My first parrot

Fittings, parrots, packing, tooling and so on.

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WhiteLightening
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My first parrot

Post by WhiteLightening »

I just made a new parrot. These things are a really nifty tool to have. Here is a pic. Just wondering if the 1/4 tubing might be a bit small for potstill flow? Mine does about 1.5 to 2 GPH. [potstill] .25 to .5 GPH [new 1.5" vm head]
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tn_100_0838.JPG (4.58 KiB) Viewed 4045 times
The nasties in the jar are from my first cleaning run on the still!
tracker0945
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Re: My first parrot

Post by tracker0945 »

The 1/4" will be fine for your pot still.
What causes the problem with parrots is the speed at which the liquid passes the hydrometer.
Less clearance between hydro and tubing wall = more instability
Larger clearance between hydro and tubing wall = more constant reading

Going against all other advice, if you want your reading to be more stable you will need to use around 1" tubing or even larger, for your hydro cylinder but remember you will still need to compensate for temperature, so a thermometer and a conversion chart are also required.


Cheers
2"x38" Bok mini and
Pot still with Leibig on 45 litre boiler
WhiteLightening
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Re: My first parrot

Post by WhiteLightening »

Thanks for the reply. I kind of figured that but this is the first time Ive tried a parrot and was hoping i wouldnt be soaking my brewroom table down with Etoh on a pot run!
eternalfrost
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Re: My first parrot

Post by eternalfrost »

a parot is only used during the run as a tool to detect changes etc.
you dont need it to be 'calibrated' with a temperature conversion chart. you can if you really want but it isnt necessary. the exact numbers really dont matter until when you are watering things down to a specific proof long after the run is finished.

what im getting at is it dosent really matter in practice if it isnt the correct temp or the hygrometer is a bit jumpy.

and having a large parrot means more mixing is going on, which can become a huge deal on a reflux column when trying to get sharp cuts between heads and tails.

all in all yours looks smashing and will work perfect
1fourme
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Re: My first parrot

Post by 1fourme »

Today I built a parrot, and got to thinking... :roll: Has anyone built a parrot with a small leibig condenser in either the supply line
or the main body to cool the distillate, so you could get an accurate reading? I know it's really not needed, but with about a 2" long leibig and a valve to control the flow it should get the temp pretty close.
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Ayay
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Re: My first parrot

Post by Ayay »

As a beginner I follow Uncle Jesse's UJSM and Pugirum recipes including the cut %tages for beginners. Thanks UJ and Pugirum!

Built me a parrot even though it cost more than ordering one from Pumkin here in Oz...sorry Pumkin, yours are real good value as is!

The parrot will give you a reference as close as possible for communicating purposes. Reflux ratio and type of still, not to mention personal taste and other things will force you to find your own best way through experience.

The parrot will then be your best friend after you find out what it says.
cornflakes...stripped and refluxed
Dnderhead
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Re: My first parrot

Post by Dnderhead »

I have seen them on big stills, but I thank the use a some sort of "bypass" so they take just a sample not the full amount.
1fourme
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Re: My first parrot

Post by 1fourme »

Hi Dnderhead,
With my small output, I should be able to cool everything.
I think next weekend I'll play a little, and build a new parrot and try a leibig on both the main body and the supply tube, and do a little testing.. might add a place for a thermometer while I'm at it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you knew exactly what was coming out, wouldn't it make it easier to fine tune (balance) your heat and cooling, to produce the best product possible? I'm sure I'm over thinking this...
Last edited by 1fourme on Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.
punkin
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Re: My first parrot

Post by punkin »

Ayay wrote:As a beginner I follow Uncle Jesse's UJSM and Pugirum recipes including the cut %tages for beginners. Thanks UJ and Pugirum!

Built me a parrot even though it cost more than ordering one from Pumkin here in Oz...sorry Pumkin, yours are real good value as is!

The parrot will give you a reference as close as possible for communicating purposes. Reflux ratio and type of still, not to mention personal taste and other things will force you to find your own best way through experience.

The parrot will then be your best friend after you find out what it says.
Thanks mate, they take a bit of time to put together too don't they? :lol:


I think you should be using the parrot to tell you changes and tasting off the worm to tell you when to switch to smaller jars. Every run's different, even with the same recipe and doing it by any numbers is robbing yourself of the art of it.

The more you practise dipping your finger under the output of the parrot the better you'll be able to pick up the changes.

You stil need to collect and air then taste, but the cuts are more confined and very predictable as you know where they start.

I just use the parrott to tell me where i'm up to in a run and to tell me how good a batch is compared to others. Even stripping, if it just sits on 60% for litre after litre before dropping to 58% i know it's gunna be a high yeild strip.
myles
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Re: My first parrot

Post by myles »

Thats actualy quite nice you flash git :mrgreen: Puts my feeble effort to shame. I was going to post mine but it looks really crude compared to that. WELL DONE. Mine is built with reducing couplings but is not as nice as that. Show me your still. I would love to see what you have built :D :D :D
WhiteLightening
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Re: My first parrot

Post by WhiteLightening »

Hey all you done me a good stroke! I try to do purty work and giver the mothers mag an aluminum treat. Thanks for the kind words but i just made my new keg with a 4500w element 220v cut to 1125w @ 120v and she just got too much flow for that baby (the parrot that is )guess ill have to make a bigger one :shock:
1fourme
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Re: My first parrot

Post by 1fourme »

i had the same problem, so I changed to 3/8 and works great.
When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.
WhiteLightening
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Re: My first parrot

Post by WhiteLightening »

14 did you increase just the size of the ins and outs or th whole outfit?
1fourme
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Re: My first parrot

Post by 1fourme »

Just in and out , but I made inlet higher by 11/2 - 2 " to act as a reservoir.
When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.
1fourme
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Re: My first parrot

Post by 1fourme »

Forgot, you might wish to put a small piece of mesh in the bottom of the 3/4" tube, just in case you drop your hydrometer in, it will keep it from breaking. :D
When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.
Ayay
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Re: My first parrot

Post by Ayay »

[quote="punkin"] Thanks mate, they take a bit of time to put together too don't they? :lol:.... The more you practise dipping your finger under the output of the parrot the better you'll be able to pick up the changes.quote]

Took me most of a day to make and my time is $70+/hr... :oops: Yours look like they will handle the highest output no worries.

If you dip your finger at the parrot inlet then you have a minute or so to contemplate what's coming out before it hits the collection jar. I see the parrot as a buffer zone. I can't really detect subtle changes yet but hopefully that will change.

1fourme I'm going to do the mesh thing! It will also calm the upflow and spread it out a bit.
cornflakes...stripped and refluxed
WhiteLightening
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Re: My first parrot

Post by WhiteLightening »

bin thinkin
the parrot is a good tool for nowin wat you got on the out side of your still what if all you is doin is tellin when to quit your strippin run?
Dnderhead
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Re: My first parrot

Post by Dnderhead »

for stripping run you dont need any thing, just run as fast as you can and as much as you can with in reason.
lloyd778
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Re: My first parrot

Post by lloyd778 »

I mounted my parrot to a small adjustable stand so I can easily set it for any size collection jar.
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