Home Distiller

I agree with Rad. Mine really slows down when the temp drops to 70 or less. I stuck a light bulb under the fermenter to keep the temp in the mid 70's at night when we turn the thermostat down. I also think 95 is a little hot for pitching the yeast. I know Wino's initial recipe post says that but lat...

jackson98 wrote:nice job on it. i got a question im about to coil and make my condenser too, is that 1/4 tubing? also how much room is in the 2" after you put the condenser in ?

Thanks.

The coil is 1/4" OD tubing. There is about 1/8" clearance all the way around inside the 2" pipe.

Braz

First let me mention that winter sucks. Now that that is out of the way, Wednesday I was snowed in and couldn't get to work so I spent some time in the shop making a little Lebig condenser for my product takeoff tube. I had considered using end caps with holes drilled for the takeoff tube but while ...

I am not at all sure what the hardness of the water would do but it sounds like yours is seriously hard. What about going out and buying 5 gal or so of bottled water and making a batch of WPOSW with that? That would either confirm your suspicions or eliminate the water as the problem. I used to live...

Welcome, from one newguy to another. Before you buy a still, give a little thought to building one yourself. For me, and I think for a lot of people, building is a big part of the fun. I'm having a ball and I haven't distilled a drop yet. There are plenty of design ideas here and lots of friendly ad...

Two pounds of sugar for a one gal. wash sounds like a lot to me. Wino's Plain ol' Sugar Wash (in Tried & True) uses 8lb for a 6 gal. wash. My first attempt at a wash used the WPOSW recipe, cut in half, and was very successful. I now have a 5 gal. batch working and the little yeastie beasties are bui...

Well, I boiled my plugged up coil for about six hours and it just laughed at my efforts. So I started trying to think of a way I could connect it to a faucet in order to put pressure and water on it. I rummaged through all my stuff (I never throw away anything) but couldn't come up with a way to hoo...

The still isn't finished and a blizzard is keeping me from making a needed trip to the hardware store. So let me spend some time talking about my first fermentation and soliciting advice as to what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. This is Wino's Plain ol' Sugar Wash, cut to half the recipe ...

For sealing if I dont want to do flour/water thing all the time and I dont want to get into soldering just yet is there any safe glue/caulk/epoxy to seal the lid as well as the column? Take a look at my post count. You'll see that I too am a rank novice. However, I am going to offer you some advice...

Well, it has been a while. Life keeps getting in the way of fun. Time to try to wind a coil. I made several starts using a spring sleeve and it was hopeless. I'd either wrap and trap the spring around the pipe mandrel or I'd flatten and kink the tube. So I decided to fill the tube with salt. But how...

If you'd rather buy than build, take a look at this thread:

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =8&t=13692

I am currently building one that is a virtual twin to the one offered in that thread. I think I've already spent more on mine than the bid price on that one.

Braz

A lot of Chevy/GMC vans came with auxiliary rear heaters. These are a small (~6" x 6") floor mounted heater core with a fan and housing around them. I'd think you could snag one of these from an auto scrap yard for cheap. Might be just the ticket.

Braz

Surfing around last night I came across an interesting site tracing the history of moonshining in the Virginia Blue Ridge. I did a search and I don't think it has been posted here before, so here it is. http://www.blueridgeinstitute.org/moonshine/an_introductory_taste.html" onclick="window.open(this...

In addition to Birdwatchers, take a look at Wineos simple sugar recipe http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =14&t=6782

Braz

I think, if anything, Ill reinforce the existing burner and place it on some cement stepping stones to give extra clearance beneath it. Due to proximity of landlord, im forced to use this apparatus in my sun porch with a wooden floor. extreme care shall be taken You could also consider putting a co...

heynonny wrote:I assume you got the 10' stick of copper?

Yep, I bought the whole thing. I figure it won't spoil and I'll probably find a use for it someday.

Braz

Well, I had decided on a Bok some time ago since the plans were so available and it has a good reputation, especially for novices. I'm thinking some sort of VM will come later down the road after I learn more. Had a good afternoon in the shop, except I got so involved in sawing 'n soldering I forgot...

After a few weeks of reading here, there and everywhere I am starting my first build. Since I am shooting for vodka and gin I decided on a 2" gas fired Bokakob. I ordered a Bayou burner and a 44 quart SS stockpot from Amazon and have been haunting the plumbing aisles of the local hardware stores. If...

Thanks to your Pops (and to you) for getting the site back up and running. Since I am brand new to the "sport" I was feeling somewhat abandoned the last couple days. The Big Brown Truck just dropped off a 44 qt. stainless steel pot and I've been soldering copper the last couple of evenings. It is co...

It will make a pretty big difference. If you have put slices INTO the bottom plate, then try to use a long threaded rod up from the bottom, and try to bend the tang down. H. And if that doesn't work you could cut the pipe a little below the plate and then put it back together with a copper fitting....

Always fun to read somebody else's diary. Hope you keep it going.

Braz

Welding skill is not necessary, unless you are working with stainless. If you use copper you can get by with soldering using an inexpensive propane torch. A little practice with some copper pipe, fittings and a few bucks worth of lead free solder and you'll be soldering like a pro.

Braz

Welcome (from another newguy). That is a pretty rig. What is the pot size?

Braz

I've been occupying my spare time over the last few weeks reading this forum, the parent site and the yahoo groups site. It is almost information overload. I have also started to clean the garage/workshop - a big job. I have decided to build a 2" Bokakob for starters and have begun gathering parts a...

Nightforce, Nice work! I am going to try to build a bokakob as my first still - as soon as I gather the materials. Couple of questions: What is the overall length of your column? I'm planning 42" using 2" pipe. Does that sound reasonable? Your thermometer fitting is between the two plates. Is that a...