I made my boiler from using a Home Depot plastic bucket. It works great, was cheap and easy to make!
Have been using it for two years and no taste ever came from it.
Why everybody is against it I don't understand.
I have two elements in it - high enough from the bottom so they won't touch - even when the plastic sags. (haven't notices any sag yet)
Used a 6 mm plywood disc to carry the weight of the colum, as the plastic lid started to sag when hot.
Cut the holes with a holesaw. Took me 20 minutes to make the whole boiler!!
Now for a polypipe colum! I see Greg made one.
Anyone who tried it and have advice?
Plastic boiler works great!
Moderator: Site Moderator
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blockhead
Smoking (plastic) pot
The plywood is on the outside - thus not in contact with the alcohol.
I haven't tried the poly pipe yet.
What's your problem with the plastic bucket? If you can explain your problem - do so.
If you know something - share it.
If you don't - shut up !
I haven't tried the poly pipe yet.
What's your problem with the plastic bucket? If you can explain your problem - do so.
If you know something - share it.
If you don't - shut up !
Depends on the plastic type for the boiler. I would only use polypropylene as it is OK with the low concentrations in the boiler. I have used a PP bucket (Still Spirits) but everything above it, including the domed lid, was metal.
But I have to agree with THM on the rest. Most of us think that with high temp and high abv it is just not worth playing with fire. Metal is so much more reliable and long-lasting. As well as the possibility of leaching, plastic is likely to sag and bend - not a good look!
If THM sounded a bit abrupt it was because he is tired of the same thread popping up every few months. Searching old files on the Yahoo newsgroup (http://www.taet.com.au/distillers.nsf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow) will bring up lots of info and opinions.
Cheers,
Lindsay.
But I have to agree with THM on the rest. Most of us think that with high temp and high abv it is just not worth playing with fire. Metal is so much more reliable and long-lasting. As well as the possibility of leaching, plastic is likely to sag and bend - not a good look!
If THM sounded a bit abrupt it was because he is tired of the same thread popping up every few months. Searching old files on the Yahoo newsgroup (http://www.taet.com.au/distillers.nsf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow) will bring up lots of info and opinions.
Cheers,
Lindsay.
Cheers,
Lindsay.
Lindsay.
If there is a plastic that can stand up to bullets(kevlar) then there certainly is a plastic that can stand up to warm ethanol. Whether or not your boiler is made of a strong enough plastic will be told with time. Best of luck.
The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. --John Conner
Sounds like another one of those that didn't belive momma when she said the stove was hot gotta find out the hard way!
THM your arguements are sound but your talking to a blockhead
Why go thru all the trouble to make high quality hooch only to polute it with the plastic? Copper is too easy and your making the bribe in a bottle just find a welder with good taste buds
THM your arguements are sound but your talking to a blockhead
Why go thru all the trouble to make high quality hooch only to polute it with the plastic? Copper is too easy and your making the bribe in a bottle just find a welder with good taste buds
Polytetrafluoroethylene is a plastic that I'm sure will not degrade in 100% ethanol and it will not leach anything into your alcohol. Low quality alcohol often comes in plastic bottles because they are cheaper than glass. If those bottles were leaching stuff into the alcohol don't you think some trial lawyer would have sued seagrams for poisening someone or causing "fibromyalgia"???
By the way, polytetrafluoroethylene is better known as teflon.
By the way, polytetrafluoroethylene is better known as teflon.
The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. --John Conner
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blockhead
Copper is great, easy to work - but expensive!
In Canada it is hard to get hold of 2" copper pipe and all the fittings are expensive: a 2" T piece is $55 !
Labor is even more expensive! $100 to $200 to cut and weld a keg.
As an accountant, I couldn't justify $400 for a still if I only drink one bottle of whiskey in two months.
Thats why I put my copper colum on a plastic boiler.
If we can find cheaper, easier ways to build a still - more people can join the party! And some will graduate to state of the art equipment.
But not if constipated, lonely guys pass wind on this forum.
Labor is even more expensive! $100 to $200 to cut and weld a keg.
As an accountant, I couldn't justify $400 for a still if I only drink one bottle of whiskey in two months.
Thats why I put my copper colum on a plastic boiler.
If we can find cheaper, easier ways to build a still - more people can join the party! And some will graduate to state of the art equipment.
But not if constipated, lonely guys pass wind on this forum.
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Will
The issue isn't what's wrong with using plastic.
The issue is why use it even with the RISK of possible health risks.
In something like distilling, where you take so much care to create a clean wort by sterilising and airlocking, then similarly, to remove heads, tails foreshots etc, why does the issue even get breached about using a plastic still. If your aim is to make clean, pure spirits, you'd think you'd want to use the best products for the job.
Also, if money is your problem for the boiler, use stainless steel, if you look around at a Kmart or Big W (Walmart equivelents?) you can find them from about 10-20 L and prices around $10US. You have to make sure you look round though cause there are some 'high end ones' which sell for like $50-60. The cheaper one is all u need.
The issue is why use it even with the RISK of possible health risks.
In something like distilling, where you take so much care to create a clean wort by sterilising and airlocking, then similarly, to remove heads, tails foreshots etc, why does the issue even get breached about using a plastic still. If your aim is to make clean, pure spirits, you'd think you'd want to use the best products for the job.
Also, if money is your problem for the boiler, use stainless steel, if you look around at a Kmart or Big W (Walmart equivelents?) you can find them from about 10-20 L and prices around $10US. You have to make sure you look round though cause there are some 'high end ones' which sell for like $50-60. The cheaper one is all u need.
There is a pattern I find familiar here it goes:
"I'm using plastic! Ive been using it for years! I'm almost done building my still! I've never had any bad effects! What's ypu people's problem?"
"We are just worried using plastic will hurt you."
"Oh yeah? well you're a big doodyhead!"
This is a troll people.
Probably from the same old wiseguy or someone using the same playbook. let it go.
"I'm using plastic! Ive been using it for years! I'm almost done building my still! I've never had any bad effects! What's ypu people's problem?"
"We are just worried using plastic will hurt you."
"Oh yeah? well you're a big doodyhead!"
This is a troll people.
Probably from the same old wiseguy or someone using the same playbook. let it go.
"a woman who drives you to drink is hard to find, most of them will make you drive yourself."
anon--
anon--
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Guest
According to an anti-telfon site:
http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/es.php
340C is when teflon starts to breakdown and release gases. At 240C particulates are released.
Even if you use the value of 200C, that's still 100C higher then the temperatures used in distilling.
http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/es.php
340C is when teflon starts to breakdown and release gases. At 240C particulates are released.
Even if you use the value of 200C, that's still 100C higher then the temperatures used in distilling.
The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. --John Conner
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pangea
Your probably right
and we're all wrong. Make your plastic still and market it to industry. The engineers in the alcohol bidness probably just never thought about using plastic.(finger up nose)
Drink a lot, drive fast and shoot your guns from the windows. Darwin awaits you.
Drink a lot, drive fast and shoot your guns from the windows. Darwin awaits you.