What can I do with a water distiller?

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

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
jeanto
Novice
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:15 pm

What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by jeanto »

hello,

I am new to distillation.... this week end I found a lab water distiller, I was wondering if I could use it to distillate something else than water... like essential oil or alcool.

here is what I bought for a bargain.
http://www.laboandco.com/distillateur-285502028.html
Image
take care
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by rad14701 »

That contraption is not something you want to make potable spirits in for multiple reasons... I won't go into detail but will, instead, recommend doing ample research here in these forums... We consider research here mandatory, not optional...
User avatar
Danespirit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2647
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:09 am
Location: Denmark

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by Danespirit »

I am affraid my french is not so good..but what i get from it is that it can distill 4 L of water each hour.
Also it's glass and stainless.
Sure you could use it for other things, but i would be reluctant trying to distill alcohol in this.
It's not the right tool for the job.

Edit: Posted same time as Rad
Last edited by Danespirit on Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
woodshed
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2970
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:21 pm
Location: Pagosa Springs,CO

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by woodshed »

That would be cool to have on a shelf but not much more. Maybe some oils but I doubt it. Rad said it already so I won't bother.
FullySilenced
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1338
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:40 am

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by FullySilenced »

Distill's pretty good water i imagine...
francis
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 6:28 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by francis »

Great find. You realize that thing is selling for $5000 . . . ?
Goodbye.
Hound Dog
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3002
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:45 pm
Location: Hounds Hollow, VA

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by Hound Dog »

My french can't order fries at McDonald's but the Google calculator tells me that 3098 euros is $3524 US. I can build a whole lotta still for $3524....
LM Still Operating Instructions
Cranky's New Distiller's Advice
Using Google Search

Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by still_stirrin »

jeanto wrote:hello,

I am new to distillation...this week end I found a lab water distiller, I was wondering if I could use it to distillate something else than water... like essential oil or alcool (alcohol?).....here is what I bought for a bargain.....
Glass is nice, but what are you trying to do with it? It's terribly expensive unless you're in the business of refined chemical distillation, and then, the greatest concern will be for purity, which may at best be marginal unless you know what you're doing....do you?

You may be the proprieter of the most expensive yard ornament on the site.....I hope not.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
jeanto
Novice
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:15 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by jeanto »

Hello guys,

Thx for your replies. So it seems I got lucky since I spend only a few dozen bucks on this machine.
So I guess I'll be able to buy a proper appartus with the profit.
Let's see :)

I am mainly curious and look for a all round appartus, to do a bit of essential oil, a bit of alcool... and... i am in love with lab glassware thingy... Any directions where I should look at?
just sayin
Rumrunner
Posts: 657
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:12 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by just sayin »

Jeanto,
Good choice to sell and use the prophet to build/buy a purpose built rig.
Before you ship it off, please photo the plumbing on the machine. Our community may be able to steal some design ideas. Lab glass does have the "Mad Scientist"/Steam Punk thing about it....your machine is a work of art in it's own right.
Just Sayin'
User avatar
Bushman
Admin
Posts: 17988
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:29 am
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by Bushman »

just sayin wrote:Jeanto,
Good choice to sell and use the prophet to build/buy a purpose built rig.
Before you ship it off, please photo the plumbing on the machine. Our community may be able to steal some design ideas. Lab glass does have the "Mad Scientist"/Steam Punk thing about it....your machine is a work of art in it's own right.
Just Sayin'
I like this idea of showing the plumbing or at least let us see different angled pictures. My vote if you don't need the money is to keep it as you will never get full price selling used and it really does have a coolness to it (no pun intended)!
User avatar
NgrainD
Bootlegger
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2014 8:48 pm
Location: East side of the "BIG D"

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by NgrainD »

Looks like a mad scientist's interpretation of rad's concentric to me. :thumbup:
Experience is something you gain shortly after you need it.
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by rad14701 »

NgrainD wrote:Looks like a mad scientist's interpretation of rad's concentric to me. :thumbup:
More like a phallic electric bong... :relaxed:
just sayin
Rumrunner
Posts: 657
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:12 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by just sayin »

Funny, Rad, very funny!
I would not let go of the beast unless I was made an offer simply too good to refuse. It is just too cool!
jeanto
Novice
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:15 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by jeanto »

Hi guys,

This morning I turn the damn thing on... warm up a bit and then nothing!
Took me 1h to figure out that a security when off, a small reset button under the base... I guess I turned it on before the water chamber was full. I'm trying it again now crossed finger.

Any good tip for cleaning up? I'm doing a full clean up then will send pictures.
A guy gave me 250€ for it... no way, it will stay in my living room until ...
jeanto
Novice
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:15 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by jeanto »

Little side question.
I understand nothing drinkable will come out of this distillation machine, but can I produce low grade ethanol?
For my job I am doing quiet a lot of extraction of plant substance and I use ethanol as a solvant. It costs way too much in here...
User avatar
bearriver
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 4442
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:17 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by bearriver »

jeanto wrote:Little side question.
I understand nothing drinkable will come out of this distillation machine, but can I produce low grade ethanol?
For my job I am doing quiet a lot of extraction of plant substance and I use ethanol as a solvant.
Not a good idea if your extractions are for human consumption.
jeanto
Novice
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:15 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by jeanto »

It is not, it is for bioplastic production.
User avatar
bearriver
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 4442
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:17 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by bearriver »

Interesting. Where do you get the ethanol that you are using, and what does it cost?

Making a gallon from that small still would take a very long time. Factor in your hourly wages and it may be alot cheaper to just keep buying whatever solvents that you're already using.
RevSpaminator
Swill Maker
Posts: 444
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 10:53 am

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by RevSpaminator »

If you are serious about making ethanol for any kind of process, you need a device for ethanol, not water.
When you distill water you primarily are trying to leave behind solids like salts and minerals. With ethanol you want the water to stay behind too. Different temp range, boiler requirements, etc.

There are some great resources in this forum on design and operation of devices much more capable. Read the safety section and other new distiller topics first, before you spend another penny on any more equipment.
Snake Oil Whiskey And Miracle Elixir - It'll cure ya or kill ya.
jeanto
Novice
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:15 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by jeanto »

ok clear!
Well I spend 40€ so far, so i'm ok :)
But thanks you for the clarifications.
Bagasso
Distiller
Posts: 1344
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:09 pm

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by Bagasso »

Don't know if you saw the PDF for this:http://www.laboandco.com/skin/frontend/ ... d82000.pdf

Seems to be a continuous distiller. Don't know what can be done with it but I would have to try feeding a cleared wash into it just to see what comes out.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13062
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: What can I do with a water distiller?

Post by NZChris »

The first thing to check is that any plastics in contact with product are ok. If they are, it might be able to be used to make small runs of gin and absinthe and it is a lot of fun. But.....

....you would also need a much larger still to make the alcohol to use for making these delights in this 'toy'.

I have a 'toy' still that only makes a bottle of gin/absinthe/whatever at a time, but I have to make the base spirit in a much larger still.
Post Reply