It all started with wanting to make a copper still with a copper distillation column. I had no idea I would become a copper still fabricator and hazardous area specialist with a range of distillery products and an eye on compliance.
I have been through highs and lows, navigated through Covid when my supply chain fell apart (but I never missed an order), been put through the trauma of an over zealous worksafe investigation for an accident I was not a party to, watched as orders for stills fell off a cliff, but I am still here and still innovating.
Right now there is still a big gap in where distillers ought to be and where they are in relation to compliance. In Victoria, there was a big push by the government to assist in getting distilleries compliant. In Tasmania it was more of an authoratative push. In the rest of states and teritories, there has been very little movement other than some distillers trying to do the right thing.
I have become quite adept and finding solutions to distillery problems and recent projects have included the following:
- since compliance is still a big issue I have studied and gained certification as a hazardous area assessor using AS60079.10.1. I also have a range of IEC Ex certified products for most equipment in the HA zone.
- I have designed and had manufactured the first AS1692 (storage of flamable liquids) compliant spirit tank less than 1000L. I have done drawings for 150L, 300L, 400L and 800L, but can produce almost any size under 1000L. 85% of distilleries do not need anything bigger.
- designing a limoncello operation. This included all the thermodynamic calculations, a unique design of the infusion tank, a unique design for heating and cooling the syrup tank in one shift.
- designed an air knife system for a production line to blow off condensation prior to labelling (but never got the order)
- designing and commisioning a mash tun for none other than Big Don’s Whisky (the same man from Big Don’s Meat). I increased his alcohol yield by 10% at the same time as decresing his mash bill by 45% (compared to what the brewers were doing for him). I introduced variable area flow meters in the right places to make sure that the process was operated accurately as it makes a difference to yield.
It is not so much what I have done, but rather the mindset behind it all; an engineering mindset, problem solving, making production quicker, easier, safer.
The basic column design is 4″ and at the top of the column it reduces to 2″. The column will fit on any boiler with a 4″ or 100mm ferrule, and with a 4″x2″ reducer it will fit on any 2″ or 50mm ferrule.
There are a lot of loose fittings that are needed like clamps and gaskets and I carry these in stock. I have also developed some additional products to ensure I can supply everthing necessary to operate a still efficiently – heating elements, power controller to vary the vapour production from the boiler, temperature guages that screw into the thermowells, needle valves for water flow control through the condensers. Not all the items I supply are on this website as I focus on customisations, so feel free to ask what I have because if you can’t find it anywhere, I may just have it.
