My 4" Crystal Dragon

punkin

I love this thread Sadi. It is testament to the versatility of the Crystal Dragon in the hands of a very competent operator.

It holds out some hope to us learners that there is potential for us if we listen, look and think about what we are doing and what we are seeing. :)>- B-)

Sadi

Thanks for the kind words @Punkin. :)

I am humbly trying to explore/enjoy the excellent product that you guys made possible for us. :-bd

I can't make any parts myself and it is very difficult for me to find someone who can do them for me. My heartfelt thanks for you all for making what seemed a very difficult task to be very easy. =D>

Cheers

Lloyd

I'm not holding it against you that it took you so long to get Dragonized @Sadi
Especially since you are the perfect example of someone that uses SD parts to get what you want and you show others how to think differently by your example.
Your posts here are inspirational. Thank you.

Now get busy and make something absolutely new. Somehow I feel that you are the one to do it. Not kidding.

Sunshine

one thing, we can learn from @Sadi: he is really creative and has the patience to go with new things, but always holding on to his high standards. I am really impressed, even more because, he lives in a country, where our hobby is far from being accepted, if you know what I mean...

Sadi

Thanks @Lloyd and @Sunshine

I am not saying this as an excuse Lloyd, but you know, sometimes things wait for its own time to happen. For me, I knew that it was about time, when a friend asked me if I wanted anything from China. I answered promptly: "a still" :) And you know the rest of the story.

Although it may seem that way @Sunshine , you have seen the videos at my raki post. :) Many folks here are very proud with our national drink and like to enjoy it when they can.

Cheers

Sunshine

please, don't remind me of that mean video - it makes me want to book a flight to Turkey immediately and have holidays there. B-)

Sadi

You are welcome @Sunshine :)

Sadi

I did another strip run using one perforated plate and was able to put more herbs.

The obvious happened. :) More herbs = more extraction. I was able to get around 4L of hearts that produce a louche.

Cheers.

punkin

Love it. Boiler in a Burka. B-)

SDeurope

@Sadi, did you leave the lowest CD gasket as is or did you remove the lower rim (can simply be done with a sharp knife) which is supposed to hold the glass cylinder below?

Sadi

I left it as is @SDeurope, I was not aware that I could cut it. However, it works like this without any problems. Should I cut it? is it better?

I wanted to try putting a perf plate on top of the boiler before the CD. Looking at it I was not sure that it would not leak so I shyed away. Would it work without any problems? If I don't remember wrong @Punkin mentioned it before.

Cheers

Lloyd

Sure @Sadi. I often put a plate directly above the boiler if there is no fear of the boiler foaming up.

SDeurope

@Sadi said: I left it as is SDeurope, I was not aware that I could cut it. However, it works like this without any problems. Should I cut it? is it better?

As it's working I'd leave it as is. @captainshooch was the first to try putting a plate below the lowest glass cylinder and he cut off the lower rim of the CD gasket to make it fit like the gasket that comes with the sight tower. I've already expected that it should work without cutting the gasket as well but I haven't tried myself, which is why I was asking. Good job as always, @Sadi! :)

@Sadi said: I wanted to try putting a perf plate on top of the boiler before the CD. Looking at it I was not sure that it would not leak so I shyed away. Would it work without any problems? If I don't remember wrong Punkin mentioned it before.

It can be done without problem, but I like the idea to be able to remove the whole column without having to take care of a plate below it, which is why we always put the lowest plate in the column instead of below it in our configurations.

Sadi

Thanks for the answers. :)

As I have no problems I think I will leave it as is @SDeurope .

I tried the plate directly above the boiler @Lloyd , first the gasket then the plate and the CD on it. However, I could not clamp it because it become wide for the clamp and could not screw it.

Cheers.

Lloyd

You are using a standard 4" gasket or the special cut gasket?

CothermanDistilling

I think they are talking about the bottom sight tower gasket in the pic...

Sadi

I must be doing something wrong I guees @Lloyd. But I will learn to do it right. :)

I took the pictures of what I was trying,

I put the gasket on the boiler ferrule, then the plate. then I put the CD on it

Then when I try to clamp,

The knob does not fit, I unscrew it, but this time it does not screw back. If what I do so far is right, I can try to tighten the clamp with a tool and screw the knob back on.

Cheers.

Sadi

I am using my neutral strips to try different setups.

Today I tried to put a perf plate without a downcomer not acting as a functional plate but a seperator that does not allow the alcohol going back to the boiler. Hoping that I would save some energy by not trying to evaporate it again from the boiling wash. It seems successfull.

I am planning to use this setup when I want more flavour. I was able to keep the abv around 75% for a long time.

Cheers.

punkin

That plate setup should work Sadi. they are designed to fit in any TC joint. Just need some more muscle into it :D

Sadi

:)) Thanks mate. Muscles are not my strongest trait but I think I can use a tool. I was unsure about if it would leak, but I am assured now and I will try it.

SDeurope

@Sadi, is this really a 4" Silicone Gasket Special Cut? It kind of looks like a regular (teflon?) gasket on the picture. It may be tricky, a plate or filter disk would fit with a regular gasket, but then the mentioned problem with not being able to properly mount the tri-clamp would occur, because the plate or filter disk does not lay aligned with the gasket but instead on top of it. Whenever you use a plate of filter disk between two tri-clamp fittings you need a special cut gasket with the inner rim missing. If you don't have one available, you could try to cut the inner rim with a sharp knife to make the plate fit within the gasket.

CothermanDistilling

I think they are talking about 2 different gaskets, the bottom sight tower gasket in the pic of the complete sight tower looks to be an uncut CD casket, and the TC gasket in @sadi 's pictures looks to be an uncut silicone TC gasket

I think the solution is for @sadi to get the custom 4" TC gasket ...

Lloyd

Not to hard to do though.
A standard 4" gasket placed on the 4" Tee with the plate on top...
Razor knife to score around the plate into the gasket...

That's how we all had to do it in the old days before SD made the special cut gaskets.

rossco

@Sadi sometimes I find clamps on sight towers difficult to clamp.
I just give the mechanism a squeeze with a pair of these.

Sadi

Thanks mates.

I have one of those @rossco I will try it. Thanks.

I now see what you mean @Lloyd and @SDeurope. I need to cut the part that the plate sits on which makes it thicker. I have one spare standard 4" gasket and can cut it that way. I can order a custom 4" TC later @CothermanDistilling. Thanks. :)

Cheers.

Sadi

I have done another neutral sprit run today.

used 4 perf plates and one bubble plate on top of each. The outcome seemed not much different but I liked the way it looked and performed.

Next I will try putting one more plate above the boiler and will see if 10 plates make a difference.

Cheers.

TheMechWarrior

Looking great =D>

captainshooch

Nice job @Sadi I see she's getting taller...and taller he he he :-c

Sadi

Thanks mates. :)

Sadi

Today I tried a simple pot still setup.

Naturally it works. I might use this for striping for more flavour. I will try using the alternate gin basket disks next time.

Cheers.