leaving stil setup
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leaving stil setup
Just wondering if you pack your still away or leave it setup?. I used to pack mine up every time but have been leaving it setup for a while now. Kind of figured I don't tell anyone what I do and he the cops came they'd need a warrant, highly unlikely they would cause I try to be a decent citizen. I feel like i'm standing up for my right to do what we do by leaving it setup and not letting them make me paranoid!.
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Re: leaving stil setup
When stilling was illegal in NZ, I'd break mine down and spread it around the property so that nothing was obviously stilling related. With big fermenters and double distilling, it only needed to be assembled a couple of times a year at the most.
Re: leaving stil setup
I take mine down. I still outside so leaving it up isn't an option. Plus taking it apart, it gets a good rinse after each run.
Re: leaving stil setup
I take all mine down , as I've aquirered too many to leave up in my small work space. A 3" VM , a 2" pot still & a thumper. All on 15.5 gallon de-commissioned kegs. Too many toys too little space.....lol . Hope to finish my 4" bubbler soon an eliminate all the others as I feel i'll not need them any more.
Re: leaving stil setup
It stays setup,gets to be to much to take it down and put back together everytime i use it,which as not not been alot lately! We seldom have visiters and it is in aspot not accessable without being in the house!
It is what you make it
- Danespirit
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Re: leaving stil setup
I am stilling in my bathroom, so i take it down.
It's modular and broken down to column, refluxcondenser, Liebig and boiler, no one suspects a still.
Cops don't come here,cause i am not a crook.
Even if the unthinkable should happen and they show up with a warrant, i highly doubt they would recognize the bunch of parts as a still.
Should it happen..i am a dumb as a piece of wood. "I am just making essences out of herbs".
It's modular and broken down to column, refluxcondenser, Liebig and boiler, no one suspects a still.
Cops don't come here,cause i am not a crook.
Even if the unthinkable should happen and they show up with a warrant, i highly doubt they would recognize the bunch of parts as a still.
Should it happen..i am a dumb as a piece of wood. "I am just making essences out of herbs".
Re: leaving stil setup
I take mine down for cleaning but do not hide it as it sits in my outbuilding and knowone goes in without my permission.
Re: leaving stil setup
It depends really. I'm in my garage and neighbors arnt nosey. If I'm using it fairly consistently I leave it up. If its not being used for a few days I take it apart. It only takes a few minutes so its no big deal.
Would love to have it set up full time and running :p
Yak
Would love to have it set up full time and running :p
Yak
HDNB wrote: The trick here is to learn what leads to a stalled mash....and quit doing that.
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- Swill Maker
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Re: leaving stil setup
If I'm going to make another run the same day, or the next day, I'll leave it set up. Get stripping runs going, set it up for reflux after stripping is done, then leave it out overnight to start first thing in the morning. Otherwise it comes apart and everything gets a rinse with hot water.
Re: leaving stil setup
Never together for more than a weekend...I wish I could leave it up.
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- justsomeguy
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Re: leaving stil setup
Mine stays up in the garage but I have built some things to conceal it from anyone that isnt deep into the garage. Nobody I dont know goes there. Some of my friends have seen it and dont even have a clue what it is.
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Re: leaving stil setup
I pull mine apart after every run for cleaning then just leave it in pieces till next time. Privacy isn't a problem as it's in the house.
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Re: leaving stil setup
I remove my column for cleaning but usually leave it assembled and sitting in the corner. I am off the beaten path and don't have a lot of visitors that would come inside and see it.
- Tokoroa_Shiner
- Distiller
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Re: leaving stil setup
Mine get pulled down. Until the day I get a TIG machine, inch ball valve and 4" cleaning port.
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The Rules By Which We Live By
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The Rules By Which We Live By
Safety And Related Issues
New Distillers Reading Lounge
Have Fun, Keep Safe and Shine On
Re: leaving still setup
I put on welding gloves and completely disassemble mine while its still hot, steam coming out of it. I built mine for that. One time about 8 years ago I was backing out of the driveway and my garage door just started opening. I didn't even have a remote with me and I have never found an explanation for the event. All I know is if it happens again they ain't gonna see no still sitting there. Just a few innocent kegs and stuff..
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All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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- Rumrunner
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Re: leaving stil setup
Mine stays set up. Ready to go whenever I am.
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Re: leaving stil setup
A 21/2 gal alembic does have advantages! Rinse it off after using, put up on a shelf. Oh look how cute!
If you wear underwear then it's a dress!
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=62150 How I run a small still
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=62150 How I run a small still
- Appalachia-Shiner
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Re: leaving stil setup
I clean it after each run, and just leave it dissembled till I need it again.
I leave the boiler in the "Still Shed" usually sitting on top of the propane burner; bring the Copper in the house for safekeeping. I always replace the delivery spear in the SS Keg to keep bugs or dirt out.
I leave the boiler in the "Still Shed" usually sitting on top of the propane burner; bring the Copper in the house for safekeeping. I always replace the delivery spear in the SS Keg to keep bugs or dirt out.
- MitchyBourbon
- Distiller
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Re: leaving stil setup
I completely diassemble and hide the copper. The boiler gets put on my beer brew stand along side all my fermenters in plain site. This takes up 2 stalls of my garage. We entertain anywhere from 10 to 40 people almost every weekend. I'm lucky if I know half the people that come. In the summer I try to keep people outside but in the winter it just ain't feasable. And these people go everywhere so all my copper gets put away in my safe.
I'm goin the distance...
- MoonBreath
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Re: leaving stil setup
Rig-up, tear -down..
One day soon I hope to have it to where I can leave everything set up.
One day soon I hope to have it to where I can leave everything set up.
*Spend it all, Use it up, Wear it out*
Beware of sheet-sniffers and dime-droppers!
Beware of sheet-sniffers and dime-droppers!
Re: leaving stil setup
The boiler stays in the atrium on top of the pretty new ss burner with a plant sitting on top of a tile. The rest is broken down and (on a shelf behind a curtain) in the garage along with the shredder, press, brew pots, barrels and fermenters. No cars allowed.
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Re: leaving stil setup
I used to take it down and put the column and boiler out of site, now it stays up but is in the basement where only wife and I go....besides too much stuff to hide now, roller mill, hammer mill, masher, fermenters yikes!!
- cranky
- Master of Distillation
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Re: leaving stil setup
I take mine down and put away because you never know when a fire or earthquake or something might force you to let someone like a fireman or inspector into your house or garage or shed and the last thing I want them to find is a still to further complicate a disaster. Wish I could feel good about leaving mine up because the new rig weighs a ton and is a bit of a pain to take down and put back up.
- ranger_ric
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Re: leaving stil setup
I gotta leave mine up...
I have 4 5gal UJSSM fermenters going and my pot still is 5 gal. So I am running almost every day. Stripping run once a day and every 5th day a spirit run.... repeat...
This stuff does keep getting better and better
I have 4 5gal UJSSM fermenters going and my pot still is 5 gal. So I am running almost every day. Stripping run once a day and every 5th day a spirit run.... repeat...
This stuff does keep getting better and better
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- thecroweater
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Re: leaving stil setup
Rarely pull it down, only happens to clean it or change the configuration in which case also to thoroughly clean it
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- coastershiner
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Re: leaving stil setup
I always have one set up ready. Pot or refux, whichever were doin at the time. It takes about 20 min to change over. The shed is 100% dedicated to stillin, so its all good.
Re: leaving stil setup
kettle and column sit in mechanical room with a old sheet over them.. the other parts of the flute are stashed and only 3 triclamps and 3 camlocks away from full function.
She was just a moonshiner,
But he loved her Still
But he loved her Still
- Truckinbutch
- Angel's Share
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Re: leaving stil setup
I paste up my rig when two 44 gallon Brutes get finished . That's gonna be 4 strip runs and 2 spirit runs at my convenience . Then the cap comes off the boiler to cook up a reload for the fermenters .
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Re: leaving stil setup
I relocated the contents of my garage into an outbuilding, and put my still stuff in the garage. I don't take anything down. When I'm done with a run, normally I just rinse it in place with water and call it good enough. When the garage door is open, then I might throw a blanket over the still.
The neighbors know what I do, and unwanted visitors don't get very far. Having three angry 100 pound dobermans dissuades anyone from sticking their nose where it doesn't belong...
The neighbors know what I do, and unwanted visitors don't get very far. Having three angry 100 pound dobermans dissuades anyone from sticking their nose where it doesn't belong...
- S-Cackalacky
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Re: leaving stil setup
I tare it down and stash it after each session. I set it up on the laundry counter where everybody in the family folds their laundry. I hope to get a corner of the basement set up so I can pretty much leave it out. My fermenting is done in a different part of the basement (opposite end), so there's a lot of toting buckets back and forth. It will be nice to get it all consolidated in one place.
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