Home Distiller

- StillerBoy,

That looks awesome, well done!

- Dan

"Still" around if anyone has any questions... Hahahaha

- Dan

I just read back through my column build and can not believe it is coming up on 10 years ago that I started this thread! I have been missing in action for at least the last few years and need to get back to this hobby soon. My last distillation was over three years ago! And is still aging on oak.......

30xs - Thank you Sir!

Dan

Does anyone still read this thread?? What do you have to do to get better than a "Swill Maker"?


-Dan

Dima,

That is exactly where they came from! Good luck with your build..

Dan

DetroitDIY, Awesome job! You are going to find it hard to clean your final product condenser tubes with the 90's in the way. I finally went with a 4" to 2" stainless reducer and a 2" 180 to make my life easier. It is super nice to be able to break your column down into small component...

The Sun is shining....

-Dan

Really nice work. I was wondering about your site glasses and how they connect to your column. Are they just soldered to 2 inch pipe or to a tri clamp ferrel. DD- My sight glass flanges are made out of 2" copper pipe and a copper flange I had cut out of 1/8" thick plate. The flange is sol...

I like it!!! Thank you!

-Dan

Hause,

If you did that the flange part would probably come off. That is why it would be nice to have a stainless steel version that you did not need to tin on the inside.

Dan

Guys,

That is the main issue with the stainless steel flanges and is also why I used brass and copper. It would be nice if the folks at SD made the same ones out of stainless steel that they make out of brass and copper..... Larry????? LWTCS???? can you hear me?

Dan

Bitter, There are so many variables when designing a plated column and many you do not realize until you have run one for a while. Six plates will not reduce your flavor if you run it hard and fast. This is the whole point of building a plated column still in the first place, to save time running it...

Interesting, was not thinking 6 plates as whiskey is mostly my thing... Just want the option to keep the wife happy. My plan was inline thumper and 4 plates. Then make additional 2 plate section later if needed. I noticed you went away from making flanges for the larger pipe. Did it not work so gre...

Bitter,

I think you could go with six plates that have 150 holes per plate and you would get the same results. I think that it is the amount of copper that you are forcing the vapor into contact with that makes all the difference.

Dan

Euphoria wrote:dan,
Beautiful piece of art mixed with functionality. Nice job!

Thank you Euphoria!

-Dan

bentstick wrote:The SGK's will be collectors Items soon,hang on to them! Have my share here!

BS,

I just bought five more!!

Dan

....Why the two thermometers..? I assume one is for the watertemperature and one for the product..? Looking back through the build, I see that one of them is in the vapor path at the column head. The other, obviously, is a water exit temperature. During a run, the two temperatures would align, sign...

Hey Guys, The two thermometers give me vapor temp above and below the condenser to let me know what the differential is and therefore reflux power. Not necessary by any means but more information can't hurt. The plate tree can be adjusted by removing plates from the top down or just pulling the whol...

Well Gentleman..... here it is, the fifth and final of the five second generation column builds. As far as hobby scale goes, I think after 32 months from start to finish, I personally have learned quite a bit. You can run this thing as a pot still, or as a single plate all the way up to five plates ...

Darth-
That is the same one that I use and it is not adjustable. You just pull the trigger and it is on and ready to work. Like I said I only use Mapp gas and it works great even for 4" type "L" copper that I use for my flutes and other projects.

-Dan

Hey Guys, The torch I use is a Bernzomatic TS4000 Trigger Start Torch. It works with both propane as well as Mapp gas. When using Mapp gas (which is all I use) the flame temp is much hotter. I hope that helps... Mapp Gas is methylacetylene-propadiene propane which is safer and easier to use than ace...

Darth - Here is a little video I made to show how to solder small parts to a large copper column I hope this helps.... http://youtu.be/wdWvWTxVswg?list=UUurKp ... aat-Yr97eQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
- Dan

Bushman-

There are five holes that are around the perimiter at the bottom of my final product condenser that vent the column. The 1/2" condenser tubes are just a bit longer than where the holes are so that none of the condensate comes out the vents.

Dan

Hey guys,

I also think just using two packed sections would work but may not give you as much feedback while running it. Don't you think this also looks a little better?

Happy New Year!

-Dan

-hellbilly007 Thank you for the compliments..... HB- I am still around, enjoying the hobby. Summers are very busy here in the PNW but winter is just around the corner. I think I have already built the most versitile still that a hobbyist can make and still call it a hobby. It would be hard to make i...