2.5 years! Really? Actually yes...but only working on it in my spare time, so not that often. Sorry for the clickbait
But I must admit that when I looked at the date of the first picture I was like
After using my little still for a while now I wished to go for a bigger one for different reasons. After a very long time reading the forum and searching for all kind of possibilities, my mind began to boil, conceiving "my dream still".
I wanted a pot still with:
- a double bloiler, electric powered and insulated.
- a thumper.
- a shotgun product condenser.
- the possibility of filling both boiler and thumper for an other run without having to disassemble everything.
- easy to drain and to clean.
- I also wanted it to be easy to store.
- a good look
So I started drawing plans and for that I clearly underestimated the time I would spend on it
. Here a want to give a special thanks to "Myles" for his final check on the double boiler plans!
Then I read everything I could about controlers, I knew really nothing about electricity. And here comes my second special thanks
to my brother who really took time and effort to understand what I needed, and helped me find and assemble a first class controler. I'm really happy about it!The stainless steel part wasn't a problem at all as I work as a welder. So I was able to get and weld eveything I needed.
For the copper lids it was a different story. Now 20 years ago I had the chance to be teatched by an old coppersmith. He learned me to form copper sheets into shapes. With the use of an hammer and differents "anvils". But I didn't emboss copper for more than 15 years now, so I admit I sweated a lot before I get the results
But enough words! Here is are the pics:
The complete still: boiler (50L)>thumper (35L) > shotgun product condenser > parrot.
Some numbers: stripping run (without thumper)= 32L @ 8~9abv. Product comes out at 61 abv. 2h40 (from firing up to @20%)
Spirit run: 29L@40abv + thumper charged with wash and some feints (3L). Products comes out @83abv. 6h in total.
Response time 5 minutes
- All the outlet/inlet of the boiler/thumper are at the same height. Easy to choose witch configuration I want to use. Also each one has a drain ball valve.
Hammering "mesurements" makes easier to know hom much product you actually have. (I'm a little bit obssesed at keeping records of eveything I distill.)
My thumper is placed on a "special tripod" made off two parts.
One part is the base, a ring with pins (adjustable in height).
The second part is made of two rings joined with pipes. One ring has an iside diameter slightly smaller than the other one. So the thumper can stand on the smaller ring when in use. Or, when the tripod is turned upside down, the thumper can go through the larger ring. So I can store tripod and thumper inside the boiler. Space saving!
- you rock bro!
, even with my valve (I buyed an other one than on the pic) at the smallest water flow I can't control the temperature of my product. Products comes at ~10°C all the time.
