Rule #8

[CraftyZA]

Hey guys.

I posted a pic which contained a silicone hose at the outlet.
Initially i reposted because the rules stated plastic, and thought explaining that it was silicone would help clarify.
It dit not, I got warned, and I complied. Replaced the line with a glass jar for the image.
I’m happy to accept no lines of any kind from the outlet besides copper, or SS. I know the rules now.


What I do want clarity on, is what about tri-clamps. They use the same material as gaskets. This is installed on most commercial stills, and stilldragon use them as well, and plenty other. These gaskets are in the vapour path, under much higher temperatures.
http://stilldragon.com/index.php/compon ... skets.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

In order to always comply with rule 8, should we not replace that gasket with something else?
What alternatives are there?
I can think of cork, or perhaps untanned leather?
How can we modify these gaskets on commercially available stills to comply with the rules?
They obviously don’t show up in pictures since they are gaskets that are used internal.

[fizzix]

You are absolutely correct! There are many resources like this.
If, however, one were to find definitive documentation to support a material's particular use in hi-temp alcohol, then it would be allowed.

I would bet an introspective into whether some of us are fudging because "a manufacturer said it's OK" would certainly sink some of our ships.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander!

[Yummyrum]

Teflon tri clamp gaskets are available .

Or this method , my original is over 6 years and going strong

viewtopic.php?f=62&t=24199

[fizzix]

CraftyZA. Thanks for this thread. I have a 2" setup and coming clean today, right this minute.
https://www.amazon.com/SANITARY-CLAMP-P ... amp+gasket

[NZChris]

Turn off the part of your brain that runs on wishful thinking, disregard anything you read on forums and Youtube, and seek your materials safety info. from the manufacturers of the materials you hope to use rather than from random people on the internet. That kept me safe in the pre internet era and there are no better materials newly available on the market that I am aware of.

What I did was put my distilling requirements to a salesman from a well respected NZ gasket supplier expecting a small variety of choices. All of my expected choices failed except for PTFE, so that is what I use.

[Yummyrum]

Teflon is PTFE ... just in case some don’t know

[Manc]

You can buy PTFE tubing I use it to connect to my output, I've tried to check on here it is mentioned in passing on some posts but I can't find a difinitive answer I presume it's ok but am open to any other opinions.

Lee

[JellybeanCorncob]

Teflon tri clamp gaskets are available .

Or this method , my original is over 6 years and going strong

viewtopic.php?f=62&t=24199

I just made this one yesterday. Poster board wrapped with teflon tape.

JBC

[MtRainier]

I ordered a set of PTFE gaskets from Glacier Tanks to replace the silicone ones in my purchased 4 plate 4" flute. They looked great when they arrived, but are very rigid (harder to tighten to prevent leaking) and don't allow the sieve plates to fit inside the gasket in the same way that the silicone ones did.

Just posting to let you know that you may need to modify things to get new gaskets to fit. It took some time, but wasn't really hard to do to increase the diameter just a bit on the gaskets.

[CraftyZA]

I think we should think bigger than these hacks. There are basic shapes. 4” ID tri clamps being the biggest and most used.
We should get research conducted that proves silicone is bad. Then with this research we should approach the big boys like stilldragon to help fund some additional research into an inert and plyable substance.
These will then get mass produced by supplying the big companies, and price will drop so that we can buy them cheaply.
The problem here is that if commercial stills keep on using silicone, then even the booze on every shelve of every liquor store is contaminated.

[CraftyZA]

You can buy PTFE tubing I use it to connect to my output, I've tried to check on here it is mentioned in passing on some posts but I can't find a difinitive answer I presume it's ok but am open to any other opinions.

Lee

I suspect the moderators will ban it is well. Any synthetic material is banned. Not just plastic.

[cuginosgrizzo]

[quote="CraftyZA"I suspect the moderators will ban it is well. Any synthetic material is banned. Not just plastic.[/quote]

No. PTFE is accepted and it is safe to use

[thecroweater]

You can buy PTFE tubing I use it to connect to my output, I've tried to check on here it is mentioned in passing on some posts but I can't find a difinitive answer I presume it's ok but am open to any other opinions.

Lee

I suspect the moderators will ban it is well. Any synthetic material is banned. Not just plastic.

You been around long enough to know shit from clay and you don't sound like you are talking clay. Mentioned here and in many places PTFE is proven safe to use, you want to promote other synthetics well that's just dandy fine but you better have some substantial evidence to show it is safe to use.

[CraftyZA]

You can buy PTFE tubing I use it to connect to my output, I've tried to check on here it is mentioned in passing on some posts but I can't find a difinitive answer I presume it's ok but am open to any other opinions.

Lee

I suspect the moderators will ban it is well. Any synthetic material is banned. Not just plastic.

You been around long enough to know shit from clay and you don't sound like you are talking clay. Mentioned here and in many places PTFE is proven safe to use, you want to promote other synthetics well that's just dandy fine but you better have some substantial evidence to show it is safe to use.

I’m talking about ptfe.
If it’s been proven. Perfect. Lets get it mass produced, in pipe form and gasket form, and get the big guns to adopt it.
They want to legalize this in the states.
Imagine the hobby community highlights a risk currently in commercial production.
It will show that safety is at the forefront of thought. Sounds like a win to me.
Fda might be a good place to start.

[fizzix]

I think you may have problems convincing a still manufacturer to up and change their inventory.
Especially when they're proclaiming the safety of silicone and gum themselves.

The policy is strictly that of Home Distiller.
There are other sites that scoff at Rule #8, so there's that resistance as well.

[thecroweater]

PTFE is resistant to leaching in distillation and so lends itself to a bunch of uses for sure. You would need to do a whole bunch of completely different tests to see if this stuff maintains a structural integrity under load at the required temperatures and then sort out what thickness is fail safe at what temperature. Couple that with the fact that copper will always remain the most popular material because of its effects on vapour and I think you will find you would be pushing shit uphill trying to get manufacturers onboard, even stainless steel has inherent problems not encountered with copper.
Your suggestion looks ok at first glance but without addressing the question of structural integrity I'd say it's not something you could safely recommend, I also doubt it's a cheap option.

[hpby98]

https://www.calpaclab.com/teflon-ptfe-compatibility/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Ptfe compatibility chart. A ton of excellents it’s a very inert thing

[DAD300]

There is PTFE tube...very stiff
and the very soft
Platinum-cured TYGON®3355-L silicone tubing complies fully with the requirements of the USP Class VI criteria and is entirely non-toxic, non-hemolytic and non-pyrogenic. In addition, TYGON®3355-L silicone tubing meets FDA 21 CFR Part 177.2600 criteria for use in food contact applications.

We use Platinum-cured TYGON for bottling.

But check the prices closely...

[Manc]

Thanks for the info but the tygon platinum cured might just be out of my price range I'll put up with the stiffness of the PTFE. lol.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I think we were pretty lieniant here. Still not ptfe.