Building my first still

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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Wildcatdistiller
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Building my first still

Post by Wildcatdistiller »

Like others I have spent more time on here reading than I care to add up in hours. Anyway I've went back and forth on what to build. First it was a Boka, then decided I'll also need a pot still, then decided to make a CM instead. Then recent reading highlighted VM. So my thinking was I need something modular. The condenser coil in the boka would work in the VM. So I thought about taking 10 inches of 2" pipe, easy flange one end and equipped it with a coil. The next task was to build a modular section for the boka. This section has the slanted plates, thermostat port and take off line and valve. The next modular section is a 2x2x2 copper tee with easy flange 2" pipe connected to top and bottom section of the tee. This goes out to the gate valve and compression fitting for Liebig condensor which is 1/2 inch pipe 24 inches long wrapped in 1 inch pipe reduced down to 3/8 inch take off. Then I have a pot still head 24" tall by 2inch pipe with compression fittings to connect Liebig previously mentioned. The pot still head has an easy flange which connects to my 15.5 gallon keg.

All easy flanges are connected with fro clamps and sealed with EPDM rubber gaskets from hillbilly stills.(support your local businesses).

I also have a 42" copper pipe with easy flanges on each end used for a tower and packed with copper scrubbers that I use for the boka and VM HEAD.

My heat source is a propane banjo burner


A lot of info I know but I've had fun so far. I have yet to test either heads.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Building my first still

Post by still_stirrin »

Your Liebig should be 36-40" long. 24" is too short for the input power.
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My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
just sayin
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Re: Building my first still

Post by just sayin »

+1-Still Stirring! An extra long Liebig is money well spent. An overkill Liebig will knock down what ever you throw at it with a trickle of water. A long enough Liebig allows a very gradual temperature gradient if you run cooling water slowly enough that it exits hot. A gentle temperature gradient reduces or eliminates "huffing" issues.
Wildcatdistiller
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Re: Building my first still

Post by Wildcatdistiller »

Thanks for the info guys! So I'm off to lowes to buy more copper. Should have it built room along with pictures
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raketemensch
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Re: Building my first still

Post by raketemensch »

When you fire up a stripping run and crank as much heat as possible into it, you’ll appreciate the extra condensing power.
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Yummyrum
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Re: Building my first still

Post by Yummyrum »

A 2" gate valve is both pointless and expensive . As you will be running this thing with a reflux ratio of around 9:1 the gate valve will never be open more than a nats dick .
It will be touchy to set and adjust . A 3/4" valve will be a much better match to a 2" column .

All those early VMs that used large gate valves were trying to achieve a high takeoff rate when trying to strip n VM mode .
You have a pot still for strippng so why compromise your VM by using a large valve
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still_stirrin
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Re: Building my first still

Post by still_stirrin »

Excellent point Yummy.

I have a 1" valve on my VM head. I reduce from 2" to 1" just before the valve. Out of the valve it runs to a 1" copper union and then to the shotgun, 7 x 3/8" tubes inside a 1-1/2" shell with a 1" inlet, so the vapor flow path is close to the area of the 1" input. This makes the condenser workable on my potstill head (modular interchangeability).

But when running in VM, the 1" ball valve is barely cracked open for the higher reflux ratios. A 3/4" valve could have worked just as well except I would have had to use more fittings to get down to 3/4". And I wanted to use the 1" inlet size for the (interchangeable) shotgun, so I elected to use a 1" valve.

A 2" valve is very expensive compared to the 1" (or a 3/4") valve. And it absolutely has no advantage for VM operation in this case.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
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Mikey-moo
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Re: Building my first still

Post by Mikey-moo »

From Wikipedia (not the best source in the world, but it'll do)... EPDM exhibits satisfactory compatibility with fireproof hydraulic fluids, ketones, hot and cold water, and alkalis and exhibits unsatisfactory compatibility with most oils, gasoline, kerosene, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, halogenated solvents, and concentrated acids.

Ethanol is a simple aliphatic hydrocarbon.

Mmmm - tasty. Get PTFE gaskets instead.
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Wildcatdistiller
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Re: Building my first still

Post by Wildcatdistiller »

I have a bunch of ptfe gaskets but have to cut off ridges on both sides.

Your right about the valve size too. I have a 2x 3/4 reducer I'll use for a 3/4 gate valve
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still_stirrin
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Re: Building my first still

Post by still_stirrin »

Wildcatdistiller wrote:I have a bunch of ptfe gaskets but have to cut off ridges on both sides.
If you're using homemade EZ flanges, then take a gasket and slide it back and forth on a piece of sandpaper on a flat block. The teflon will sand off easy and you'll have a smooth surface without the risk of cutting yourself with a razor knife. I used 100 to 120 grit sandpaper and it took it off (the ridge) very quickly.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
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