauder tun (ala Palmer's "How To Brew"). At this point I've only done one all grain batch (barley) but it worked fairly well. If your mash is clogging your filter you can try to add rice hulls to keep the fluid flowing.
by acetate
Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:53 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Novice question from a novice distiller. Pleaser help.
Replies: 26
Views: 2656

Re: Novice question from a novice distiller. Pleaser help.

Sorry for the delayed repsonse. Looks like everyone got what they needed. I used the DPDT instead of the SPDT (3 Way) because I am hooked up to the dryer curcuit (220V) and we do lanudry on the weekend and run the still. This allows me to use the 220V circuit to heat it up and then do a full switch ...
by acetate
Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:42 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Novice question from a novice distiller. Pleaser help.
Replies: 26
Views: 2656

Re: Novice question from a novice distiller. Pleaser help.

i am still new to this hobby so take my advice as such. i agree with using the keg as a boiler. there is a great guide on this site for doing a weld free mod to convert it to electric. or if you are in the states just check out craigslist for a welder. you can also skip the whole dimmer project and ...
by acetate
Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:23 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Re: Electric Keg Boiler

I stopped by the local hardware store and got a new 4500W element and popped it in and wired it up. I racked my latest UJSM into the boiler and fired it up. Everything is running super smooth like nothing ever happened. I believe my problems resulted from a bad a lauter of the all grain wort. I didn...
by acetate
Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:51 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Re: Electric Keg Boiler

There was about 9 Gal of wash in the 15 Gal keg and the element is right at the bottom. So there were many inches (maybe 12") over the element. Not a lot of junk came out when I dumped it out either. The wash smells horrible. I hate to throw away a wash that was prepared with 20 lbs of Rye but ...
by acetate
Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:08 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Re: Electric Keg Boiler

This isn't my first run on this still. It is nice and clean. Yesterday I ran a UJSM wash in the keg boiler and all things went well. It took about 5 total hours for a 10Gal wash and I got about 3L of finished 80 proof sugar head whiskey. Today I racked the rye (my first cooked mash), which had ferme...
by acetate
Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:38 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Re: Electric Keg Boiler

I started out with the intention of using the pintoshine controller but realized I it seemed to be more hassle and failure points than it was worth. Mouser carries 30A 240V DPDT toggles for $22. So today I racked my first cooked mash (Rye) into my keg, got the everything all setup, and fired it up. ...
by acetate
Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:06 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Re: Electric Keg Boiler

Ferguson's is awesome. It was the only place in the city I could find 2" pipe insulation. After stumbling around in the store for a while I plan on buying most of parts from there.

The new boiler (and condenser) runs like a champ with alcohol instead of water.
by acetate
Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:20 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Re: Electric Keg Boiler

Thanks guys. I will see what I can find to beef up the insulation a little. I was going to give my next batch of UJSM a run tonight but got sick. I will siphon off and run it tomorrow. Next up is my first cooked mash (rye). Hookline, your rigs always look so friggin perfect. The artisan of home dist...
by acetate
Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:06 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Electric Keg Boiler
Replies: 21
Views: 5507

Electric Keg Boiler

Now that I have finally fixed my condenser problems with a longer condenser held up with some scrubbers I have moved on to improving my boiler. I currently run a 20 gallon pot with propane heat. I decided to switch to the electric keg to allow boiling with the garage door closed and to remove the do...
by acetate
Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:57 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Re: Reflux Still Struggles

Simple and sweet. Thanks.
by acetate
Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:36 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Re: Reflux Still Struggles

So I took the still back to the guy that made it since he agreed to do the condenser mod for me for free. We agreed he would do a vertical coil condenser in a 3" tube. After I got it back home and drilled yet another hole in the cap it turns out he only did about 10 turns of 3/8" tubing as...
by acetate
Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:08 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 910035

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

I just did my first run of of this wash in my laundry tub fermenter and got an odd result. I was checking SG daily as the ferment progressed. It started at about 1.070 and finished at 1.002 about 7 days later. Before I dumped it in the still I wanted to check ABV. My reading for ABV is 0%. I am tota...
by acetate
Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:20 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Re: Reflux Still Struggles

The condenser head is only 2" and so he used three horizontal coils, to avoid kinking, that are just not getting it done. Anyways, he has offered to move it to a 3" condenser with a vertical coil free of charge.
by acetate
Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:29 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Re: Reflux Still Struggles

I popped a couple 3/8" holes in the top of the cap to start. I have found my cooling problem. The condenser coil is totally f'd up. It looks like he had a problem putting it in the pipe and just said screw it and crammed it in. The bottom part of the condenser is laying perpendicular and not of...
by acetate
Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:41 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Re: Reflux Still Struggles

I am off from work today and the kids are away so I got some time for some work in the garage. I am struggling with either just drilling a hole in the cap on the condenser or desoldering the whole cap (3 connections including the condenser input and output). When I started the project I was trying t...
by acetate
Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:51 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Re: Reflux Still Struggles

The top is capped and sealed but that only seemed to be transferring the vapour problem from the top of the condenser to the collecting tube. I hadn't viewed it as much of a problem because my lid seal was so bad I wasn't really worried about pressure. But now that the lid seal issue seems to be beh...
by acetate
Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:14 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Reflux Still Struggles
Replies: 16
Views: 1687

Reflux Still Struggles

I am brand new at the distilling game and have been scouring this site and the John Stone book "Making Gin and Vodka" for information on my first setup. The amount of information on this site is wonderful. I am having some fairly good success on the fermentation side but am struggling with...