Glass Lab Stills

Kill_Devil_Spirit_Co

I've done all R&D with my 25gal 6 plate and it has (so far) worked out fine. Finally come to the point where I probably need one of these for a client.

What are you guys using/your experience with them (good/crap/waste of space)?
Quick browsing on Amazon and eBay gave me essentially the same type of results so more importantly, what are things I should be looking for vs the red flags to avoid that one may not be aware of as a first time buyer/user?

Cheers Gents

KDSC

grim

I've had good experience with Chinese sellers on eBay - But the shipping times are long - 2 to 3 weeks isn't out of the ordinary, but given the low price, and low shipping cost, it's hard to argue. The packaging for shipping is impressive, you will swear for at least an hour trying to remove a tiny glass part from it's armor. I got quite a bit of glass for eBay seller "DESCHEM".

Quality of the Chinese glass is very very good, except for 1 thing I bought, a 180 male/female U adapter, it is a very annoying 175 degrees. I am tempted to break out the torch and fix it.

Don't buy a complete unit, buy the parts you want/need, the cost differential is minor, although the time to assemble will be longer.

Don't bother with a boiling flask or mantle, use an Erlenmeyer and boil on a heated stir plate. I just happen to have a bunch of these for yeast propagation, they work perfectly fine to boil. I boil with a stir bar and the stirrer on, it's much faster. Bonus - an erlenmeyer will stay upright on it's own. I boil in a 1 or 2 liter 24/40 Erlenmeyer. Also, you can use the stir plate double duty - just make sure it has adequate heating amperage. If you need more heat you can use a small pyrex or metal dish and oil to make an oil bath. My stir plate is 500w heat, large volumes are a bit on the slow side.

The easiest ground glass joint size to use is 24/40 - if you search eBay for "24/40" you'll find a wealth of components.

Product Condensers - I use a Leibig as a product condenser, I use a 200mm, it's completely overkill.

200mm,24/40,Glass Liebig Condenser,lab Chemistry Disllation Column @ eBay

Reflux Condenser - I use a 200mm Allihn Condenser as my column - I had this stacked on a 200mm Vigreux condenser, but the passive reflux on the Vigroux was more than sufficient, however - there isn't an easy way to control the Vigroux.

200mm,24/40,Glass Allihn Condenser,Lab Ball Shape Heat Exchanger @ eBay

Longer term, I'm probably going to put a Graham above a packed column for control, but, in the short term, the Allihn works just fine.

200mm,24/40,Glass Reflux Graham Condenser,Lab Chemistry Glassware @ eBay

Get Keck Clips - I like the stainless ones, but anything that won't melt is fine.

24#,Stainless Steel Clip,Keck Clamp,For 24/29,24/40 Glass Ground Joint,2Pcs/Lot @ eBay

Get Stands and Clamps - At least 2. Those cheap kits that don't come with 1, or come with only 1, worthless balancing act. Get 2. You'll probably pay just as much money for 2 stands and clamps as you will for the entirety of the glassware.

I have two of these:

Eisco Extra Large Science Lab Stand Stamped Steel Powder Coated @ eBay

And two of these:

Three Prong Lab Clamp Retort Stand Bosshead Clamp Large Size Swivel @ eBay

CothermanDistilling

Extremely useful, especially if you are making Gin, some of the botanicals are at .005g/l, which means a batch of 200l has one gram... much easier to put in 10 grams or 100 grams in this still with 1L, and then dilute down to 10g/l and add 100mL to your 200L...

I think the complete kit was useful, but yes, if I bought another, I would probably buy pieces... but the kit has definite value, especially for a first time user...

I got mine from HeartMagic, very happy, can save about a hundred bucks... here

Essential oil steam distillation apparatus,Essential oil distillation kit,110V @ eBay

and just the glass:

Essential oil steam distillation kit,only include the whole glassware @ eBay

CothermanDistilling

Oh, and big thanks to @grim for all the info he provided...

grim

I've been looking for some sort of botanical basket with 24/40 joints, but haven't yet found anything that looks easy to use.

Kill_Devil_Spirit_Co

Cheers guys, questions answered.

CothermanDistilling

@grim said: I've been looking for some sort of botanical basket with 24/40 joints, but haven't yet found anything that looks easy to use.

was thinking of using one of these "solvent distillation recovery adapter" pieces, put a small flask or drain cock on the lower male, a 2000ml Filling Flask on top of the female, and place it all on the boiling flask... basically offset the heartmagic so the reflux does not get boiled..

Search for solvent distillation recovery 24/40 @ eBay

jbierling

I'll try to take a picture of my glass setup. It was originally a heartmagic setup with the large 5L chamber, but it got broken (not by me!). That's my main complaint with all the lab glass, its not nearly as durable as SS. Its all going to break, the question is when. My second complaint is that all the connections are easy to displace leading to small vapor leaks. So you really need to lube it up and make sure everything is firmly seated (not too firm or its going to break) and keck clamped.

I've replaced almost all of the broken heartmagic setup with components bought off ebay (except the 1000w hotplate which works quite good). I agree, 24/40 is where its at.

I really want to replace it all with very small stainless components. The 2" baby dragon would be pretty close to ideal with the small 10L SS triclamp pot I have.

CothermanDistilling

I want to make a heat shroud around the heartmagic element, maybe a stainless reflector with nomex wrapping on the outside... wasted excess heat is my only complaint... and that hot plate never really turns 'Off'...

jbierling

True, the knob doesn't really turn it off. I didn't understand why until I took it apart. It would nice if it had a true on/off, but it gets the job done.

Jon_o

Does anyone know a way to make a mini continuous steam generator with those glass equipment?

punkin

I've heard of people dismantling expresso machines or steam cleaners for that purpose.

grim

Mini steam generator? One of those Chinese sauna steam generators.

I'd go with some triclamp pipe and an element guard before I trusted the glass grenade.

Kill_Devil_Spirit_Co

Thanks @jbierling

I was kinda thinking the same thing about the baby considering I already have several small kettles and about half the gear needed to build one at my disposal. It would come out a little more expensive and I've been interested in the glass anyway so fishing around a bit.

GD50

Grim I have also been hunting for a botanical basket in glass but as you have not come up with anything. The best I can do is in my case 24/29 male to 45/50 female adaptor then a 45/50 male to 24/29 female adaptor which gives a reasonable infusion volume. Not ideal but the best I can see. A buschner funnel with a lid and female joint would be ideal and have been going to get a quote for one from the Chinese company..will keep you informed.

grim

24/40 to 45/50 (and back) adapters look to be the ticket for a low cost approach - really just need a small square of cheesecloth at the bottom of the adapter to keep the botanicals in place. I think you found the best approach other than custom.

GD50

Grim Further I have just ordered a 24/29 Male to 50/45 female enlarging adapter and the corresponding back down reducing adapter from ben0315 ebay in china. Will let you know what it looks like when it comes. The reducing adapter was not on the site but he said no problems. I believe your 24/40 will fit the 24/29 as it is my understanding they are all the same taper so mine are 24 top ( or Bottom ) and 29 long where as yours are just 40 long so just longer in taper length.

grim

Yeah I'd like to know how much volume you'd be able to pack into that section, it doesn't look like a significantly amount, but when working with a liter or so of alcohol in the glass boiler, you don't necessarily need a large amount. Looking forward to the pictures.

I wonder if they can make me my packed column. I've been looking for a straight tube section with 24/40 with some sort of screen (or provision to add one) at the lower joint.

I did some glass work in college, but not with tubing this large.

GD50

I did quiz them about making a special botanical lidded piece and it was no problem. I was looking for around 150 ml capacity with 50/45 lid back to 24/29 like I am using in the adapters . The problem was you had to buy 5 but they still looked really cheap. Just had to send sketch to get a price. I wanted provision to fit a screen but decided a flat bottom with a large 50/45 opening on top to fit ss mesh thru was all I needed. I buy ss mesh from a guy in USA and it is dead cheap - any grade

punkin

There used to be a glass blower real active on Artisan that would make anything for guys. I'll give him a hoi and see if he's still around for you.

GD50

Got my enlarging and corresponding reducer the other day and it will work a treat for botanicals on the glass still. A little word of warning for those in Australia. I also got a visit from Detectives asking why i had ordered a quantity of glassware from China. Basically they were checking out if i was cooking drugs. To the best of my knowledge the parcels were not opened at customs just the contents noted. In fact they were very good about it and did not search just wanted to know what it was for. Bit of a worry with an oversize still in shed but all looks OK. Told the truth in that it was a test still ( 5 litres so did not have to be registered ) for experimenting making gin from local ingredients. Still a worry but i guess good on customs for being onto it.

punkin

Lucky that most police don't know the laws about it. Even if the boiler is under 5l it's still illegal here to use it to distill alcohol without an excise permit.

CothermanDistilling

I thought glass labs were for steam extraction of essential oils? '-)

punkin

Legal under 5l here in aus. Legal for distilling water too.

FullySilenced

sp punkin work up a 5L continuous feed boiler and column be totally legal :))

Smaug

@FullySilenced said: sp punkin work up a 5L continuous feed boiler and column be totally legal :))

Slick lawyer prolly could word smith that I wonder?

Kapea

@Smaug said: Slick lawyer prolly could word smith that I wonder?

GD50

@punkin Do you think it would be legal in Australia to redistill shop purchased alcohol to flavour in a glass still under 5 l

jacksonbrown

nope

You must have an excise manufacturer licence to distil spirits regardless of whether the still is less than or greater than 5 litres capacity.

Smaug

And "fuel"?

yurgle

@Smaug said: And "fuel"?

my understanding from ATO in Australia is that...

The process of manufacturing fuel ethanol is considered to be the manufacture of a petroleum product. It is not the manufacture of a methylated spirit, as industrial ethanol is. Therefore, the purchase of fuel ethanol from a manufacturer is not regulated under the concessional spirits permit scheme.

And to my understanding backyard fuel manufacture became an excisable act in 2004. You need to have an excise manufacturers licence to produce a drop. Effectively you have the same record keeping conditions as making potable spirits or industrial ethanol.

I may be wrong though as its not something I've looked at in ages!