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Okay I see what you guys mean about the $#!++y 1500W hotplate... Just did Watts to BTU conversion, 1500W is 6K BTU... Quite a joke indeed. I know at one time, the no-no boiler size here was 25G, now seems to be 30G. Let me start by saying good Lord, I would NEVVVER exceed 30G... But if one were to, ...

Making a simple pot still, takes like six hours to distill from a 8 Gallon milk can, seems way too long to me, that's when the heat is high, stripping run, 1500W hotplate. I figure if I increase the boiler size, that's likely to get even longer of a run time... And because I'll have to use gas with ...

Don't waste your money on tubing if you're terrible (like me) at properly shaping the tubing. Believe me, I wasted a ****load of money. Stick with copper pipe and 90's, solder those together to make a liquor waterslide. That's the most sure-fire method I've gathered to prevent "smearing" o...

Okay, I got me a propane burner that puts out 100K BTU. Boiler size is big. Then we got a three inch ferrule welded on, then a 3 to 2" adapter/ferrule thing. Goes to a real short 2" "column" if you could call it that. Wanna do a worm, I'm no good with this reflux or shotgun stuff...

Yes it's a pot specifically for induction cook tops, my only thing is the temperature variance... I suppose if I drill a hole in the lid for a thermometer, like I used to have when I used an electric stove in my apartment before I got busted, I could just charge the wash til the thermometer says 178...

Hello, Recently had a dumb family member who has it out for me let the water softening guy into the garage where my keg still was... He went off about how it's illegal and will blow up the house and insurance won't pay. She (my cousin) proceeded to wreck my coil and tell my grandfather I've gotta ge...

Hello, I recently build a Bob Lennon (StillMaker) Valved Reflux still and was fairly dissatisfied with the results. Since a few runs with that, I've decided to "get back to basics": The best still (the most reliable and expedient) I've operated was a stove top stainless steel pot still (st...

I run straight from my well sorry if I misled you, I just have measured my water usage sorry bro. There are folks here that do that tho, just not me. Well, I'll look into that for the Valved Reflux still in my garage. As far as the "field expedient" still, I gotta run it in the forest, I ...

If you choose to do it that way, I use my cooling water to water my animals. So from the beginning when you fill your 18 gallon circulation tank to the end before you give the water to your animals, you don't have to top up the circulation tank or add ice or anything?? Do you use a Full-Size keg (1...

Mace, flare gun,rifle. Don't need that in my garage. Liebig needs water pressure, 12volt bilge pump 12 volt battery. I use 15-18 g cooling water, that's running it into a stock tank. Somo, does the water recirculate in the tank? You only have to fill it with water once from the beginning of the run...

Personally, and from experience, I'd much rather run in the privacy of my own home than out in the woods... You just never know who or what is going to wander through the still site... Just had a black bear run through here the night before last... And around here people don't care if land is poste...

Thermometer is optional, I like it during warm-up to gauge about how long til foreshots will start. That's what a quick touch along the column from top to bottom is for. :ewink: You'll smell it coming too. (That's what he said.) tp LOL. Yeah, I'm not totally sure if I'll do a thermometer, it's a pe...

2" pipe, 2" triclover 2"90 reduced to 1/2" 3/4 over 1/2 liebig don't get any simpler than that. Mine strips 7-8 minute quarts fast and easy. No thermo on a pot still. Liebig requires a pump though, which generally means electricity unless I rig up some convoluted plumbing contra...

I'm interested in building an extremely bare-bones pot still that requires little money and effort, yet yields a good amount of liquor. Just finished building a Valved Reflux still and dissatisfied with how non-"field expedient" it is... Requires pumps and valves of all sorts, now I must c...

Finished building a Valved Reflux still head using Bob Lennon's book 'Stillmaker'. Before soldering, I showed the work to my great uncle, who was a moonshiner from about 1950 - 1995... He smiled and said he was glad I'd found a hobby but pointed to the condenser coil and said "I... don't-think-...

Hello, I have a 65,000 BTU propane burner and I'm sort of a novice when it comes to using these. In the manual, it says to have a blue flame and adjust the flue to get it there, I did that and it heats EXTREMELY slow, like from 74 to 84 in an hour... Now, I turned it up a bit and there's a little bi...

Thanks BearRiver, did what you said, cleared the issue right up, I suspect you're right, I did tighten the fittings too much to begin with, probably deformed the farrule or something. Thanks again!

Hello, I got a Valved Reflux still and my 1/4" connections are leaking when the 1/4" copper tubes get well water thru a hose. When the hose is turned on, it's not turned on even a fifth of how far open the valve can turn. The thing sprays from the 1/4" elbow/90s, unhooked it and used ...

Alright seems to be that I should stay under 12 Gallons. Thanks.

Here's a question: How full is too full when filling a full-size American keg with wash? The thing says 15.88 Gallons or something like that on the side, I would assume 75-80% full of wash would be safe right?? So... 11.9 - 12.7 G?? Anyone have experience on this?

Okay, sends water back to the inlet so the pump won't overheat, delivers enough flow for cooling the condenser depending on how it's adjusted. Thanks still_stirrin and SoMo.

This little gem costs less, is battery powered and fits your head and flowrate needs. Plumb in a discharge (outlet) bypass for finer flowrate regulation withouth pump cavitation. Check it out: http://t.harborfreight.com/12-volt-marine-utility-water-pump-94639.html" onclick="window.open(th...

Okay, I've found a pump here, haven't bought it yet, wondering if anyone can let me know what they think... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/LIFT-26ft-1HP-110v-CLEAR-WATER-PUMP-13GPM-pool-pond-/171423728810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27e9a684aa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;&...

Good insights here; Thank You as always, Gentlemen. I am not sure what I'd do without this forum. I've got some things to buy now, I suppose.

What sort of pump is it? Could use a car battery and a power inverter. And a cheap solar panel to charge battery while your running. I haven't got the pump yet, I'm looking at options for running outside, away from my property. I'll consider what you've suggested here, a car battery with power inve...

Hello, I've built a StillMaker Valved Reflux still, wondering if anyone knows what I'd do to run the pump for one of these things in a forest... I've seen the post about the battery charger, do I just buy a pump that is battery operated and use the charger to get her juiced up? This is something I o...

The RCMP oughta change their motto up: "To Surveil and Neglect" has a nice ring to it. They are about the most discredited policy enforcers around... Various sex scandals... The High River gun grab... Among several other things... It's in their interest to smile and wave for the next littl...

This from the Ontario Alcohol & Gambling Commission website: "You may make beer or wine at home as long as it is only for your personal consumption or to be given away free of charge. Homemade (or "u-brew") beer or wine may not be sold or used commercially. Homemade spirits and th...

Hi, I've built a StillMaker Valved Reflux still, got it all soldered up, I'm now at the point to mount the 1/4" needle valves on the 2" cap... Wondering how I should go about that to make it watertight... I realize brass will not be soldered like copper will, so I'm unsure about how to pro...

I ran because I know that the revenue-enforcers here are gun-grabbers, didn't want my gun taken, my only regret is that I stopped running. I never attempted to play hero or nothing like that, just wanted to see people get along is all. The police were called by others and took too damn long, they di...