Good Distiller?

[Pat Puffer]

Hello. Could anyone kindly recommend an adequate distiller? I plan on making RSO this year and i am looking in to a distiller to recapture the alcohol for more use(s). TIA.

 

[OldMedUser]

I bought one of those countertop distillers but have only tried it with naphtha and that didn't work out well. The gasket was not compatible with naphtha and it distorted and I had solvent spewing out the join. I should have put boiling chips in the bottom too and have since bought a new gasket that seems to be OK but haven't had another go yet. Nor have I tried it with ISO or booze but it says it's good for water or alcohol. Has an adjustable temp control too. Was $200 on amazon . ca. Holds 4 litres and has auto shutoff. I saw a video of a guy using one on utube and it seemed to work fine with ethanol for reclaiming the alcohol.

I have a DIY still I've been using for over a decade but it's a lot more hassle to set up and use than something plug-and-play.

Maybe I'll put some 70% ISO in it tomorrow and see how that goes.

 

[OldMedUser]

Got me curious so I mixed some 70% half and half with RO water and ran it at 85C. It filled the bottle up half way before shutting off so I hit reset and ran it at 88C and after another 50ml or so it shut off again when it hit the set temp so works OK with ISO and should do the same with ethanol, (EtOH).

One thing I don't like is no pour spout on the unit so need a wide-mouth funnel if you want to dump the contents into another container. I'll have to cook a batch of RSO in it to see how much fun it is to clean out. Some of the same solvent in a spray bottle to rinse it should do the trick but might need a helper to either hold the unit inverted over the funnel while you spray or visa-versa.

Now to try it with the new gasket and some coleman's camp stove fuel to get some more naphtha.

I took the chrome snout off the front and plugged a short length of 1/2" OD x 3/8" ID vinyl tubing to the end of the cooling coil so I can use something other than the carafe it came with to catch my distillate in. Warm solvent evaporates rapidily and can cuse a lot of toxic and flammable fumes so I want to seal up air gaps to minimize that. Not as dangerous as butane but not exactly safe either.

 

[NuttyProfessor]

there is a link in my sig , how to reclaim alcohol making thc caps

 

[Joe Brewster]

I just use my pressure cooker & turn it into a still
real easy to do

 

[Nunyabiz]

A more plug and play option is an Extractcraft Source Turbo

And as far as I can tell it's still on sale for $100 off for cyber Monday

 

[Weaselcracker]

I just use my pressure cooker & turn it into a still
real easy to do

Got some pics of yours it is it..... one of those ‘grey area’ things?

 

[Joe Brewster]

Got some pics of yours it is it..... one of those ‘grey area’ things?

As I said pretty simple
pressure cooker has a nipple where a pressure gauge went
piece of Water line hose pressed on to nipple
fill bowl with alcohol ,cooker on stove top burner use candy thermometer, to set temp . I keep below water boiling point about 180 - 190 f
hose goes in pail of ice water alcohol comes out as steam drips in container
wait till no more steam open pressure cooker remove bowl & scrape
Easy Peasy may not be new, shiny & expensive but works cost maybe 2 bucks

Hell granny use to make homebrew, in a canner on the wood stove

 

[Weaselcracker]

Thanks. This feels like a dumb question but -you have to remove the lid to test the temp? I’ve been thinking for years about setting up a still but never seem to get around to it.

 

[Joe Brewster]

Thanks. This feels like a dumb question but -you have to remove the lid to test the temp? I’ve been thinking for years about setting up a still but never seem to get around to it.

no I just set the thermometer at the bottom edge of pot on the outside but not touching the burner
You ever watch the show moonshiners they don't need no thermometers.. just go slow don't try to heat it up too quick

 

[Weaselcracker]

Thanks mate. No I’m so outback I don’t even have a tv. But I do have an old pressure canner it would be easy for me to modify I think, and a wood stove.

 

[Joe Brewster]

just be careful with that open flame a hotplate or stove top is best

 

[InTheShed]

I bought one of those countertop distillers but have only tried it with naphtha and that didn't work out well. The gasket was not compatible with naphtha and it distorted and I had solvent spewing out the join. I should have put boiling chips in the bottom too and have since bought a new gasket that seems to be OK but haven't had another go yet. Nor have I tried it with ISO or booze but it says it's good for water or alcohol. Has an adjustable temp control too. Was $200 on amazon . ca. Holds 4 litres and has auto shutoff. I saw a video of a guy using one on utube and it seemed to work fine with ethanol for reclaiming the alcohol.

I have a DIY still I've been using for over a decade but it's a lot more hassle to set up and use than something plug-and-play.

Maybe I'll put some 70% ISO in it tomorrow and see how that goes.

I've been looking at those on Amazon but the reviews run from crap to amazing! Which brand is yours and did you ever try it with ethanol?

 

[Nunyabiz]

Whenever I hear pressure cooker it always conjures this up in my mind.

When I think of pressure cooker with ethanol in it this is what comes to mind.

 

[Joe Brewster]

As I said pretty simple
pressure cooker has a nipple where a pressure gauge went
piece of Water line hose pressed on to nipple
fill bowl with alcohol ,cooker on stove top burner use candy thermometer, to set temp . I keep below water boiling point about 180 - 190 f
hose goes in pail of ice water alcohol comes out as steam drips in container
wait till no more steam open pressure cooker remove bowl & scrape
Easy Peasy may not be new, shiny & expensive but works cost maybe 2 bucks

Hell granny use to make homebrew, in a canner on the wood stove

Just because it is a Pressure cooker, there is very little pressure . The hose is just press fit on the nipple also there is a pressure relief value on it. Maybe 10 psi max

As with any high VOC material you are taking chances
worked my whole working life in a paint booth full of explosive paint fumes

So do not try this at home

 

[Weaselcracker]

Don’t worry about any lawsuits coming your way from this member

 

[OldMedUser]

I've been looking at those on Amazon but the reviews run from crap to amazing! Which brand is yours and did you ever try it with ethanol?

I ran some 70% ISO through it no problem so ethanol should work just as well. The seal just isn't compatible with non-polar solvents like naphtha I guess. Hoping I can find a large o-ring that will seal then that should be OK.

Mine has the temp control but no brand name on it other than a little teardrop shaped sticker above the control panel that says Mophorn. That's it. Even the dinky little user manual has no brand name.

 

[InTheShed]

I ran some 70% ISO through it no problem so ethanol should work just as well. The seal just isn't compatible with non-polar solvents like naphtha I guess. Hoping I can find a large o-ring that will seal then that should be OK.

Mine has the temp control but no brand name on it other than a little teardrop shaped sticker above the control panel that says Mophorn. That's it. Even the dinky little user manual has no brand name.

Thanks OldMed! I think I've seen that brand on Amazon with the temp control.

 

[OldMedUser]

Thanks mate. No I’m so outback I don’t even have a tv. But I do have an old pressure canner it would be easy for me to modify I think, and a wood stove.

That'll work. If you're brewing mash then toss out the first 50ml or so, (the headers), as they'll contain any methanol that may have been formed. Catching a drip on your finger to taste when it's done is the way to know when to quit.

 

[OldMedUser]

Thanks OldMed! I think I've seen that brand on Amazon with the temp control.

That's where I got mine. amazon . ca actually.

You can buy a pot still on there for about the same price too.