Submarine pot still

In our view 30 gallons and under is considered hobby size. Do not bring anything larger than this to our site.

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Fiddleford
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Submarine pot still

Post by Fiddleford »

Hello fellow distillers i have a question leading on to a submarine pot still i want to k ow if its safe to use woods and what woods to use and not to use it will be all copper and i can even get copper nails at my local hardware shop i know some of you will say just make a normal pot still but i have a freind who makes submarine still as a hobby them small scale modle ones but he said he could knock one 25 gallon one together for me
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
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shadylane
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by shadylane »

If you want the look of wood sides without the problems
You could use copper sheeting on the inside of the wood.
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Bushman
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Bushman »

Are you talking about wood for a heat source or wood as part of the still design? We had one person band the outside of his copper still with oak and it looked beautiful.
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Fiddleford
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Fiddleford »

Yea im talking about the wood for the structure of the still im worried if the thing will fall i with the weight of the cap without any wood going through tbe inside but i geuss if i put a thumper on there the pressure should hold it up
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
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dieselduo
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by dieselduo »

shadylane wrote:If you want the look of wood sides without the problems
You could use copper sheeting on the inside of the wood.
I'm with Shady on this one. Any wood will dry rot in short order ! Those stills were mainly used for large quantities of cheap shine,but if you like the look go with Shady's idea
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Fiddleford
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Fiddleford »

I i geuss that would be best i dont wanna waste my money on an expensive piss pot that doesn't even piss out what i need from it
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
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shadylane
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by shadylane »

Just a thought
A wood sided Submarine looks cool, but it's an "expensive piss pot"
If your looking for a 25 gallon still to be used often
Stick with SS or copper
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Kareltje
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Kareltje »

I have seen the model in Moonshiners, but also somewhere else on the internet: http://www.blueridgeinstitute.org/moons ... iques.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

By what I have seen, the making is quite easy and cheap: you make two sides of wood and bind them together by a sheet of iron, nailed around the wooden sides. No copper lining on the inside: the wash is supposed to wet the wood, that subsequently swells and closes all the small gaps. Just like wooden ships, but then inside out.
And no copper nails too. Not only are iron nails sufficient, but any contact with copper hastens the corrosion of iron.
After finishing ferment, a copper hood was placed in a hole in the iron sheet and a fire was lit under the submarine. Problem would be the scorching.
There is a picture of a semi-continuous operation of a series of submarines.
Submarine shipyard.jpg
They filled the first the first day and started the ferment, the next day the second etc.
After finishing the ferment the first was fired and stilled, the following day the second etc. You get the idea, I guess.
To prevent scorching you can siphon the wine from one submarine to the next, in stead of just firing the finished ferment.

One of the advantages was the cheapness of the still. So when you had to abandon it, you could just leave it and it rotted and rusted away in the woods.
I have not found any remarks about the quality of the shine compared to the shine from a copper still. But the picture is from a large operation, so it can have been too bad!
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by goose eye »

It safe. Them subs would charge cider to.
Don't never make somethin you care to much that you won't run from it if need be.
This is outside cookin.
Ole boys seen some on second floor of old farm house. Surveyor walkin the woods try in to find a corner turned em in.
They saw the hot slopes pouring into branch.

So I'm tole
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Fiddleford
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Fiddleford »

Well thank you all for your opinion i thing from what ive seen shere i might as well make a scale modle copperband still with construction paper and one get my copper for when i get it right
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
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MoonBreath
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by MoonBreath »

Not a very practical still for home or indoor use.
You can make it less wood as stated ...Here's one of my favorite pics, I can look at this picture every day, it makes me smile and think.
ep560.jpeg
A stainless or copper hobby scale sub would be badass ..Plus electric, site glasses, tri-clamp connections, and caster wheels would put it over the top and be Proper. :D
*Spend it all, Use it up, Wear it out*
Beware of sheet-sniffers and dime-droppers!
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Appalachia-Shiner »

That feller was all dressed up...had his new pair of Overalls on for the picture taking.
Maybe Sunday evening after church.
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Kareltje
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Kareltje »

Appalachia-Shiner wrote:That feller was all dressed up...had his new pair of Overalls on for the picture taking.
Maybe Sunday evening after church.
Ah, you know him?
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Appalachia-Shiner »

Kareltje wrote:
Appalachia-Shiner wrote:That feller was all dressed up...had his new pair of Overalls on for the picture taking.
Maybe Sunday evening after church.
Ah, you know him?
Naw, I jest saw him in my bathroom mirror yesterdày.
And that's a good link you posted in your first post. Nice reading.
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Kareltje
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Kareltje »

Appalachia-Shiner wrote:
Kareltje wrote:
Appalachia-Shiner wrote:That feller was all dressed up...had his new pair of Overalls on for the picture taking.
Maybe Sunday evening after church.
Ah, you know him?
Naw, I jest saw him in my bathroom mirror yesterdày.
And that's a good link you posted in your first post. Nice reading.
8)
I wrote my name on my bathroom mirror. So every morning I can see who I am.
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by goose eye »

Holds 275 gal chug full

Old heatin oil drum. They mostly make pig cookers out of em now

So I'm tole
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skow69
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by skow69 »

Fiddleford wrote:Yea im talking about the wood for the structure of the still im worried if the thing will fall i with the weight of the cap without any wood going through tbe inside but i geuss if i put a thumper on there the pressure should hold it up


Better do some more research, Fiddle. Sounds like you're into having a submarine more than you're into making liquor. As a learning tool for a beginner, the submarine is probably the worst of all choices. Maybe you should get a small one from your friend for a conversation piece. Put it someplace where you will see it everyday. Then study the topic of distillation for a while. If you decide you really want to get involved, then consider some alternate style stills as well. Add up the pros and cons of each. If you still want to start with a sub after you understand what is going on, then all you have lost is a little time.

And above all, be careful.
Distilling at 110f and 75 torr.
I'm not an absinthe snob, I'm The Absinthe Nazi. "NO ABSINTHE FOR YOU!"
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Fiddleford
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by Fiddleford »

Actually im ive got a few other stills i just wanted to explore the feild a little im always makeing booze trying new booze but i wanna try a new still ive never worked with a all copper still just stainless. As of the moment yes im more into getting a good still right now im only working off a little one gallon rig my stainless pot still had a tear in the seal and im waiting for my buddy to weald it together.. im not a conversation peice type of guy if id doesn't work i dont like it
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
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Re: Submarine pot still

Post by thecroweater »

goose eye wrote:Holds 275 gal chug full

Old heatin oil drum. They mostly make pig cookers out of em now

So I'm tole
:ewink: seen one in WV used just for that, gave me some ideas
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