Critiques wanted on first still (and upgrade) plan
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:53 am
Posting here as my end goal is a flute still....
As stated in my introductory post, I had wanted a four-inch flute still. However, they are too expensive. A modular, tri clamp build, which I can upgrade over time, seems the best alternative, to buying a cheaper pre-built still; all of which, the more time I spend reading the forums, have flaws/drawbacks I cannot look past. I still want to buy once, cry once for each component, even if that means a little overkill on the initial build.
Favourite drinks are rum/gin... and wine; which is a whole other hobby. Whisky would be third but, I suspect, I will not be fermenting grains very much, if at all, to start with. Sugar wash failures/screw-ups do not cost much.
My plan is to run the still off the dryer outlet, which is right next to the garage door. I will need therefore a short-ish extension cord (of sufficient gauge, etc) to the controller. The garage has two unused 15 Amp circuits if additional power is needed.
After that extended preamble, I am looking for suggestions on design changes and/or anything that I overlooked in putting together the below shopping list.
With regard to the boiler, I was looking to strike a balance between run time, price and capacity. Having zero mechanical aptitude/tools, I settled on a sixteen-gallon milk can, with a 4" lid, from Mile Hi instead of a keg. Their boilers have two heating ports, which could come in handy. Sixteen gallons also seems to be the minimum capacity for a flute still, from what I gather.
Heating components:
Element: Camco SS 5500W ULWD element
Element assembly: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/col ... -assembled
Controller: Still Dragon DIY kit, something assembled would be better. However, everything I found was pricey and/or total overkill
Pot still components:
4" x ??" tri clamp copper sanitary spool
4" tri clamp tee (SS)
4" tri clamp 90° elbow (SS)
4" to 2" tri clamp reducer (SS)
2" ?? mm shotgun condenser (SS), plus hoses/fittings
2" & 4" sanitary tri clamps and PTFE Gaskets
I am opting for copper up, stainless steel down mainly to save money, but also to have some copper in the vapour path. The main reason I opted for a four, as opposed to a three, inch still was greater compatibility/selection for future upgrades, as well as faster run times.
Conversion to reflux still (for gin):
4" x ??" tri clamp SS sanitary spool (with the copper spool) to give a total packed height of 36-48".
(Cheap) Gin basket: 4" tri clamp sight glass & SS filter disk
Dephlegmator/Reflux coil... undecided, needs further research down the road
Long-term upgrade plan... 4" bubble plate add-on sections, real gin basket... I am sure there will be other things.
Questions/Concerns:
1) Shotgun length? A CCVM build on Reddit called for 450 mm, but, so far, discounting the extremes, I have only found 12"/305 mm or 23.5"/597 mm ones for sale.
2) Once question two is settled, I will be able to better estimate how long my tri clamp Copper spool needs to be. That said, is ~20" of copper enough to remove sulphur during a pot still run?
3) What goes on the end of the condenser, a SS Parot body, 2" to 3/4" end cap reducer or ???? If the latter, does the shape matter?
4) How to plug the top of the Tee (when running as a pot still). I am thinking a 4" end cap just resting, i.e. not clamped, on top is the best approach. Searching the forums did not exactly lead to a definitive solution.
5) Is there anything I have overlooked? I am a newbie, if you have not already noticed.
Apologies for the lengthy post, I have been researching this on and off for several months.
As stated in my introductory post, I had wanted a four-inch flute still. However, they are too expensive. A modular, tri clamp build, which I can upgrade over time, seems the best alternative, to buying a cheaper pre-built still; all of which, the more time I spend reading the forums, have flaws/drawbacks I cannot look past. I still want to buy once, cry once for each component, even if that means a little overkill on the initial build.
Favourite drinks are rum/gin... and wine; which is a whole other hobby. Whisky would be third but, I suspect, I will not be fermenting grains very much, if at all, to start with. Sugar wash failures/screw-ups do not cost much.
My plan is to run the still off the dryer outlet, which is right next to the garage door. I will need therefore a short-ish extension cord (of sufficient gauge, etc) to the controller. The garage has two unused 15 Amp circuits if additional power is needed.
After that extended preamble, I am looking for suggestions on design changes and/or anything that I overlooked in putting together the below shopping list.
With regard to the boiler, I was looking to strike a balance between run time, price and capacity. Having zero mechanical aptitude/tools, I settled on a sixteen-gallon milk can, with a 4" lid, from Mile Hi instead of a keg. Their boilers have two heating ports, which could come in handy. Sixteen gallons also seems to be the minimum capacity for a flute still, from what I gather.
Heating components:
Element: Camco SS 5500W ULWD element
Element assembly: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/col ... -assembled
Controller: Still Dragon DIY kit, something assembled would be better. However, everything I found was pricey and/or total overkill
Pot still components:
4" x ??" tri clamp copper sanitary spool
4" tri clamp tee (SS)
4" tri clamp 90° elbow (SS)
4" to 2" tri clamp reducer (SS)
2" ?? mm shotgun condenser (SS), plus hoses/fittings
2" & 4" sanitary tri clamps and PTFE Gaskets
I am opting for copper up, stainless steel down mainly to save money, but also to have some copper in the vapour path. The main reason I opted for a four, as opposed to a three, inch still was greater compatibility/selection for future upgrades, as well as faster run times.
Conversion to reflux still (for gin):
4" x ??" tri clamp SS sanitary spool (with the copper spool) to give a total packed height of 36-48".
(Cheap) Gin basket: 4" tri clamp sight glass & SS filter disk
Dephlegmator/Reflux coil... undecided, needs further research down the road
Long-term upgrade plan... 4" bubble plate add-on sections, real gin basket... I am sure there will be other things.
Questions/Concerns:
1) Shotgun length? A CCVM build on Reddit called for 450 mm, but, so far, discounting the extremes, I have only found 12"/305 mm or 23.5"/597 mm ones for sale.
2) Once question two is settled, I will be able to better estimate how long my tri clamp Copper spool needs to be. That said, is ~20" of copper enough to remove sulphur during a pot still run?
3) What goes on the end of the condenser, a SS Parot body, 2" to 3/4" end cap reducer or ???? If the latter, does the shape matter?
4) How to plug the top of the Tee (when running as a pot still). I am thinking a 4" end cap just resting, i.e. not clamped, on top is the best approach. Searching the forums did not exactly lead to a definitive solution.
5) Is there anything I have overlooked? I am a newbie, if you have not already noticed.
Apologies for the lengthy post, I have been researching this on and off for several months.