Bought my first still!

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

I have been doing a lot of reading over the years and figured it was time to pull the trigger. I am waiting for it to be delivered, but I wanted to get some feedback from the vets. What are your thoughts on this one? Any pros or cons that you can see? Thank you for any feedback.
Still.jpg
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: Bought my first still!

Post by still_stirrin »

LuckyB13 wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:12 am...What are your thoughts on this one? Any pros or cons that you can see?
$$$

It should be capable to make some good flavored spirits...provided you know how to run it. Since this is your 1st still, I’d suggest setting it up as a potstill until you have the hang of it. Learn on a potstill before you try to “do the dance” with balancing the reflux condenser and loading the plates.

And of course, I hope you know how to brew...’cuz that thing will drink a lot of wash/mash.
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
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

still_stirrin wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 12:19 pm
LuckyB13 wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:12 am...What are your thoughts on this one? Any pros or cons that you can see?
$$$

It should be capable to make some good flavored spirits...provided you know how to run it. Since this is your 1st still, I’d suggest setting it up as a potstill until you have the hang of it. Learn on a potstill before you try to “do the dance” with balancing the reflux condenser and loading the plates.

And of course, I hope you know how to brew...’cuz that thing will drink a lot of wash/mash.
ss
Thank you for your feedback. You know I was thinking that too. I've been reading for the last week if it were possible to set it up as a pot still. So far I've gathered to remove the plates & don't run water to the deph. Any other suggestions for conversion?
User avatar
Durhommer
Distiller
Posts: 2399
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:23 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Durhommer »

Welcome aboard nice still sounds like a plan on your conversion
You have two ears and one mouth for a reason....
StillerBoy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3387
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by StillerBoy »

LuckyB13 wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:45 pm I've been reading for the last week if it were possible to set it up as a pot still.
To run in pot mode, you just don't use the reflux condenser (dephlegmator), so you don't have to disassemble the column plates.. as it will be a touchy task to put it together again.. at least until you gain some experience with it..

In pot mode you can ether remove the RC or leave it on don't run water to it.. also you will not need to have the parot attached..

Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "

– Albert Einstein
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

StillerBoy wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 4:11 pm
LuckyB13 wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:45 pm I've been reading for the last week if it were possible to set it up as a pot still.
To run in pot mode, you just don't use the reflux condenser (dephlegmator), so you don't have to disassemble the column plates.. as it will be a touchy task to put it together again.. at least until you gain some experience with it..

In pot mode you can ether remove the RC or leave it on don't run water to it.. also you will not need to have the parot attached..

Mars
Thanks a lot for that extra info! As far as the shotgun condenser is there anything that you think I need to be mindful of or good to go running it as long as the RC is not getting water? Thank you again.
Prairiepiss
retired
Posts: 16571
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am
Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Prairiepiss »

If you are running it with the delphlegamaterthingy on and no water running to it. You need to make sure the water ports aren’t hooked up. Any water left in it will boil off and create steam and pressure. If you have them sealed off it might be a bad day when that happens. I personally wouldn’t run it like that. You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.

And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
It'snotsocoldnow.

Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man

Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
Setsumi
Distiller
Posts: 1371
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:23 pm
Location: Central South Africa

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Setsumi »

Prairiepiss wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am If you are running it with the delphlegamaterthingy on and no water running to it. You need to make sure the water ports aren’t hooked up. Any water left in it will boil off and create steam and pressure. If you have them sealed off it might be a bad day when that happens. I personally wouldn’t run it like that. You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.

And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
+, you bought a flute run your flute. you can make crap in a pot still as well. i bet you will make good product in the flute, maybe a bit of a learning curve but same goes for a potstill. nice rig, enjoy
My first flute
My press
My twins
My controller
My wife tells me I fell from heaven covered in white. Why did they let me fall?
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Prairiepiss wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
Thats my take on it too.......its really not that hard.
SnowJeeper
Novice
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 7:23 am
Location: Great Lakes

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by SnowJeeper »

That’s a good lookin still!
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

Prairiepiss wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am If you are running it with the delphlegamaterthingy on and no water running to it. You need to make sure the water ports aren’t hooked up. Any water left in it will boil off and create steam and pressure. If you have them sealed off it might be a bad day when that happens. I personally wouldn’t run it like that. You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.

And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
Solid safety advice, brother! I'd way rather learn from reading your post than from personal experience. Thank you!

In regards to driving it like a flute, man i'm so torn 50/50. Glad to hear your feedback on it.
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 1:03 pm
Prairiepiss wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
Thats my take on it too.......its really not that hard.
I've been doing a lot of research running the flute. It looks like in reality i'm juggling the flow with heat and water input. Thank you for the vote of confidence.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

LuckyB13 wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:49 pm It looks like in reality i'm juggling the flow with heat and water input.
Thats about the size of it.
I ran a four plate with bubble caps just last weekend, was showing another first time owner the ropes.
I'm not usually a bubblecap user....always had perf plates......not that there is a lot of difference.
His was an electric boiler.....the one uncontrolled 2400 w element seemed about right for it.
It was just a matter of getting the plates loaded by putting the dephlegmator into full reflux.
Once that is done drive the still by adjusting water flow rate to the dephleg.
Slow drip to remove fores, bit faster for heads, then about 2L an hour or a bit faster for hearts.
If your boiler is gas its pretty much the same thing ....you need enough heat to keep the plates loaded.....but not too much. Then drive the still using the dephleg.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Yummyrum »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:33 pm .you need enough heat to keep the plates loaded.....but not too much.
This is an important point. If you push too much power , tails will smear through the whole run .
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Yummyrum wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:52 pm This is an important point. If you push too much power , tails will smear through the whole run .
Spot on Yummy :thumbup: That has been my experience in the past with perf plates, I see no reason why the same wouldn't apply to bubble caps.
Seanjohn19
Novice
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:20 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Seanjohn19 »

That still is definitely worth more than my truck :evil: lmao no but it's super nice and it's going to be a kick to see what's going on. How much was that bad boy?
cob
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: little puffs of dust where my feet used to be

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by cob »

Yummy mentioned smearing, and I am trying to decipher the U bend apparatus coming off

the condenser, it doesn't look like any parrot I've seen yet. do's any one know how it works?

edit; or if it will work without smearing?

LuckyB13; that is a nice looking still. shiny copper gets them every time.
be water my friend
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: Bought my first still!

Post by still_stirrin »

cob wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:09 pm Yummy mentioned smearing, and I am trying to decipher the U bend apparatus coming off

the condenser, it doesn't look like any parrot I've seen yet. do's any one know how it works?

edit; or if it will work without smearing?

LuckyB13; that is a nice looking still. shiny copper gets them every time.
It’s a parrot. And yes, it smears.
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
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Yummyrum »

Yes , a parrot would cause smearing , but what I was referring to I should have said was entrainment . It’s when the vapour is blasting through the still so hard that it doesn’t have time to do a proper phase change on each plate .

As Salty mentioned , a happy place is when all plates are just loaded and running happy . It’s always a newby curiosity to push power harder and see what happens . Just saying that there comes a point not to much higher in power , where the flavour turns nasty really quickly .

I know I‘m always bangIng on about tasting what comes off the spout , but there is method to my madness and
especially when experimenting with a new setup .

Never taste it straight , dip your spoon in some water and then under the spout so you taste @ about 35-40%abvb .
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Yummyrum wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:29 am I know I‘m always bangIng on about tasting what comes off the spout , but there is method to my madness
I don't look at it as banging on Yummy....its the right way to learn........if your not tasting often and all through the run your learning nothing.
Less or no time staring at thermometers and lots of time tasting, smelling and feeling is what wins the race in the end.
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:33 pm
LuckyB13 wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:49 pm It looks like in reality i'm juggling the flow with heat and water input.
Thats about the size of it.
I ran a four plate with bubble caps just last weekend, was showing another first time owner the ropes.
I'm not usually a bubblecap user....always had perf plates......not that there is a lot of difference.
His was an electric boiler.....the one uncontrolled 2400 w element seemed about right for it.
It was just a matter of getting the plates loaded by putting the dephlegmator into full reflux.
Once that is done drive the still by adjusting water flow rate to the dephleg.
Slow drip to remove fores, bit faster for heads, then about 2L an hour or a bit faster for hearts.
If your boiler is gas its pretty much the same thing ....you need enough heat to keep the plates loaded.....but not too much. Then drive the still using the dephleg.
I have 2x 1600w on a controller. I was wondering if it would be about right for the 20. Always figured if not I can run a smaller batch. Thanks for the insight on that.
You mentioned showing someone the ropes which raises a question. Would you mind sharing the recipe you started him on being his first time and running a bubbler?
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

Seanjohn19 wrote: Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:39 pm That still is definitely worth more than my truck :evil: lmao no but it's super nice and it's going to be a kick to see what's going on. How much was that bad boy?
So I've hunting these stills and light studying over the years creeping in forums for two years or so. My most recent trip to the Smokys this holiday season really cemented the idea that I was going to pick up this hobby. I wanted a system that can grow with me so I did drop a little more cash than normal, but I don't feel like it was crazy overpriced. New years day I got home from KY and won $2k at the daytona poker room so I figured it a sign and treated myself. I think I paid a little under $1100 for the package of 20g boiler, 4" flute, controller, elements etc
Seanjohn19
Novice
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:20 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Seanjohn19 »

Looks awesome and that sounds like a good deal aswell
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

LuckyB13 wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:19 pm I have 2x 1600w on a controller. I was wondering if it would be about right for the 20.
20 us gal = 75L Just so I know where we are.
No matter if your running 75L , 100L or 50L the power that the still is happy running at is the same or changes very little.
Both elements running flat out (3200" will be handy for heat up, but I suspect it make be a little much once up to operating temp. As stated before Ive not run perf plates often , I just know that the ones I ran last week seemed to do well at 2400w .....I also know that my 4 inch 4 perforated plate still runs well at 2400w or a little more.
Better to ask some one more familiar with bubble caps than I am.
LuckyB13 wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:19 pm You mentioned showing someone the ropes which raises a question. Would you mind sharing the recipe you started him on being his first time and running a bubbler?
An old friend bought his first still, I gave him backset, and some of the grain and yeast bed from my UJSSM which is many years and generations old........sort of gave him a head start on flavour.
It was his first wash from that , that we ran together.
Helped him set up the modular still...hook up hoses , showed him the basics of running it , and a rough guide on cuts.
If I have any bad distilling habits Ive just passed them on.... :lol:
User avatar
Windy City
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1177
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:52 pm
Location: Chicagoland

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Windy City »

You purchased a flute and should learn how to run it as a flute.
This is not a bad thing but it will be a bigger learning curve.
When I switched from a pot to a flute (perf plates) the first couple of runs I struggled with flooding the plates trying to load the column to compress fores/heads. With time you will learn the sweet spots to balance loading the plates and not flooding.
I do change up my configuration from 4 plates to 2 plates depending on what I am making.
If I am making rum or bourbon I remove 2 plates so I am only running 2 plates ( my thought process is that it replicates a pot strip/spirit run)
If I am wanting to make a neutral I run through all four plates and then take that product through a packed column to finish.
The liver is evil and must be punished
Cranky"s spoon feeding for new and novice distillers
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=52975
User avatar
rubberduck71
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 735
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 11:22 am
Location: Eastern PA

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by rubberduck71 »

LuckyB13 wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:33 pm New years day I got home from KY and won $2k at the daytona poker room so I figured it a sign and treated myself.
Money won is twice as sweet as money earned... :thumbup:
There are two times of year: FOOTBALL SEASON and... Waiting For Football Season
LuckyB13
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by LuckyB13 »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 5:37 pm
LuckyB13 wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:19 pm I have 2x 1600w on a controller. I was wondering if it would be about right for the 20.
20 us gal = 75L Just so I know where we are.
No matter if your running 75L , 100L or 50L the power that the still is happy running at is the same or changes very little.
Both elements running flat out (3200" will be handy for heat up, but I suspect it make be a little much once up to operating temp. As stated before Ive not run perf plates often , I just know that the ones I ran last week seemed to do well at 2400w .....I also know that my 4 inch 4 perforated plate still runs well at 2400w or a little more.
Better to ask some one more familiar with bubble caps than I am.
LuckyB13 wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:19 pm You mentioned showing someone the ropes which raises a question. Would you mind sharing the recipe you started him on being his first time and running a bubbler?
An old friend bought his first still, I gave him backset, and some of the grain and yeast bed from my UJSSM which is many years and generations old........sort of gave him a head start on flavour.
It was his first wash from that , that we ran together.
Helped him set up the modular still...hook up hoses , showed him the basics of running it , and a rough guide on cuts.
If I have any bad distilling habits Ive just passed them on.... :lol:
How was the flavor difference of the ujssm on the flute in comparison to your pot?
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Bought my first still!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

I don't run a pot.....not for UJ anyway ....always 4 perforated plates.
Post Reply