On ebay 4" stainless steel elbows (316) are going for $40 (free delivery to Australia from China/Hong Kong). Also, 4" stainless steel pipe elbows going for about $136 (including delivery within Australia) on ebay. Even at these much lower prices than those you quoted in your UA-cam Video, you are still saving a lot of money by fabricating the bend that you need. Great stuff.
Heya Petra. In New Zealand EVERYTHING is expensive - we call it "the tyranny of distance". We even pay more for NZ made goods/food than ppl in countries it is exported to. If we import stuff we get hit with import duties. Thanks for the headsup tho', cheap 4" elbows would be heaven!
@@AngryParrotDistillery Bit surprised that stainless steel products would be expensive in NZ. I was involved in the dairy/food industry in Australia in the past, and although local manufacturing of stainless steel products have declined, they are still easily obtainable and reasonably priced. I would have thought NZ's active Dairy and Food industry would have a similar advantage. Especially, seeing as China has filled the gap for stainless steel manufacturing and produces excellent quality at sometimes ridiculously low prices. Just to give you an example. About 15 years I tried buying a 2" in-line sight glass with sanitary tri-clover fittings and the cost then was about $300. I purchased an identical unit from China about 2 years ago for less than $50 (free delivery). I was a bit concerned at the quality but after examination and testing it in-line it performed very well. I haven't had any problems with it. Some specialty stainless steel products can still be purchased online - although I am not sure if they offer the same usual free delivery to NZ. I tend to buy fittings and compromise on design etc, because I dont have the skills or access to tig/mig welding equipment - not even brazing equipment. I do have a general arc welder which comes in handy for welding steel frames or small metal fabricating projects. The main problem in Australia with home distilling is that it is illegal without a permit. Although a license can be fairly easily obtained, the alcoholol excise is up around $82 per litre of pure ethanol distilled. So a litre bottle of 40% v/v home distilled spirit would attract an excise payable to the government of about $33. I believe the only chemicals that can be concentrated legally at home without a license via distillation are small amounts of aromas and essential oils in pot stills less than 5L capacity. Oh well.....may need to retire in NZ one day, at least there arent too many poisonous creatures lurking around like in Australia. Cheers
Heya Bearded! Me either! haha. Need to get the copper internals for the condenser finished off, other than that she's pretty much good to go. Probably get them taken care of in the next week and then fire it up. :) Have about 70L-80L of stripped spirit set aside waiting for a slow reflux run - will be a good test for it.
G'day Kev! It's slowly getting there, ... going to have something approaching an industrial setup sometime soon. :) Selling a buncha stuff lately to cover the expenses, ie; the copper where it's needed.
On ebay 4" stainless steel elbows (316) are going for $40 (free delivery to Australia from China/Hong Kong).
Also, 4" stainless steel pipe elbows going for about $136 (including delivery within Australia) on ebay.
Even at these much lower prices than those you quoted in your UA-cam Video, you are still saving a lot of money by fabricating the bend that you need.
Great stuff.
Heya Petra.
In New Zealand EVERYTHING is expensive - we call it "the tyranny of distance".
We even pay more for NZ made goods/food than ppl in countries it is exported to.
If we import stuff we get hit with import duties.
Thanks for the headsup tho', cheap 4" elbows would be heaven!
@@AngryParrotDistillery Bit surprised that stainless steel products would be expensive in NZ. I was involved in the dairy/food industry in Australia in the past, and although local manufacturing of stainless steel products have declined, they are still easily obtainable and reasonably priced. I would have thought NZ's active Dairy and Food industry would have a similar advantage. Especially, seeing as China has filled the gap for stainless steel manufacturing and produces excellent quality at sometimes ridiculously low prices.
Just to give you an example. About 15 years I tried buying a 2" in-line sight glass with sanitary tri-clover fittings and the cost then was about $300.
I purchased an identical unit from China about 2 years ago for less than $50 (free delivery).
I was a bit concerned at the quality but after examination and testing it in-line it performed very well. I haven't had any problems with it.
Some specialty stainless steel products can still be purchased online - although I am not sure if they offer the same usual free delivery to NZ.
I tend to buy fittings and compromise on design etc, because I dont have the skills or access to tig/mig welding equipment - not even brazing equipment. I do have a general arc welder which comes in handy for welding steel frames or small metal fabricating projects.
The main problem in Australia with home distilling is that it is illegal without a permit. Although a license can be fairly easily obtained, the alcoholol excise is up around $82 per litre of pure ethanol distilled. So a litre bottle of 40% v/v home distilled spirit would attract an excise payable to the government of about $33. I believe the only chemicals that can be concentrated legally at home without a license via distillation are small amounts of aromas and essential oils in pot stills less than 5L capacity.
Oh well.....may need to retire in NZ one day, at least there arent too many poisonous creatures lurking around like in Australia.
Cheers
Awesome! That's a shiny beast. Can't wait to see it run:-)>
Heya Bearded!
Me either! haha.
Need to get the copper internals for the condenser finished off, other than that she's pretty much good to go.
Probably get them taken care of in the next week and then fire it up. :)
Have about 70L-80L of stripped spirit set aside waiting for a slow reflux run - will be a good test for it.
Nice!
Thanks fella!
Awesome work!! From a fellow kiwi distiller.
G'day Hayden! Thanks!
Where are you based out of fella?
I'm in Tauranga.
Where are you stilling?
I'm down south just outside Wellington.
Let me know if you're down this way. :o)
I'm down to Porirua on Thursday to drop a truck off and back Friday.
Flick me an email haydenholmberg@hotmail.com
Sent you an email.
damn, puts me to shame. she's a beautiful looking thing
G'day Kev!
It's slowly getting there, ... going to have something approaching an industrial setup sometime soon. :)
Selling a buncha stuff lately to cover the expenses, ie; the copper where it's needed.