So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

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Steve Broady
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So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

I know that spoon feeding is generally frowned upon, and the Vevor stills are much maligned. However, I think it’s reasonable to assume that they are a fact if life at this point, and that there will be people who want a relatively simple guide on how to fix the worst of the problems and get them up to the bare minimum safety standard. That’s the point if this tutorial. I am not recommending them, but I feel it is worthwhile to help folks who are new to the hobby to at least be safe, as well as teaching them a little about working on their own equipment.

To be clear, we’re talking about the stills that look something like this:
Image
Image

Maybe it was a gift, or maybe you bought it for yourself before you came here and read all the negative opinions about them. However you got it, you’ve got it now. And you’ve learned that the manufacturer might not have as much concern for your safety as you do, and the still isn’t up to snuff as it came out of the box. So now what? What’s the bare minimum needed to get your still into safe condition?

As I understand it, there are a few problems with these things, some easier to fix than others.

Silicone
There’s a silicon gasket between the boiler and lid. Silicone gaskets where the fittings go through the lid, silicone gaskets between the fittings, silicone tubing. It all has to go. It’s not considered safe, nor is it permissible here. No negotiation. If you want to know why, feel free to look up all the numerous threads discussing it. This is not the place.

Brass
All the fittings on most of these things are made out of brass. Even lead free brass sometimes has a small amount of lead in it. Whether that’s a problem for you or not is up to you, but most here chose to avoid it.

General Design
Most of the stills I’ve seen use 3/8” copper tubing for some or all of the vapor path. This is on the small side, and can be clogged if/when your mash boils over.

The “thumper” these things sometimes include is not really a thumper and doesn’t do anything useful. It can be modified into a thumper, but it’s also a bit on the small side, so there’s not much point in my opinion.

They also generally have the condenser sitting directly on top of the boiler, which is a problem both because you have a cold and heavy pot of water sitting on top of a hot boiler and more importantly because it puts the takeoff spout above the boiler, where high proof alcohol could drip onto your heat source.

Upgrades
First things first. The silicone has to go. If you’re really cheap, a simple paste of flour and water is a really effective, if somewhat messy, solution that has worked for centuries. If you want something a little fancier, you can buy expanded PTFE tape. This is what I’ve used:
1DB297AA-4274-43E5-8DFC-D60C0D066B83.jpeg
D2E5DD65-D8C1-4E03-9106-15D3A8768ACA.jpeg
That works well for the seal around the lid. For smaller gaskets, you can use cork. I found that I could make some simple gaskets by slicing off a piece of a wine cork and cutting a hole in the center.
446988E9-ED2A-4792-AB81-6E914874193D.jpeg
Note that this is not a solid cork, and is not appropriate for distilling. This is a cheap agglomerated cork which I sacrificed for the purpose, strictly for demonstration. Only use solid cork for this purpose.

For the tubing, the simple solution is to move the condenser, and then put your collection jar under that little spout. Bend the end down a little so that it doesn’t dribble uncontrollably. If you need to extend it, buy more copper tubing and connect that, either soldering it or using compression fittings. Or you can use a tool to enlarge the end of the tubing so that it fits over what you already have. That way alcohol can drain into it and to some convenient collection point.

Those brass fittings aren’t great. The good news is, you can buy replacements that are made from stainless steel. It may take a little looking, and you might have to get a little creative, but all the threads and fittings are relatively common and easy to work with. Of course, if you’re willing and able to solder copper and stainless, things get a lot easier and cheaper, but for the purposes of this tutorial I assume that’s out of reach for the moment.

There is not much you can do about the general design and construction quality. Obviously, you can and should move the condenser off the boiler and into a support of its own. The “thumper” these things sometimes include is probably best just left off entirely. Once you know enough to know if you can use it for anything, you don’t need this guide any more anyway. So just put it aside for now.

This is not the only way to fix the problems, nor is it necessarily the best way. If you have a few tools, the ability to solder, and some creativity and patience, you can do a lot more with one of these stills. Without major changes, it will never be as capable as a larger, better built still, but you can at least get your feet wet and learn to make something decent. You will learn a lot just improving and running your still. And most importantly, you’ll be safer for it, as well as demonstrating to the rest of us that you’re taking safety seriously.
Last edited by Steve Broady on Sun Jan 08, 2023 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

I strongly encourage others to comment or add to this as well. I’m far from an expert. I just happen to be one of the fools who bought one of these stills, and then went on an adventure trying to upgrade it.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by NZChris »

The wine cork pictured is agglomerated cork. I've seen one crumble when the glue failed in a few months old aging jar of 63%, (not mine). I have no idea what the glue is made of and I don't recommend that cork for distilling.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

NZChris wrote: Sun Jan 08, 2023 8:38 pm The wine cork pictured is agglomerated cork. I've seen one crumble when the glue failed in a few months old aging jar of 63%, (not mine). I have no idea what the glue is made of and I don't recommend that cork for distilling.
Thank you, you’re absolutely right. I didn’t have a solid cork handy for the demonstration. I should have gone to the trouble of getting one before taking that picture. I have edited the original post with a note to that effect.

To anyone that comes along in the future, this is a great example of what makes this forum so valuable. If you make a mistake, there is someone willing to correct you and help lap you safe and learning.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Yummyrum »

Thanks Steve for starting this Topic .
As you say , there are a lot of folk that and up with these so anything to make them better is a bonus :thumbup:

You have personally taken up grading these to the next level and I would ask you to put links to your other topics here …. if you don’t mind .

Getting back to the cork gasket in the Stainless flexible tube , I hated the original Silicone Gasket , not just because it was Silicone , but also because the hole in it was barely 1/4” IIRC on the one I saw .

If you are making a replacement gasket , make the hole in it as big as possible to minimise the chance of plugging .
Probably never a problem if sugar washes are used but high on the cards if any All Grain or Washes like UJJSM where a stray corn kernel may become jettisoned from the boiler .

Which brings me to the next point . Getting rid of the small diameter tubing as quickly as feasible .


Steve , this is where your mods shined .
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

Yummyrum wrote: Sun Jan 08, 2023 11:42 pm You have personally taken up grading these to the next level and I would ask you to put links to your other topics here …. if you don’t mind .
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88563
Thank you, Yummyrum. This is what I did to mine. I’m certainly not claiming that I’ve taken the easiest or most direct path, but it has worked for me. I think it’s worth pointing out that when I bought that still, I had never soldered copper pipe, didn’t even know that it was possible to solder stainless, and had never heard of a tri-clamp or cam lock, let alone where to buy them. What you see in that thread I’d very much my practice piece.

If anyone is curious, here is my Dimroth condenser build:
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewto ... bb416fb4ce Safety issues aside, the condenser was what I found most frustrating about the still as delivered. I hated the open pot and simply could not get it regulated with a damn, nor could it handle even what little heat I could put in from my stove. I built the minor shotgun that you can see in the thread above, and then upgraded to this thing. For sheer simplicity, I would recommend a Liebig, but I had a lot of fun making these things.
Yummyrum wrote: Sun Jan 08, 2023 11:42 pm Which brings me to the next point . Getting rid of the small diameter tubing as quickly as feasible .
Agreed! I chose to leave that off the initial post, simply because enlarging the tubing is sort of phase 2 in my opinion, and I wanted to get the most important safety items out of the way first.

The holes in the lid are made to pass a 1/2” pipe thread, if I remember correctly. While you could find the right combination of fittings that would adapt that to 1/2” tubing, I would strongly suggest just using 1/2” copper pipe with a threaded adapter solder to it. You can buy stainless pipe thread nuts which will clamp it to the lid, and I know from experience that it’s not at all hard to split and flatten a piece of pipe and use it as a copper gasket.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by bcook608 »

As someone who started with this same still, I really love this thread!
Anyone who is interested in seeing what my little pot turned into (which is much less impressive than what Steve has done) check out the link in my signature.

Keep up the good work Steve!
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

In case anyone is curious, here’s a list of all the modifications I’ve made to mine.

1.5” tri-clamp drain
I love having this! While I can lift and dump an 8 gallon pot, the drain makes it a lot easier, safer, and more convenient. It also means I can control how quickly the boiler empties, so that I don’t overwhelm my sink train with boiling hot backset. And when using the boiler as a pot for heating water, the drain is the perfect tap for filling my mash tun.

1.5” tri-clamp outlets (2x)
The more I use them, the more I like tri-clamps. They are much easier to work with than the copper unions I was using previously. It’s nice to not need any tools, and I love the fact that I can assemble things in any number of ways, depending on my mood and needs. And for me, having two outlets is nice. I did it because I had two holes in the lid of my pot, but it is handy to have one outlet for the vapor, and another for a thermometer probe or a pressure relief valve, or even as an inlet from a steam generator.

PTFE gasket
This is probably my least favorite modification, albeit a fairly important one. The expanded gasket material I used works, but does not seem to be permanent. It may just end up being an annual maintenance item. It doesn’t help that these cheap stills don’t have a very good lid profile, making it harder to get a reliable seal. So, while functional, I’m still thinking about ways to improve this.

Insulation
I don’t know if it’s really made any difference or not, but I’ve wrapped the sides and lid of my boiler with aluminum backed duct insulation. My guess is that it will really only make a difference if/when I try making a steam generator and using steam to strip on the grain. But in any case, it looks kind of neat to me, and it didn’t cost too much, so I’m calling it a win.

Replacement Condenser
I did not like the worm that came with my still. I especially didn’t like the open pot. I was using it with a small pond pump, but I could not get the flow regulated well enough to keep from either draining or overflowing the pot. I finally decided to build a replacement, and I’ve never looked back. At this point, I’ve built two mini shotguns and a Dimroth, and a Liebig is in the works in the near future. Shotgun #1 was a learning experience. #2 works well, but I used 1/4” tubes that I now feel are too small for both safety and efficiency. The Dimroth is my current favorite.

All of these modifications together have made this cheap still a lot more pleasant to use, and also a lot less cheap. While I would not te anyone that they should follow my example, I can say that I am much happier with it now than I was when I bought it. You CAN make a decent still out of one of these things, and it can make some mighty fine spirit. You just have to be willing to do the work to fix all the reasons it was cheap in the first place.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Deplorable »

Here is the proof that with enough determination, even the lousiest import "moonshine distiller" on the market can be made into a safe, functional rig when the spirits move you.😉
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

Steve Broady wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 10:45 am PTFE gasket
This is probably my least favorite modification, albeit a fairly important one. The expanded gasket material I used works, but does not seem to be permanent. It may just end up being an annual maintenance item. It doesn’t help that these cheap stills don’t have a very good lid profile, making it harder to get a reliable seal. So, while functional, I’m still thinking about ways to improve this.
I finally had to replace my lid gasket, and found what I think is a slightly better way. The first time, I used the PTFE material exactly as it comes off the roll. Basically, I tried to make a seal in the vertical plane at the top of the pot. The trouble is that you have to hold the lid perfectly flat, and it’s just not rigid enough to do that very well. It worked… ish.

This time around, I used the same material, but I decided to try shaping it. First of all, I applied it sideways, in an attempt to form a plug that fits down into the pot. That’s a bit finicky to do, but it could work. What I ended up doing was shaping it with the back of a wooden spoon, forming a smooth curves conical shape which sits in and seals quite nicely. I was rather pleased that it just worked on the first try, with zero apparent leaks.
E308F7A1-EBAA-4821-9A48-FCBC9A31D335.jpeg
9050D810-9F52-4945-AD64-76B5D913FB00.jpeg
A23AAA7D-7D7A-4E8A-BFA2-D4F9BA980AC9.jpeg
You can see how I spliced the ends together, and shaped the surface right over the splice.

I also used a very light film of vegetable oil on the mating surfaces, since I’d previously had a few issues with the PTFE peeling apart as some of it stuck to the pot. I don’t know if I really needed to or not, but I can say that absolutely none of it stuck. The lid lifted off perfectly cleanly, just like it should.

If I have any issues in the future, I’ll try to remember to update this thread with them, but for now I’m considering this problem sorted.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Goonshine »

Started with the same outfit, 5 gallon with the thumper.
Ran it once as it came (vinegar clean, sacrifice sugar wash) to see where the problems might be. No leaks at all off the bat.
Thumper on top of the pot lid (thumper is barely big enough for the 5 gallon pot) works good as the pot heats it up while warming.
From the start no way I was putting the worm on the pot, made no sense to have that little thing warming up too. Coils had flat spots, liked to spit and not drip, not nearly enough cooling with the little pot.
Took the worm out, sorted out the flats with some bending and stretching, used all the parts and just put it together in a 2 gallon bucket, inlet/outlet for the pump now covers the whole coil with cold water, it's a pretty short coil, but it works. Pump still works, I start with a 5 gallon pail of cold water, and add about 3 blocks of ice to it over the run to keep it cool, liquor comes out cold, takes about 4 hours start to finish, makes close to 1 gallon of tempered liquor in a run.
Still use it every now and again for small experiment trial runs before making big mash for the big rig, or if I don't have all day to sit around watching drips, 4 hours is tolerable, 10 starts pushing it for me. Still using all the gaskets, they haven't failed, I don't notice any off taste or smell from them, they don't look beat up or falling apart yet, it seems to be food grade high heat silicone, and this doesn't really get too high heat. Some moderately expensive all copper clamp together still kits use silicone gaskets between all the clamp together parts and don't seem to create any issues.
The liquor doesn't destroy them either.
If anything fails on it, I'll jury rig something up with copper pipes and connections, make a bigger thumper, won't be hard.
Can't say I like it, but I don't hate it. Easy to clean, cheap as hell, easy to get, owes me nothing since the first successful run.
Cheap way to try it out, the whole process from mashing to your first (decent) product will test your patience and strip you of any you already have. These kits are the lowest end of low, like pre-hobby level grade stuff, but they seem to work, and if you end up hating the whole process you still have a nice big 5 gallon stainless corn pot, soup pot, deer head boiling pot, whatever you do with big pots.
If you hang in until you get a couple good runs, get everything figured out from mash to cuts, you will want to upgrade. No different then trying out golf for the first time really, you either love it or hate it, and if you love it you go all in and upgrade to better kit.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by October »

Steve Broady wrote: Thu Mar 09, 2023 2:31 pm
Steve Broady wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 10:45 am PTFE gasket
This is probably my least favorite modification, albeit a fairly important one. The expanded gasket material I used works, but does not seem to be permanent. It may just end up being an annual maintenance item. It doesn’t help that these cheap stills don’t have a very good lid profile, making it harder to get a reliable seal. So, while functional, I’m still thinking about ways to improve this.
I finally had to replace my lid gasket, and found what I think is a slightly better way. The first time, I used the PTFE material exactly as it comes off the roll. Basically, I tried to make a seal in the vertical plane at the top of the pot. The trouble is that you have to hold the lid perfectly flat, and it’s just not rigid enough to do that very well. It worked… ish.

This time around, I used the same material, but I decided to try shaping it. First of all, I applied it sideways, in an attempt to form a plug that fits down into the pot. That’s a bit finicky to do, but it could work. What I ended up doing was shaping it with the back of a wooden spoon, forming a smooth curves conical shape which sits in and seals quite nicely. I was rather pleased that it just worked on the first try, with zero apparent leaks.

E308F7A1-EBAA-4821-9A48-FCBC9A31D335.jpeg
9050D810-9F52-4945-AD64-76B5D913FB00.jpeg
A23AAA7D-7D7A-4E8A-BFA2-D4F9BA980AC9.jpeg

You can see how I spliced the ends together, and shaped the surface right over the splice.

I also used a very light film of vegetable oil on the mating surfaces, since I’d previously had a few issues with the PTFE peeling apart as some of it stuck to the pot. I don’t know if I really needed to or not, but I can say that absolutely none of it stuck. The lid lifted off perfectly cleanly, just like it should.

If I have any issues in the future, I’ll try to remember to update this thread with them, but for now I’m considering this problem sorted.
Steve, if the pot is good, how about welding the damn lid, and make a small 2" hole for the pipe?
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

October wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 4:05 am Steve, if the pot is good, how about welding the damn lid, and make a small 2" hole for the pipe?
I considered soldering (I don’t have a welder yet, or the skill to use one) the lid on, and was going to when I figured I had the material to give it one last try. But if I do that, I’ll have to add a hole somewhere large enough for me to reach inside. Since I use this for stripping washes, it tends to need some cleaning from time to time, especially after rum washes. If/when this gasket fails, I’ll probably do that. Or just replace the whole damn thing.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by October »

Steve Broady wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 5:14 am
October wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 4:05 am Steve, if the pot is good, how about welding the damn lid, and make a small 2" hole for the pipe?
I considered soldering (I don’t have a welder yet, or the skill to use one) the lid on, and was going to when I figured I had the material to give it one last try. But if I do that, I’ll have to add a hole somewhere large enough for me to reach inside. Since I use this for stripping washes, it tends to need some cleaning from time to time, especially after rum washes. If/when this gasket fails, I’ll probably do that. Or just replace the whole damn thing.
Ah yes, I forgot about the cleaning issue. Is it mandatory to have a hole for cleaning? I suppose the hole should be big enough to allow your hand/arm in to get inside,and how many inch do you need usually? Or is it possible to clean it with white vinegar from the 2" hole?
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

Technically, nothing is mandatory. But one scorch will convince you that you need to be able to get your hand in there. I do have a Still that I’m burning with only a 3” opening, but it will only ever get clear wash or low wines. Nothing that can scorch.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by higgins »

I have one of these on the top of my 15.5 keg (offset to one side) and I can reach all the way to the bottom for cleaning. But if you have big biceps you probably won't get your whole arm in - I'm fairly small @ 155 lbs.

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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by sadie33 »

I have the 5 gal Vevor. I was able to put the PTFE tape side by side in the groove of the lid. I ended up using two layers as it leaked with one layer after a couple runs. I have done several runs now with no leaking.

I replaced the gasket in the condenser hoses (yes, I still use the condenser it came with). I used the PTFE tape. I cut it to length, then cut that in half length wise to make 2 gaskets. It works great, but needs to be replaced every 2-3 runs. I just ordered PTFE sheets and I'm going to make some gaskets out of that with my Cricut cutting machine. I'll let you know how that goes.

Here's a picture of my lid and the condenser hose
Vevor lid.JPG
Vevor lid.JPG (9.54 KiB) Viewed 3759 times
vevor hose.JPG
vevor hose.JPG (9.01 KiB) Viewed 3759 times
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Avalir »

Just skimmed through and thought I'd comment since I didn't notice mention of it. I've upgraded my rig but started on a cheap Chinese knockoff so this is based off my experience. I'm not totally convinced that the advertised materials are what they allege, or at least contain impurities. The last I used my chinese rig, I was raising pH with sodium carbonate (washing soda) to reprocess my accumulated heads. Anyway, there ended up being some sort of reaction that managed to warp the pot and tarnish the seals which ultimately created a leak that started a fire. Luckily I got the fire out with the only property damage being the still and a little bit of my beard and eyebrows. But that being said, due to the cheap manufacturing I strongly advise having a fire extinguisher within arms reach (which you should have regardless) in the event of an equipment failure - these cheap chinese stills have a tendency to become worn decently quick with regular use (mine failed within 18 months). Also, be on alert if working with pH modifiers - if it's making questionable sounds or performance is noticeably questionable, I'd reccomend being quick to cut it off and scrap the run before you have an unfortunate mishap like I did.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by October »

Avalir wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 8:19 pm Just skimmed through and thought I'd comment since I didn't notice mention of it. I've upgraded my rig but started on a cheap Chinese knockoff so this is based off my experience. I'm not totally convinced that the advertised materials are what they allege, or at least contain impurities. The last I used my chinese rig, I was raising pH with sodium carbonate (washing soda) to reprocess my accumulated heads. Anyway, there ended up being some sort of reaction that managed to warp the pot and tarnish the seals which ultimately created a leak that started a fire. Luckily I got the fire out with the only property damage being the still and a little bit of my beard and eyebrows. But that being said, due to the cheap manufacturing I strongly advise having a fire extinguisher within arms reach (which you should have regardless) in the event of an equipment failure - these cheap chinese stills have a tendency to become worn decently quick with regular use (mine failed within 18 months). Also, be on alert if working with pH modifiers - if it's making questionable sounds or performance is noticeably questionable, I'd reccomend being quick to cut it off and scrap the run before you have an unfortunate mishap like I did.
Must have been scary. But what ignited exactly, and was the alcohol above 40% ABV?
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Avalir »

October wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 9:58 am
Avalir wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 8:19 pm Just skimmed through and thought I'd comment since I didn't notice mention of it. I've upgraded my rig but started on a cheap Chinese knockoff so this is based off my experience. I'm not totally convinced that the advertised materials are what they allege, or at least contain impurities. The last I used my chinese rig, I was raising pH with sodium carbonate (washing soda) to reprocess my accumulated heads. Anyway, there ended up being some sort of reaction that managed to warp the pot and tarnish the seals which ultimately created a leak that started a fire. Luckily I got the fire out with the only property damage being the still and a little bit of my beard and eyebrows. But that being said, due to the cheap manufacturing I strongly advise having a fire extinguisher within arms reach (which you should have regardless) in the event of an equipment failure - these cheap chinese stills have a tendency to become worn decently quick with regular use (mine failed within 18 months). Also, be on alert if working with pH modifiers - if it's making questionable sounds or performance is noticeably questionable, I'd reccomend being quick to cut it off and scrap the run before you have an unfortunate mishap like I did.
Must have been scary. But what ignited exactly, and was the alcohol above 40% ABV?
ABV was actually only about 25%. Only conclusion I could come up with was likely a reaction to impurities in the pot. It was advised as 100% 316SS if I remember correctly.
But what ignited, was after the pot warped and created a gap in the lid seal, it spilled over onto a gas stove. The fire then climbed into the pot. The pot had about 4" of head space and I recall it knocking around really bad and hearing loud bangs inside before it happened. But from there, all escaped vapors in the air were combusting. Watching the air catch fire a couple feet away from the pot indoors is not a fun thing to witness.
I also recall looking in the pot after the fire was extinguished and the fluid looked thick and almost like gelatin was mixed in - it reminded me of thick water (for those here that may be familiar with how that looks).

With great hesitation, I attempted the addition of sodium carbonate in the new rig and had great results - no concerning knocks or unusual sounds.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by October »

Avalir wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 5:49 pm
October wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 9:58 am
Avalir wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 8:19 pm Just skimmed through and thought I'd comment since I didn't notice mention of it. I've upgraded my rig but started on a cheap Chinese knockoff so this is based off my experience. I'm not totally convinced that the advertised materials are what they allege, or at least contain impurities. The last I used my chinese rig, I was raising pH with sodium carbonate (washing soda) to reprocess my accumulated heads. Anyway, there ended up being some sort of reaction that managed to warp the pot and tarnish the seals which ultimately created a leak that started a fire. Luckily I got the fire out with the only property damage being the still and a little bit of my beard and eyebrows. But that being said, due to the cheap manufacturing I strongly advise having a fire extinguisher within arms reach (which you should have regardless) in the event of an equipment failure - these cheap chinese stills have a tendency to become worn decently quick with regular use (mine failed within 18 months). Also, be on alert if working with pH modifiers - if it's making questionable sounds or performance is noticeably questionable, I'd reccomend being quick to cut it off and scrap the run before you have an unfortunate mishap like I did.
Must have been scary. But what ignited exactly, and was the alcohol above 40% ABV?
ABV was actually only about 25%. Only conclusion I could come up with was likely a reaction to impurities in the pot. It was advised as 100% 316SS if I remember correctly.
But what ignited, was after the pot warped and created a gap in the lid seal, it spilled over onto a gas stove. The fire then climbed into the pot. The pot had about 4" of head space and I recall it knocking around really bad and hearing loud bangs inside before it happened. But from there, all escaped vapors in the air were combusting. Watching the air catch fire a couple feet away from the pot indoors is not a fun thing to witness.
I also recall looking in the pot after the fire was extinguished and the fluid looked thick and almost like gelatin was mixed in - it reminded me of thick water (for those here that may be familiar with how that looks).

With great hesitation, I attempted the addition of sodium carbonate in the new rig and had great results - no concerning knocks or unusual sounds.
Ouch, thank God you survived.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Avalir »

Oh, definitely. Glad it didn't spook me away from getting back into it - I can't go back to storebought bourbon.
But thinking about it now, it's very possible the impurities were in the welds and/or rivets, assuming they were possibly honest about the type of material.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by NotSparrowNotHawk »

Could you use a large ring of cardboard and wrap in PTFE for the main seal, like I see discussed here, or does that only work for small gaskets?
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Yummyrum »

NotSparrowNotHawk wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2023 8:59 am Could you use a large ring of cardboard and wrap in PTFE for the main seal, like I see discussed here, or does that only work for small gaskets?
It is better or smaller gaskets . For larger ones a ring cut out of copper is better at holding shape .If annealed (heated to cherry red hot) first , it can be “molded” to fit curved shapes of pots….wrapped in teflon too of coarse.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by NotSparrowNotHawk »

Another point, on at least one of them the thermometer material is definitely not stainless. It rusts a fair bit around the threads.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by LikkorPanda »

Piece of Advice, Solder a piece of copper sheet over the thermometer hole and close it of and throw the therm away. I've got two of them that have turned into piles of rust. or use a copper adapter and stick a cap on it
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

I’ve seen several new members recently mention getting one of these, so I thought I’d bump the thread.

I’ll also add that I’ve more or less retired my Vevor, having moved on to a keg. It served its purpose, I made a few things that I’m rather proud of in it, and most importantly I learned a lot. While I don’t know that I would recommend purchasing one, it hasn’t been a total loss and I don’t regret having done so. But I very definitely view it as a stepping stone, rather than a long term investment.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by greggn »

Steve Broady wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2023 4:32 am I’ve seen several new members recently mention getting one of these, so I thought I’d bump the thread.

I’ll also add that I’ve more or less retired my Vevor, having moved on to a keg. It served its purpose, I made a few things that I’m rather proud of in it, and most importantly I learned a lot. While I don’t know that I would recommend purchasing one, it hasn’t been a total loss and I don’t regret having done so. But I very definitely view it as a stepping stone, rather than a long term investment.

Perhaps the mods might consider making this a sticky given the coming wave of new members who will receive Vevor kits for Christmas.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Stump Lake »

Hey Steve, Like you I bought the cheap Chinese Still. I put something like 25+ runs through it I'm 15 months into this hobby and still very much a novice.
I have moved on to a Keg Still. I would not have known how to put the Keg Still together or how to run it without what I learned from the Cheap Chinese Still.
I don''t regret buying the Cheap Chinese Still. I learned a lot off of it. it has been piecemealed out for parts all around my shop. It was a very valuable stepping stone.
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Re: So, you got a cheap Chinese still.. now what?

Post by Steve Broady »

I know some people here despise these stills, and I can understand why. They’d never buy one now, and for a lot of folks they weren’t available when the got into the hobby. And on their own, these stills can do more harm than good to the hobby. But my feeling is that if you approach one with the right mindset and a desire to learn and move on, they have their place.

I started this thread not to encourage people to buy one, but to learn how to use one safely and effectively if that’s what they have. If I were mentoring someone (god forbid! I’m way too inexperienced) I would advise them to go a different route. But if a friend came to me and said he had one, this is the kind of advice I’d give him.
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