Part of this has been one of our rules to exclude all plastics and synthetics as at the time , little was known on the long term effects .Two decades later , we have reevaluated our stance on this.
The Moderation team have decided to change the Rule i to include the use of Silicone .
This may come as a surprise to many members but we are aware that rule was made many years ago when Silicone was in it's infancy."Safety first and foremost! These forums take a very strong negative view on the use of plastics and synthetics in distilling. It simply is not safe to use these during any part of the distillation process with the exception of HDPE buckets which are acceptable for fermentation. There simply are too many types of plastics and a lack of reliable information for us to reliably advocate their use anywhere in the distillation apparatus. Also, from past posting history, this topic seems to quickly boil down into an almost religious flame war. Silicone and Teflon (PTFE) seals, gaskets and bungs sourced from reputable suppliers are accepted and can be discussed. There will be a wide range of beliefs and practices - keep your manners about you, and take it to private message if you must.#
The Professional Distilling industry has been using Silicone products for many years now with no issues .All vendors of Home Distilling equipment include Silicone Gaskets and seals as standard . Lids on Boilers have always been sold with silicone seals and have shown no signs of degradation over the years . Modern Platinum Cured silicone sheet and tubing is of very high standard.
So, we have decided that it is only fair to change our stance to allow such material to be openly seen and discussed on this forum without penalizing members .
Home Distiller Forum does not advocate the use of Silicone .We are saying if you choose to use it , we are now OK with that .
Where Teflon is still practical to use , by all means please use it as the preferred option .
To clarify ,tri-clamp gaskets , silicone bungs , boiler lids that have a silicone seal , sheets of Platinum Cured Silicone for making custom gaskets and Platinum Cured Silicone hose are accepted.
It is Not OK to buy a tube of Silicone from the hardware store to seal up leaks nor is it ok to construct stills by joining components with a tube of Silicone .There are simply too many varieties with questionable additives . Any discussion of this will be actively moderated as in the past .
There will be no discussion of the inclusion of any other synthetic materials, period.
We recommend buying from reputable suppliers where possible to ensure the highest quality . Do not ask us if a gasket from supplier X is OK to use or not . If you feel uncomfortable about it , don't use it.
We understand that this is a personal choice . Please be respectful of each other’s right to choose either way .