Heads separator

[Wasillaguy]

While I'm using it to cut high proof, it would seem an automatic head cutter might be useful to others, so here.
If nothing else, it's shiny copper, so...
The glass float came out of one of those liquid thermometers after the cats knocked it over and the main case was cracked/leaking.

[Saltbush Bill]

Is this your own original idea , or something you saw on Youtube or some other Distilling site on the web?

[NZChris]

A friend of mine was telling me about someone with one of these last week, plus I've heard/read about it before, so it's not a new idea.

[Wasillaguy]

I posted a plastic one last week made with a Solo cup, shishkabob stick, and a wine cork. Got knocked off after one reply. No hard feelings, I learned about plastics.
Not surprised there are others, it's nothing ingenious.
That said, I did come up with it on my own.

[Saltbush Bill]

So the idea is that you leave it up to a float to make the cut for you ? How does the float know when the heads are all gone ?........wouldn't it be easier to have a quick smell and taste of whats coming off the still?

[Yummyrum]

Well that version is easier to understand than the plastic one you posted .

So all it is a device that diverts the flow to a collection vessel after the first one fills up .

It doesn’t actually seperate heads as such , it just assumes that they are gone by the time the first jar fills .

It does suggest an unattended still .

[Wasillaguy]

I only do the air still and pure refined sugar, so am not concerned with cutting nasties, just getting the high proof stuff for racing fuel.
I don't know much about real distilling, but I do get the concept that cuts need to be done manually due to all the variables.
Just figured there might be some folks out there who do the same exact thing every time, and know exactly how much they want to cut. Maybe not.

[Wasillaguy]

And yes, unattended was the goal.
These things are attended by the little computer inside.

[Sporacle]

And yes, unattended was the goal.
These things are attended by the little computer inside.

Hey bud, generally not accepted to leave a still unattended said by the guy who is 6 hours into a all feints run on my CCVM

[Rrmuf]

Sorry. I don't see how I would use it, in any scenario. .... And you cannot leave a still unattended. Period.

[bluefish_dist]

Another local distiller uses a cheap water alarm taken apart as a level gauge ie when to change barrels. A liquid makes contact between two poles and a buzzer goes off. Not unattended, but means you can be working on other things in the area and know when to change out barrels.

[Wasillaguy]

Ok, unattended was too strong of a word. Let's just say I have missed changing out my container when I wanted to, more than once. It's like watching grass grow, and I end up messing with my fermenter, etc.

[acfixer69]

This rig has nothing to do with a head cut or separator only a secondary fill jar when unattended. Not any more useful then a secondary bucket around the collection vessel.

[NZChris]

I have thought about making one for collecting foreshots from stripping runs, but never gotten around to it. My foreshots are always done by volume using decisions made before starting the stripping runs, so my only excuse for not building something is laziness.

Just because you have one, doesn't mean you are going to excuse yourself from being in your distillery when it trips.

[Saltbush Bill]

IMO its a lazy mans excuse to not be watching the still, how hard is it to change a jar from time to time and do the job properly by using your sense of smell.

Let's just say I have missed changing out my container when I wanted to, more than once.

Suggest you put something under the jar, a large deep dish or similar as a safety, to catch any overflow should you happen to not be paying attention. Doing so should be standard safety procedure anyway.

[Yummyrum]

These things are attended by the little computer inside.

Little computer . here I was thinking it was just a thermal cut out device .

Well I hope Little computer can detect a fire , call 911 … or 000 and operate sprinkler system and or suitable fire extinguisher .

Remember that Airstills are officially sold as Water Distillers.

[Rrmuf]

... as a foreshot separator, I guess my (most of us?) scale is such where I want to pay close close attention for that very beginning of the run anyways, so no value to me.

... as a "overflow safety" mechanism, I much prefer the completely fail-safe secondary pan / dish to catch an overflow. So, again, no value to me.

... As a fun thing to try to see where it takes you, then knock your socks off. I look forward to hearing about a useful application.

[Corn Cracker]

I like it,
might not be practical but it's a cool little handmade accessory. A little bling for the still

[Demy]

I appreciate those who build and creativity, it could be useful for some applications but I believe that in distillation it is not very suitable, you should have exactly the same product (in every detail) to automate the cuts and even in that case it needs human supervision so you have to be nearby equally ...

[Saltbush Bill]

A little bling for the still

Every still should come with one?
Just the same way as every commercially available pot still comes with a thermometer these days....because newbies think you need one, because one pot still manufacturer put a thermometer on his ......so then they all had to.
Or like parrots ..every still needs one....or is it just marketing.
Bright shiny stuff to attract buyers ?.....once one manufacturer adds one they all do or they have a "inferior product" in the eyes of a newbie customer.
There is bling and there is useful functional stuff that helps make good booze, bling does not help....in many cases it just confuses those new to the hobby.

[Corn Cracker]

A little bling for the still

Well, good morning, sir

Every still should come with one?

I didn't say anything like that, SBB

Just the same way as every commercially available pot still comes with a thermometer these days....because newbies think you need one, because one pot still manufacturer put a thermometer on his ......so then they all had to.
Or like parrots ..every still needs one....or is it just marketing.

I was going to compare it to a parrot but didn't want to start a debate

Bright shiny stuff to attract buyers ?.....once one manufacturer adds one they all do or they have a "inferior product" in the eyes of a newbie customer.
There is bling and there is useful functional stuff that helps make good booze, bling does not help....in many cases it just confuses those new to the hobby.

Exactly, not real useful but cool to look at!

[tiramisu]

The hate is strong this morning.
I think its cute.

[Setsumi]

The fact remains, it is NOT a heads separator. It is a volume switch. Heads separation is a function of the still. Ja, heads management is a crucial aspect of distilling. Myself try to think of novel ideas but truth is small volumes, smell and taste....

[LWTCS]

Madame Guillotine surely is far more efficient.

[NZChris]

The fact remains, it is NOT a heads separator. It is a volume switch. Heads separation is a function of the still. Ja, heads management is a crucial aspect of distilling. Myself try to think of novel ideas but truth is small volumes, smell and taste....

It can separate whatever you want, as long as you have been doing the same product over and over and know where the cuts are by volume.

When stripping, I put a beaker in my receiver and remove it when it reaches my decided foreshot volume. It would be very easy to set up one of these above the beaker.

[Hellfire burner]

While I'm using it to cut high proof, it would seem an automatic head cutter might be useful to others, so here.
If nothing else, it's shiny copper, so...
The glass float came out of one of those liquid thermometers after the cats knocked it over and the main case was cracked/leaking.20211103_122834.jpg

Why do that man when you can measure the milliliters and do spoon and lighter technique and you don't need to waste money on something like that

[Setsumi]

The fact remains, it is NOT a heads separator. It is a volume switch. Heads separation is a function of the still. Ja, heads management is a crucial aspect of distilling. Myself try to think of novel ideas but truth is small volumes, smell and taste....

It can separate whatever you want, as long as you have been doing the same product over and over and know where the cuts are by volume.

When stripping, I put a beaker in my receiver and remove it when it reaches my decided foreshot volume. It would be very easy to set up one of these above the beaker.

You will prolly say it is semantics AND while English is my second language myself should not indulge in this. But to me a "heads cut" and "heads seperation" are 2 different processes. Cuts, I do... certainly my fores i do by volume but I rely on my still to do the seperation.

Yes, it may look to be semantics but to me it makes for different discussions. Like how do you do a heads cut on continious rigs that has a spirit column? Or the merit to have a LM and VM draw in one rig.

[NZChris]

My heads and tails are simply the jars that didn't make the heart cut, which I believe is the usual industry definition of heads and tails.

Heads, hearts and tails all contain the same VOCs, (Volatile organic compounds), it's their relationships to ethanol and each other that changes during the run. Our job in choosing a heart cut, is to select the portion that has the relationships that suit our particular tastes.