Still agitator

[Jay]

The agitator on my still has finally kicked the bucket.  We rebuilt it a few times but I believe it's beyond repair.  Looking for some suggestions for a 1/3 or 1/2HP agitator that any of you have purchased.

It's a kothe still with a Kiesel agitator.  I would prefer to go AMERICAN for replacement parts.  it's mounted via a stainless collar which screws and hold the agitator on the still.  I'm assuming I'll have to have a fabricator in to mount any options you all throw at me.

Thanks for the input

[Skaalvenn]

I have a Brawn mixer on my still and it's been a great piece of equipment.

Avoid MXD/MixersDirect.

[Southernhighlander]

Jay,

 

I have some tri clamp mount agitators and bolt flange mount agitators, however we can fab a connection to make something fit your still.  We have both US made agitators and Chinese made agitators.   Let me know the size of your still and the grain bills that you use.  Also I need to know how the shaft connects and the size of the shaft?  Depending on that, we may need to supply the shaft and use your paddles or we may need to make you some custom paddles.  Once we get all of the info and figure things out we can give you a quote.  Paul@distillery-equipment.com 417-778-6100

Paul

[jbdavenport1]

Call Paul at Affordable Distilling Equipment. They are terrific to work with.  He's 'SouthernHighlander' just above this post.

[Jay]

Thanks everyone

[richard1]

A slightly different angle on this regarding agitator shaft sealing; ..... 

 

I see people using PTFE bushes, followed with carbon packing and then .......and then I see another just using a wiper / scraper seal (as for front of a pneumatic cylinder).

 

Comments on just using a wiper / scraper seal because internal pressure within the still is so low and furthermore this is such an easy way to seal a shaft.

 

[Skaalvenn]

4 hours ago, richard1 said:

A slightly different angle on this regarding agitator shaft sealing; ..... 

 

I see people using PTFE bushes, followed with carbon packing and then .......and then I see another just using a wiper / scraper seal (as for front of a pneumatic cylinder).

 

Comments on just using a wiper / scraper seal because internal pressure within the still is so low and furthermore this is such an easy way to seal a shaft.

 

I like the idea of the Teflon "rope" packing that my brawn mixer has. If it starts leaking (after 2.5 years it has not) I can tighten the bolts slightly to squeeze the Teflon more. If and when the Teflon wears out and needs replacing I can't see it costing more than $10-20.

My mixer from MXD had a seal that went out and allowed a small amount of vapor into the gearbox which then caused the bearings in the gearbox to fail. MXD refused to warranty their equipment even though before the warranty ended I notified them and said it was making noise.

The local brawn rep/engineer spent a lot more time taking measurements and ensuring that I had the exact mixer I needed. They also provided me with the critical speeds to avoid (where the natural vibration/harmonics will tear any shaft driven prop to shreds). MXD basically said "what size tank? What kind of fitting? Ok here's a mixer". I had no previous knowledge of critical speeds and there is the possibility that I was unknowingly running inside those ranges which would have caused premature failure, but I'll never know because I was never given any real specs.

Food for thought. There's plenty of people who just want to quickly sell you something and move on to their next customer. The broken agitator shut down any grain-on distilling for over a month, I'll never take the cheaper route on something like that ever again.

[Southernhighlander]

Our agitators are inexpensive but they are proven with over 200 of them out there in operation with some being in operation for over 6 years.  If there is a component failure we ship the part out right away so that it will reach the customer in a day or two, however our customers rarely have issues with them.  Also we offer customized shaft lengths and impellers that we build here.  If you need an agitator for an existing vessel, all that we need is a drawing of the vessel and to know whether you are  distilling on the grain or not.  We can build agitators with shafts and paddles to fit any vessel, with variable speed and reversing capabilities.  Our 1/2hp are $1,450.00 with shaft and paddles.  Our 1 hp is $1,600.00 and we have agitators as large as 20hp.

 

[Dehner Distillery]

Brawn mixers are hands down the best on the market. It is the only thing they do, MIXERS. 

Don't be fooled by people that sell other things and mixers. 

It would be like buying a computer at walmart while shopping for apples. 

Brawn mixers are just a battle axe of a mixer. I have 4 of them and they run flawlessly.

There is my 2 cents.

[Southernhighlander]

Good choice Dehner.  We should be a Brawn Vendor by the end of next week.  Their line will be added to our other options.

[Dehner Distillery]

On 2/18/2018 at 8:57 PM, Southernhighlander said:

Good choice Dehner.  We should be a Brawn Vendor by the end of next week.  Their line will be added to our other options.

Well you got it right, If you can't beat them, Join them.....

Now you can sell a great  mixer. A step in the right direction. You will see no call backs now. You will loads of free time.

[Southernhighlander]

My other mixers work fine.  I will be selling most major brands of mixers, that are applicable, not just Brawn.  I'm doing the same with pumps, safety valves etc.  I want my customers to have lots of options, at better prices than my competitors, apples to apples.  We have the deepest sanitary parts catalog in the distilling equipment industry.  I currently supply parts to other still and brewery equipment manufacturers as well as food processing equipment and winery equipment manufacturers.  If you need quality parts at the best prices let me know.  Since you build equipment.  I can will give you wholesale pricing on whatever you need.

[Dehner Distillery]

I'm good.

Thanks for the offer.

 

[kiesel americas]

Greetings,

I am Kiesel Americas, a just started factory owned office of Kiesel GmbH in the USA.  Looking to better services the Americas running Kiesel products (mixers, progressive cavity & impeller pumps, tube in tube heat exchangers).

Please call or email me and I can help;

Bob@kieselamericas.com

609-445-5070

PS:  Is it an RG15 right angle mixer?  

[Broken Anvil Distilleries]

Sorry to bring this around again. We have also had non-stop issues with our MXD. Do you know if its possible to keep the motor and replace crank case / agitator or if we have to replace all of the above in one go? The motor has been great, the bearings, seals, crankcase, etc. are not holding up like we would hope considering we only run the still 4 days a week.