My first still

[LeslieTx]

I've been brewing beer for over ten years and started thinking about making the step to distillation last year at the start of the lock-downs. I began reading this forum and others on the net. I made my list of parts and tools need to build from scratch and had them in my cart on Amazon. Before I placed the order I checked out E bay and found these 30L Chinese stills for less than half the price it was going to cost to build. At that time they were going for about $160. I procrastinated and never ordered.

Recently, with that talk of inflation, I decided to check on them and go ahead and buy. The prices on Amazon parts had greatly increased, if available. The Chinese still I had place in my cart last May was going for a $211. I searched around and found one for $180, so I placed the order. I think it will be a good starter for me.

It is actually thicker than I thought it would be, but it is a pain to put together by one person. It came with a small submersible pump and hydrometer; of course, the hydrometer was broken.No big deal. A couple for the clamps that hold the lid down seem a little slack. I'll probably have to bend them and tinker around to get a good seal. I'm going to run a water test later today. Followed by a run with Vinegar/Water.

I quick question. When distilling a wash, I'm guessing that the still never gets up to 212 degrees. So, If I run it with just water, should I let it get hot enough for water to come over?

[Oatmeal]

Might as well do a 50/50 water vinegar mixture and give it a good steam to complete the first part of your cleaning protocol....check all the seals too. No silicon should be in contact with your alcoholic vapors!

[LeslieTx]

Thank you. I was thinking about skipping the all water and do a vinegar mix. There is a silicon gasket where the pieces connect together, but I can't see if the silicon will be exposed to vapors, because it is covered by the clamp. I have a couple gallons of experimental beer ferment that I never got around to bottling. They have been sitting in the closet for a couple years. One is all grain with root beer extract added. I think the other may be a cider, but I'm not sure. I think I'll mix them together with a couple gallons of water and use them for a sacrificial run.

[maltyguy]

decent still to practice distilling. you need wrap the plastic gasket with teflon tape (ptfe) it could be dangerous

[JakeB]

Aside from wrapping the lid gasket, those triclamp gaskets are also probably silicone. Best to replace them with ptfe triclamp gaskets. I suppose you could just wrap them with Teflon tape... I bought some ptfe gaskets on ebay, they were kind of expensive for gaskets, but it beats risking leaching chemicals from plastic or silicone. Also, after a vinegar run, to be sure you removed any residue that could leach in to your product, do a sacrificial run. Just put together the cheapest fastest sugar wash you can, distil that and dispose or use as hand sanitizer.

[LeslieTx]

Thnaks for the info. I will look for replacements for the gaskets. I thought about trying flour paste in the lid.

[NZChris]

Just put together the cheapest fastest sugar wash you can, distil that and dispose or use as hand sanitizer.

It's probably toxic and rubbing it on your hands might be a bad idea. Get rid of it so that nobody can accidentally, or deliberately, drink it or use it. I store mine in a tin in the backyard with a burning rag in it.

[JakeB]

Just put together the cheapest fastest sugar wash you can, distil that and dispose or use as hand sanitizer.

It's probably toxic and rubbing it on your hands might be a bad idea. Get rid of it so that nobody can accidentally, or deliberately, drink it or use it. I store mine in a tin in the backyard with a burning rag in it.

Good point, didn't really think using as sanitizer was a no go, but makes sense. Just do 1 sacrificial run and dispose of it. It's a small price to pay for plenty of safe product to come...