What do you reckon of this still/ advice sought?

[Stilldreaming]

Hey all, just looking for some opinions re the attached still design. I don't have a still and am stil in the research stage, reading all the required reading on here. It will be a while before I'm ready to build or buy a still but hoping for some input in the hopes of avoiding obvious pitfalls of new distillers. Initially I had thought I'd just buy a basic pot still to attach to by brewzilla, but the more I read the more I thought I could do better.

I have been thinking about building a CCVM still as it gives me options and is modular and seems fairly straightforward to build for a newbie. But I have also come across a guy who builds them and like the idea of getting one ready made given I already have enough projects on the go and have a current back injury which limits my ability to do too much manual stuff at the moment.

The pic is what he has ready made, but i have discussed with him about going 2" all the way through to a shotgun condenser rather than the step down to 1" liebig. The attached sketch is what he has drawn up and quoted a bit under $700AUD.

To be fair, I'm still in the learning stages and getting my head around things so will be doing a bunch more reading, so am not ready just yet to commit to anything.

Is anyone able to offer an opinion on the attached, whether its worthwhile, changes you'd make, avoid etc. I would like to make rum and neutral at this stage and like the idea of an all in one kind of system. My thinking would be to build a keg boiler to run it.

[NZChris]

The first thing I notice is the lack of copper in the build. Copper has flavor advantages that SS does not.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf ... .tb00450.x

[Stilldreaming]

The first thing I notice is the lack of copper in the build. Copper has flavor advantages that SS does not.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf ... .tb00450.x

Thanks NZChris, appreciate the input. Yeah it's all stainless steel. I was thinking i would pack it with copper? Maybe I am better off building and using copper pipe? The options to buy that I've looked at include the alcoengine pot which is copper and relatively cheap, but seems very small and maybe not that great based on what people have said on here; or some of the gear from 5 star distilling which looks very well made, but is also stainless steel, at least in the price range I am in lol.

[MooseMan]

Second thing I noticed was viton (Rubber) Tri-clamp seals, so whoever he built that for, he's poisoning them.
(Fancy a nice dash of Bisphenol A in your whisky sir?
Drop of Phthalates so you can give your grandkids an extra chromosome?)

The guy clearly has decent fab skills, or access to someone who does, but he has no/incomplete distilling knowledge.

I wish I had the balls to openly sell distilling setups, because I would make sure people are safe and not ripped off.

[Stilldreaming]

Second thing I noticed was viton (Rubber) Tri-clamp seals, so whoever he built that for, he's poisoning them.
(Fancy a nice dash of Bisphenol A in your whisky sir?
Drop of Phthalates so you can give your grandkids an extra chromosome?)

The guy clearly has decent fab skills, or access to someone who does, but he has no/incomplete distilling knowledge.

I wish I had the balls to openly sell distilling setups, because I would make sure people are safe and not ripped off.

Thanks Mooseman, yeah the metal work looks top notch, that's what got my attention. Yeah he's a metal fabricator, does neat work. But that sounds like where it ends. Thanks so much, that alone has made it worth signing up on here. Thanks so much. Back to the drawing board it seems...

[MooseMan]

Second thing I noticed was viton (Rubber) Tri-clamp seals, so whoever he built that for, he's poisoning them.
(Fancy a nice dash of Bisphenol A in your whisky sir?
Drop of Phthalates so you can give your grandkids an extra chromosome?)

The guy clearly has decent fab skills, or access to someone who does, but he has no/incomplete distilling knowledge.

I wish I had the balls to openly sell distilling setups, because I would make sure people are safe and not ripped off.

Thanks Mooseman, yeah the metal work looks top notch, that's what got my attention. Yeah he's a metal fabricator, does neat work. But that sounds like where it ends. Thanks so much, that alone has made it worth signing up on here. Thanks so much. Back to the drawing board it seems...

You are welcome.

Try a search for CCVM and you should find several build threads that will give you tons of info.
My own, is blatantly copied from Kimbodius' modular setup, but I opted to use a copper column as I had the copper.
Runs great as a pot head too.
You can get all the stainless parts and PTFE seals on AliExpress, then make a simple Liebig.

[Stilldreaming]

Second thing I noticed was viton (Rubber) Tri-clamp seals, so whoever he built that for, he's poisoning them.
(Fancy a nice dash of Bisphenol A in your whisky sir?
Drop of Phthalates so you can give your grandkids an extra chromosome?)

The guy clearly has decent fab skills, or access to someone who does, but he has no/incomplete distilling knowledge.

I wish I had the balls to openly sell distilling setups, because I would make sure people are safe and not ripped off.

Thanks Mooseman, yeah the metal work looks top notch, that's what got my attention. Yeah he's a metal fabricator, does neat work. But that sounds like where it ends. Thanks so much, that alone has made it worth signing up on here. Thanks so much. Back to the drawing board it seems...

You are welcome.

Try a search for CCVM and you should find several build threads that will give you tons of info.
My own, is blatantly copied from Kimbodius' modular setup, but I opted to use a copper column as I had the copper.
Runs great as a pot head too.
You can get all the stainless parts and PTFE seals on AliExpress, then make a simple Liebig.

Thanks again MooseMan, yeah that's kinda what I had been looking at doing, have read a number of the threads re this builds which sold me on the idea of a CCVM. When I saw that one online, I thought it would probably not be much cheaper to build myself and would save me time and effort. But given the feedback above, it's clear that this is not the way forward. I know that building will be infinitely better in terms of having an intimate understanding of my still and there is the satisfaction of having done it yourself. I guess in part I was second guessing myself, having not ever done any brazing or soldering but really, I'm sure it will be fine. Stupidly I didn't even think that the seals would be anything other than the appropriate material, again so glad for you pointing this out. Now, to continue the hunt for copper pipe....

Just started checking out your build thread, looks great and plenty of great info in there to read

[howie]

The pic is what he has ready made, but i have discussed with him about going 2" all the way through to a shotgun condenser rather than the step down to 1" liebig. The attached sketch is what he has drawn up and quoted a bit under $700AUD.

IMHO that sketch of a 2" CM still is not good enough to produce 96%ABV
it will need another column of 400mm or 500mm to increase the height.
i would ask for a thermocouple in one of the 90° bends to monitor temps during reflux*
final edit..........i have bought from Yohoyama before (parrot/breather) and found this on their site for $331 delivered (extra column an all!)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007 ... 772346%21X

i could get almost the exact still as the screenshot from aliexpress for $240aud
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... ry_from%3A
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... ry_from%3A
although i can't see any breather holes on either of their 'surge breakers' (this will probably make the still huff)
for example, these have breather pipes
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006 ... ry_from%3A
ha, i found my order
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000736 ... 18028zSZ9i

these are nice deflags. they are 8-pipe and look well made
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... ry_from%3A

not forgetting these PTFE triclover gaskets instead of silicone....
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000924 ... ry_from%3A

have a look around, unfortunately the seller i have often used is no longer advertising.


*before anyone chirps in, monitor temps, to make sure full reflux is working & to monitor vapour as the reflux is reduced.

[Stilldreaming]

Thanks Howard, really appreciate your input and trouble taken to link all that. Yeah I was thinking I would add another 500mm section to that, but as above, it doesn't sound like the best still to be getting based on what you guys have pointed out. I'd kinda written off the Chinese stuff tbh, figured quality was likely lacking and therefore potentially dangerous. But sounds like maybe this isn't the case?

[Saltbush Bill]

I'd kinda written off the Chinese stuff tbh,

Its like anything , you get what you pay for and there is good and bad in all things. Some of the very cheap Chinese stuff should be banned from sale in my opinion, it is complete rubbish. Some of the better chinese built stills and parts are very,very good.
Unfortunately a lot of newbies buy before asking, on the other hand you have done it the right way , ask people with experience and you will get good advice on what to buy or not to.

[Stilldreaming]

I'd kinda written off the Chinese stuff tbh,

Its like anything , you get what you pay for and there is good and bad in all things. Some of the very cheap Chinese stuff should be banned from sale in my opinion, it is complete rubbish. Some of the better chinese built stills and parts are very,very good.
Unfortunately a lot of newbies buy before asking, on the other hand you have done it the right way , ask people with experience and you will get good advice on what to buy or not to.

Thanks SBB, good to know. So glad I've joined the forum for this very reason. I have also signed up to Aussie distiller and Australian home distiller (though I see there may be some issues for the latter continuing), trying to absorb as much as I can and make sure I learn what I need to before jumping in.