My new still

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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pothead
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My new still

Post by pothead »

This is the boiler. It is All stainless, electro-polished 1/4" thick...EVERY piece is 1/4"thick. The Boiler is 20 gallons, double-wall, I still have to add the drain and the filler. Let me tell ya...this thing is HEAVY. It was made from a medical sterilizer tank.
Image

Next is the Gasket, it is a grey teflon.You will understand how it seals when you see the other pics.
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This shows how the lid slides on to the top of the boiler.
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This one shows the air chuck...THIS is how the lid seals...Slide the lid on, put air to the chuck, and the gasket pops up in the slot and seals to the bottom of the lid. This is the part that I think kicks ass!
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Last is a picture with the head attached. It has a 20"x1.5" column and a liebig dropping at a 45*angle.

It is not TOTALLY finished yet, but I wanted to show you guys what I've been up to.
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Let me know what you guys think so far,....I also plan to make a 2" bokakob in-line reflux head for it. (but probably out of stainless)
"Be nice to America, or we'll bring democracy to your country."
"The best things in life aren't things."


"Imagination is more important than Knowledge"-Albert Einstein
maze48
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Post by maze48 »

Sweeeeet! 8)
stoker
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Post by stoker »

that boiler is hot
and pritty big!
-I have too much blood in my alcohol system-
Big J
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Post by Big J »

That's fantastic, congrats. When you say double wall, do you mean its a double boiler? I love the sealing thing, its totally overboard, but great :D

Cheers,
J
pothead
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Post by pothead »

The lid is WAY overboard...but that it the way the lids are made to seal those sterilizers anyway, so I rolled with it.

It is only the side walls of the boiler that are double walled...there is about 1" of space between the inner and outer shell. The outer shell is completely sealed off except for a fitting near the top of the boiler, so I could fill it with some type of insulation(but I'm not sure what). Although it would be nice sometimes to have the double wall on the bottom too, then I could fill it with peanut oil, and use it as a double boiler(for the thick wash).
I plan on heating with propane (and will install electric heat eventually, so I can run it either way). The main drawback is how HEAVY this thing is. Except for almost all of it being 1/4" thick (including the legs) the top is 3/4" thick. this thing has to weigh close to 150 lbs. I'm gonna weigh it one of these days.

I can't wait to run it.
"Be nice to America, or we'll bring democracy to your country."
"The best things in life aren't things."


"Imagination is more important than Knowledge"-Albert Einstein
copperhead
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Post by copperhead »

nice out fit pot head you'll never burn it out thats for sure.
LeftLaneCruiser
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Post by LeftLaneCruiser »

Cool looking device.
The seal is hilarious :D

How much does it hold ?

KJH
Uncle Remus
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Post by Uncle Remus »

Very nice set-up looks quite professional. I wouldn't worry about putting any insulation between the walls. The air space alone will be sufficiently insulate the inner wall.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day and drink beer.
possum
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Post by possum »

BEAUTIFULL.
Looks hard to move but I bet it will treat you well after the modifications are complete.
Hey guys!!! Watch this.... OUCH!
pothead
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Post by pothead »

LeftLaneCruiser wrote:Cool looking device.
The seal is hilarious :D

How much does it hold ?

KJH
It's 20 gallons to the top, so I figured 13-15 gallons of wash.
"Be nice to America, or we'll bring democracy to your country."
"The best things in life aren't things."


"Imagination is more important than Knowledge"-Albert Einstein
LeftLaneCruiser
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Post by LeftLaneCruiser »

15 gallons.. that would be about 60 ltrs.

let me think..
60 ltrs @ 8 % abv (average grain mash..) make 4.8 ltr @ 100%
dilluted to 40 % abv would be... a lot of booze.. :lol:

ehm.. i've got spare bottles... :roll:

KJH
pothead
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Post by pothead »

LeftLaneCruiser wrote:15 gallons.. that would be about 60 ltrs.

let me think..
60 ltrs @ 8 % abv (average grain mash..) make 4.8 ltr @ 100%
dilluted to 40 % abv would be... a lot of booze.. :lol:

ehm.. i've got spare bottles... :roll:

KJH
lol....
Unfortunately, so do all my family members. :lol:
"Be nice to America, or we'll bring democracy to your country."
"The best things in life aren't things."


"Imagination is more important than Knowledge"-Albert Einstein
hornedrhodent
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Post by hornedrhodent »

="pothead"]It is only the side walls of the boiler that are double walled...there is about 1" of space between the inner and outer shell. The outer shell is completely sealed off except for a fitting near the top of the boiler, so I could fill it with some type of insulation(but I'm not sure what). Although it would be nice sometimes to have the double wall on the bottom too, then I could fill it with peanut oil, and use it as a double boiler(for the thick wash).
Insulate the bottom and heat the jacket with hot water or steam.

I plan on heating with propane (and will install electric heat eventually, so I can run it either way).
Propane or electric or even firewood are good for heating water to heat the jacket. It would be difficult to put a heating element through the jacket into the boiler and a pity to spoil the jacket.
pothead
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Post by pothead »

hornedrhodent wrote:
="pothead"]It is only the side walls of the boiler that are double walled...there is about 1" of space between the inner and outer shell. The outer shell is completely sealed off except for a fitting near the top of the boiler, so I could fill it with some type of insulation(but I'm not sure what). Although it would be nice sometimes to have the double wall on the bottom too, then I could fill it with peanut oil, and use it as a double boiler(for the thick wash).
Insulate the bottom and heat the jacket with hot water or steam.

I plan on heating with propane (and will install electric heat eventually, so I can run it either way).
Propane or electric or even firewood are good for heating water to heat the jacket. It would be difficult to put a heating element through the jacket into the boiler and a pity to spoil the jacket.
I prefer to run indoors. that is why I like electric heat. Considering all the other work that went into this thing so far, it wouldn't be all that difficult to cut a hole in the jacket and the boiler and put a coupler straight through, and weld it on both sides.
"Be nice to America, or we'll bring democracy to your country."
"The best things in life aren't things."


"Imagination is more important than Knowledge"-Albert Einstein
theholymackerel
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Post by theholymackerel »

Sweet boiler pothead.

I must admit I'm jealous.
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