Aliexpress / homemade still mix
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Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Hey all.
I’m getting into this hobby with the dream of hopefully one day opening a small scale hobby distillery. I’m lucky enough to have a good mate who is a pretty handy boilermaker who has thrown together some bits for me.... the rest I’ve got on the way from Aliexpress.
Ive got a basic chem knowledge and have been reading about the process for a few years.... just no hands on experience yet.
Anyway, here’s some early progress pics. I’ll keep updating here as bits arrive.
Basics are
50L keg. 4in tri clamp, sight glass, drain, tri clamp for 2 elements.
2 x 3000w elements with individual scrs to control voltage on the way
4 plate bubble column from aliexpress
Onion and 4in > 2in column 50cm high
Aliexpress deflag
3in 560mm Shotgun condenser with stand and parrot
My main interest is whisky, but want to dabble in rum and neutral Mod Edit : photos attached to forum .
Do not use external picture hosting .
I’m getting into this hobby with the dream of hopefully one day opening a small scale hobby distillery. I’m lucky enough to have a good mate who is a pretty handy boilermaker who has thrown together some bits for me.... the rest I’ve got on the way from Aliexpress.
Ive got a basic chem knowledge and have been reading about the process for a few years.... just no hands on experience yet.
Anyway, here’s some early progress pics. I’ll keep updating here as bits arrive.
Basics are
50L keg. 4in tri clamp, sight glass, drain, tri clamp for 2 elements.
2 x 3000w elements with individual scrs to control voltage on the way
4 plate bubble column from aliexpress
Onion and 4in > 2in column 50cm high
Aliexpress deflag
3in 560mm Shotgun condenser with stand and parrot
My main interest is whisky, but want to dabble in rum and neutral Mod Edit : photos attached to forum .
Do not use external picture hosting .
Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
You have a nice set-up to do many things. Only one tip: controls the seals of the plates, if they are silicone wrap with Teflon ribbon. I often buy from AliExpress and I feel good with purchases, I often see their goods on specialized sites at very high costs, the only flaw is the slowness with which the packages arrive ... sometimes I have to wait even 2 months, in Average at least 1 month.
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
I find that since the new European regulations which mean you have to pay VAT on AliExpress purchases, the customs clearance has got way faster. My last two orders both arrived within 2 weeks (to France) whereas before it would normally be a month to 6 weeks. Looking at the tracking info, both parcels cleared customs in a day rather than a week or two.Demy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:30 am You have a nice set-up to do many things. Only one tip: controls the seals of the plates, if they are silicone wrap with Teflon ribbon. I often buy from AliExpress and I feel good with purchases, I often see their goods on specialized sites at very high costs, the only flaw is the slowness with which the packages arrive ... sometimes I have to wait even 2 months, in Average at least 1 month.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Some are coming first but for others it has not changed much (shipping to Italy), it could change in the future. Prices (like all goods even locally) have increased (VAT + Damned Covid) at least here in Italy ...NormandieStill wrote: ↑Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:37 amI find that since the new European regulations which mean you have to pay VAT on AliExpress purchases, the customs clearance has got way faster. My last two orders both arrived within 2 weeks (to France) whereas before it would normally be a month to 6 weeks. Looking at the tracking info, both parcels cleared customs in a day rather than a week or two.Demy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:30 am You have a nice set-up to do many things. Only one tip: controls the seals of the plates, if they are silicone wrap with Teflon ribbon. I often buy from AliExpress and I feel good with purchases, I often see their goods on specialized sites at very high costs, the only flaw is the slowness with which the packages arrive ... sometimes I have to wait even 2 months, in Average at least 1 month.
Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Shipwreckedspirits wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 11:09 pm
a pretty handy boilermaker who has thrown together some bits for me....
Having been "thrown together", those pieces landed nicely. Congratulations on a beautiful build.
________________
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Neat build makes me feel like well clandestine chemistry xD lol How much did this bad boy run you?
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Columns arrived! 4inch bubble plate and 4in to 2in column with 12L onion. I’m happy with the quality. Both from distillex on Aliexpress. Post took a bit over 6 weeks and was all packed well.
My mate has looked after me and done the boiler and bits for cost of materials only. The rest of the prices can be found on Aliexpress. I asked for a discount on shipping because I bought a few things and got maybe $20 off?
My mate has looked after me and done the boiler and bits for cost of materials only. The rest of the prices can be found on Aliexpress. I asked for a discount on shipping because I bought a few things and got maybe $20 off?
- EricTheRed
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
sweet!
Question - should that top bubbler plate not be at the bottom so you can see what is going on?
Question - should that top bubbler plate not be at the bottom so you can see what is going on?
My fekking eyes are bleeding! Installed BS Filters - better! :D
Life has gotten interesting!
Life has gotten interesting!
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Don't forget to wrap those pretty blue silicone seals in PTFE.
And +1 to what EricTheRed says.
And +1 to what EricTheRed says.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
I had read that often the bottom plate didn’t do much so thought it might be better like this... but this was based off not much. Being able to see the top plate is more important I guess.EricTheRed wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:58 am sweet!
Question - should that top bubbler plate not be at the bottom so you can see what is going on?
I got the pyre gaskets for all the other places I’ll need them but don’t think I remembered to get them for the column. I’ll grab some tape and make sure they’re wrapped.
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Dont know where you read that , but its complete rubbish.Shipwreckedspirits wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:08 pm I had read that often the bottom plate didn’t do much so thought it might be better like this
The bottom plate works just as hard as the others do.
The bottom plate and its window can and will also give you clues to when tails are on the way.
If the top plate is left where it is at the moment its going to be very close to the dephlegmator......and that is not a great idea.
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Re: Aliexpress / homemade still mix
Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:17 pmDont know where you read that , but its complete rubbish.Shipwreckedspirits wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:08 pm I had read that often the bottom plate didn’t do much so thought it might be better like this
The bottom plate works just as hard as the others do.
The bottom plate and its window can and will also give you clues to when tails are on the way.
If the top plate is left where it is at the moment its going to be very close to the dephlegmator......and that is not a great idea.
Good to know! I’ll swap them over when I tape up the blue gaskets. Hopefully my mate gets the bits to me in a few weeks.... in the meantime I’m going to do a kale wash to practice fermenting / to use as a sacrificial run after the cleaning run