Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

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rubberduck71
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Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by rubberduck71 »

For a Father's Day gift to myself, I've been debating between 2 different types of 3" bubble plates. The first is a bubble column & the second is a 4 sight glasses (~$150USD more expensive including shipping). The goal is something that can flex between whiskey & neutral beneath a dephlag.

Pics below. Yes, the silicon gaskets would be wrapped in PTFE tape before using.

Anyone have success in negotiating down shipping with AliExpress vendors?

Looking for feedback from my HD brethren to help me decide.

Thanks much,
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by tjsc5f »

Seems like the 4 sight glass version would be a lot quicker/easier to add/remove plates to, but would also be quite a bit heavier than the column style.
The column style should be more efficient since there's less conductive material exposed to atmosphere - probably no real noticeable difference though.
How often are you really switching between whiskey and neutral?
Seems like the most reasonable thing to do would be get both, I mean you're a father, you earned it right? ;)
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by Setsumi »

4 plates will not make azeotrope. But platers are realy nice for wiskey/ flavours. Myself would go for the sightglass type if the other type is individual glass sections. Think it will be more sturdy and seal better.
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by Tummydoc »

I own the second one, but wish i had the first instead. I prefer running 3 plates for whiskey, and its a PITA to disassemble the column each time to try different configurations. But when running, the bubble cap plates are damn sexy!
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by rubberduck71 »

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming!

As for neutral, I'd put a packed column above the plates & then the dephlag above that. Everything I've read is 2 or 3 plates for flavored spirits.

I was wondering about the "sturdiness" aspect.
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Ben
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by Ben »

I have a 4" flute that is most like the top of the two configurations. I like it, no durability issues. In your case it makes it easy to pull plates and insert packing. I really like 2 plates for whisky. Check out milehi distilling if you want something a little higher quality, you can piece together a part or two at a time if it suites your budget/style.
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by BlueSasquatch »

I was also looking at AliExpress last night, apart from real long shipping times and being manufactured outside of the USA, they sound like a good website, not prone to knock-offs any more than say amazon. And plenty of people here seem to buy from them if cost and time permits, and not be upset over the deal.

I just wish the price of 3" tees were cheap enough that the DIY route would be cheaper, its more fun to build yourself, but when its double the price of a pre-made, then its just silly.
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by tjsc5f »

Another thing you could consider (which is what I did) is buy 2-3 sections now and save some money since you'll be adding packing on top for neutral anyway. Add more sections later if you think you want/need them. It works out to about the same price per section either way. 3" sight glass $47 on Amazon, 3" copper bubble cap plate from oak stills/ebay for $32.80, $13 for the clamp itself from Amazon. $173 for 2 sections, $265 for 3 sections, $358 for 4 sections (vs $350 for the whole thing from ali)
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by BrewinBrian44 »

Hey Duck,

I bought the top one a couple years ago and it works great! Indeed a very nice piece. I like that I can add or remove sections very easily. I’ve made many, many batches of bourbon with it and several UJSSM runs. The last runs of honey bear bourbon have been with two plates and fresh wash. Pot still flavor in one step and yields an 85% ABV product in the end. You definitely can’t run as fast doing this, but the flavor is awesome. If you want something a bit cleaner, use all 4 with single runs. With 4 plates I consistently see 91-92% ABV.

Depending on what you’re making, you might want to perform a strip first. I’ve had a hard time with products with rye in a single run with this column. There’s some odd flavor that comes into the hearts that is very hard to keep in the boiler.

No modification is necessary unless you find the silicone to be a risk and want to adhere to the guidelines on HD. Wrapping the gaskets in PTFE tape is not the easiest thing to do as the gaskets are oddly shaped.

You can easily remove the copper plates too and use the sections as 3” sight glasses on a column, which I do all the time when making neutral.

My only complaint about the one I have is the individual sections aren’t all 100% square. This is very slight though.
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by RC Al »

Forget trying to wrap that silicon in ptfe tape...

I have a 4" 3 plate version of the 2nd one, there is no way your going to totally "insulate" the spirit from the silicon with tape, you will only end up trapping it in the layers of tape.

The first one still has silicon seals (as dose every sightglass that looks like that), your really not going to have much success there either.

Mine has plate seal issues due to the seals being designed for 6-7mm glass, but it was supplied with 4mm thick glass, leaving the plates not as snug as they should be, tried ptfe tape, it turned clear... Left it out last strip n rebuild. Not happy... Considering having some ptfe seals machined and getting taller glass sections (only 4" tall currently) but its easier just to make a whole new column in copper...

So in short, buy something else...
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by Salt Must Flow »

Those same 3" sight glasses/diopters can be purchased on Amazon for instance for just under $50 each. You can make your own 2" bubble cap/plates out of flattened copper pipe, 2" copper cap, some 1" pipe, 3/4" pipe and a 1" cap. You can also install 2 bubble cap/plates in each sight glass. One on the bottom of the glass and one on the top of the glass. So basically you can replicate what you show for likely a lot less with just two sight glasses and you can make your own bubble caps. You just won't see the bubbling action on the upper cap. If you want to see the bubbling action with every cap then it would require a $50 sight glass per bubble cap.

I don't have the link to the original topic, but this is the design I followed and it worked out great. This design shows using a 1-1/2" cap, but I used 2" caps. I also used 1" pipe, 3/4" pipe and a 1" cap.
Bubble Cap Design.jpg
Bubble Cap Design 02.jpg
Bubble Cap Design 03.jpg
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by canh20ski »

Hi Duck
I have a six perforated plates of your first picture (4 inch on a natural gas keg) from Mile Hi. I went with this because the second one requires disassembly to get plates out. Not sure if you can run only 2 plates with the second. When i make neutral i add another sight glass filled with small sized lava rock. The column gets to be really tall (over 9ft.) I really like the fact i can see the plates from any angle. I use Teddy's Fast fermenting Vodka and it came out at 94%. For whiskey i run 3 glasses with 2 plates and it comes out at 88% (I can see into keg when plate is on top of first glass.) Flavor comes through with 2 plates, I couldn't detect flavor with 6 & Packing. The sight glasses are heavy but very sturdy. The other concern is if you break the glass with the second picture you are screwed. With individual sight glasses you only wrecke one section not the whole works. I've only had the column for 18 months so I'm still careful of the glass parts
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by bluc »

I have heard few people say the plates can slip in type 2. type 1 the plates are very solid..
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by Tummydoc »

bluc wrote:I have heard few people say the plates can slip in type 2. type 1 the plates are very solid..
I own #2, plates are locked into the silicone seals between the glass sections and absolutely cannot slip. You can disassemble and remove the plates and reconfigure with no leaks, but its just a PITA.
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by bluc »

:wtf: Number 2 look like they in a single length of tube to me on friction fit seals
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by Tummydoc »

bluc wrote::wtf: Number 2 look like they in a single length of tube to me on friction fit seals
Nope, individual glass sections that seat into the silicone seals. Look closer at the seal/glass interface
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Re: Debating between 2 pieces of equip...

Post by tommysb »

Tummydoc wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 11:30 pm I own the second one, but wish i had the first instead. I prefer running 3 plates for whiskey, and its a PITA to disassemble the column each time to try different configurations. But when running, the bubble cap plates are damn sexy!
Also have number 2 style, and would prefer number 1. Don't make neutrals very often though, so switching between 1, 2, 3, 4 plates is more interesting to me.
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