302w wrote:Well... After about an hour, I am quite disappointed. I got all of the heads done, then my lid leaked non stop and I quit. I'll try tomorrow using a flour gasket and a better coil design. Maybe check the salvation army for an old pressure cooker. Gotta say, I'm bummed. Thank you again for the advice.
Tomorrow I'll try distilling tomorrow. Maybe using the turkey fryer and I'll tailgate.
A big NO on the pressure cooker as well... Perhaps you should put the process on hold until you have done enough research to not mention bad practices and materials in every post... There are reasons why we may seem to harp on new members and they are primarily so the new members will Stop, Think, Research, and Re-think their methods...
It's pretty easy to find out why we say no to things like automotive gasket materials and pressure cookers so I'm not going to list those reasons here... If you aren't here to learn how to practice this hobby safely, without us chasing after you to make sure you don't hurt yourself, then do the mandatory research... Otherwise ask the management to remove your account... That's pretty much the hard line that we need to get across... This ain't Romper-Room...
Don't take this post personal because it is here for any new member to see and hopefully adhere to so we don't have to continually have this same conversation...
There is a reason why communities like these grow, and many why they don't. To those of you who were helpful and insightful to a new person, I say Thank You again.
A) No synthetics. As you're starting out, your still should be made of stainless steel, copper, and flour paste. Trust me, it's just easier if you completely forget the existence of every other material for a short while
B) Flour paste. Flour paste. Flour paste. Use it. It seals better than anything else I have seen, don't use a gasket. The experienced guys on this site use it, it's just the way to go. After a while you'll get pretty good at finding the perfect ratio of flour to water and be able to roll it very thin, and after time it will become even easier than a gasket anyway
I think I lurked for a few years on this site reading all about distilling before I worked up the courage to start distilling and I joined. And I still know nothing compared to guys like Rad, I would take his suggestion and maybe do some more research before continuing the hobby.
Experience is what you get right after you need it.
Ok after you cook it down you need to dilute it down to about 25% or 50 proof, get a 1 1\2 " copper pipe about 3' tall and some activated charcoal wash the charcoal frist in warm water. I use 3 coffie filters and a hose clamp put them on one end of the pipe and pour the washed and dried charcoal in the tube about 5'' from the top. Clamp it to a bench and pour hot water in it , keep toping it off . When it comes out the bottom start pouring in hooch (if you don't dilute it you will not remove the fusel oils and other nasties) You can tell where the hooch is because that area of the pipe is cold as it goes down the filter. when the cold gets close to the bottom start tasting it, when you start to taste the shine catch it . Then back in the still and cook it again, I'll do this 1st and 2nd run filtering it each time, then jar it on the 3rd run and dilute to 80 proof. Years ago on my frist try I didn't go to these lenths for a super clean product and got a popskull hangover! Try the sweet horse feed wash, I never made a sugar wash again.
