I recently got some more equipment, due to arrive soon. I am going to have to get some more yeast (Maybe montrachet, maybe a champagne - I have not decided) for my second attempt at this as well, and probably some #6 stoppers for the 1 gallon jugs.
Last night I ordered four gallon jugs for my third racking stage, and I also got another big 7.9 Gallon primary fermenter. My advice: this or the 6.5 gallon size should be used at all times, as opposed to anything smaller. While it might seem like over-kill, you never have to worry about over flow problems, and its much easier to punch down the must when you don't have to worry about the wine splashing up over the sides.
I also got a wine thief that is big enough to hold the hydrometer for easy measurements. I greatly saw the benefit of this when doing my initial testing using a beaker and turkey baster
A word on cleanliness: Sterilize everything that touches your wine.
There is a debate over the best methods for cleaning your fermenter, carboy, and instruments. Most people say that using some crushed Campden tablets swirled in the fermenter or carboy, oxy-clean or ammonia. I have been using ammonia, and rinsing it out very well. This method was recommended in one of the books I read, and the author swore that as long as you rinsed all of it away, using this should be no issue. I think oxyclean is also a good choice for letting a carboy or fermenter sit in for a while before use.
I will most likely be writing more on this topic shortly.
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