Completed my still

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

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Still more
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Completed my still

Post by Still more »

I completed my still and I am pretty proud of her. Now I know she's not the prettiest, but ever time I look at her I smile :oops: I havent had a chance to run water through her yet, plan to that in a couple of days.

I would like to thank everyone for thier help and tolerance.

Hope this works, here are pic:
This is the worm 1/4 inch about 20 feet I think it was.
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m242 ... 071510.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Image
The boiler
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m242 ... 71518a.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Image
Boiler cap:
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m242 ... 071518.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Image
The stack; its 22inches long, 21/2 diameter, arm is 13" and 1" diameter :
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m242 ... 071517.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Image
Assembled:
http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m242 ... 071519.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Image
Let me know what you think.
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Husker
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Post by Husker »

are you sure that is not 3/4" worm?? I am pretty sure it is not 1/4". It looks like the end of your column (off the arm), is a reducer to 3/4", that is why I ask.

One thing that may help that condenser to "maintain" itself, is to solder on a couple (possibly 3) copper straps to the edge of it. Then you can get things properly flowing downhill, and you will always know it flows downhill. It can not be bent (or would be very hard) without you seeing it, in such a way that would cause a vapor lock (or condensation lock), which could cause a cato pressure release from the still.

However, I certainly do not see this as ugly, not at all. Looks nicely done.

H.
showrguy
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Post by showrguy »

kinda gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside once ya get finished does'nt it ??
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Husker
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Post by Husker »

showrguy wrote:kinda gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside once ya get finished does'nt it ??
That warm fuzzy feeling gets even warmer, later on, after you run it :)
Still_Crazy
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Post by Still_Crazy »

Looks good Still more

I got to warn you though, IT NEVER ENDS! :mrgreen:

I keep changing this and that because I like to fiddle and perfect... so much that I have not taken any time to get pics of it all lately!

:oops:


Run some water through it then go for it!
~ After all these years, a drop in time helps soothe my mind ~
copperhead
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Post by copperhead »

nice outfit still more have fun your really gonna smile when the whiskey starts running that first time.have you started your first mash yet.
Still more
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Post by Still more »

Husker: Its actaully 1/2 I appologize, it is a 1"- to 3/4" addapter, I have a 3/4-1/2 adapter on the worm. I wasnt sure if I wanted a thumper or not so I can adjust it. Also I put an adapter [the small section of copper in the disassemble stack picture] on the cap, I will be making a reflux colum later, so all I will not have to build anything esle but that stack and change them back and forth as needed depending on what I want. :D

Copper: I have I had two rum washes goto to crap and never really started, found out that the molasses was sulfured [it took my dumbass awhile to realize what my nose was tring to tell me.

I have a wash made with panella bubbling away right now.

10lbs panella
3lbs zulka pure cane sugar
1/2 cup lemon jucie
a dash of nutrient (I know that molasses has enough but did it anyway)
2 packs `1118 yeast
enough water to fill to 25 liters.
[I have a european hydro and dont really understand it, saw the post about how to use it but i am slow. ] So I just went by the algorhythem on the website to get me to 14% alch.

will the yeast take more sugar?
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TRANSPLANTED HILLBILLY
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Post by TRANSPLANTED HILLBILLY »

Still more, what is panella? I did a google search and found a type of bread. Never heard of it is all.
If it was easy everybody would do it.

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Husker
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Post by Husker »

Still more wrote:will the yeast take more sugar?
Yup, 1118, will "take" more sugar, but what you end up with will be much crappy'er result. Keeping things at 14% is about right. Pretty good strength, and lots of EtOH, without much additional nasty tasting byproducts. If you start to push, 16, 17, 18% (or more), then much of your hopeful "gain" will be lost, trying to get your final product into something drinkable. You will have much larger "cuts", and will not get a whole lot more product.

The key is to not be too "greedy". Even 14% is pushing pretty high in alcohol content. Alcohol "is" a poison to your yeast colony. They can tolerate "some", but if too much is there, they get very stressed, and you will end up not liking the results. Also, to get that very high ABV, it takes a long time (the yeast will slow down). I generally do not try to push over 12%, and other keep it even lower than this. At 12%, things are done in a few days (3 or 4), and I find there is little off taste. Most of my distilling is for flavored drinks (pot still) and not neutrals, so the flavor is pretty important.

H.
Still more
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Post by Still more »

Transplant hillbilly: Its a cane sugar formed into a mold, it has lots of molasses in it [it is unrefined] I spelled it wrong thats why you did find it "Panela" is correct spelling here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Husker:
Quality and flavor is what I am after, so next batch I will lower the sugar or add more water I dont know, I cannot adjust the amount of mollases since it is in the sugar, I guess I could just use the panela @ 10lbs in 25L, that would make 10.7%, but not sure how light or heavy the taste. I guess I see my self creating another post with the results.

What do you recommend 7-8% as a goal, again quailty and taste being the main objective. I suppose then I would only need one packet of yeast also.
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Husker
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Post by Husker »

Still more wrote:Transplant hillbilly: Its a cane sugar formed into a mold, it has lots of molasses in it [it is unrefined] I spelled it wrong thats why you did find it "Panela" is correct spelling here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Husker:
Quality and flavor is what I am after, so next batch I will lower the sugar or add more water I dont know, I cannot adjust the amount of mollases since it is in the sugar, I guess I could just use the panela @ 10lbs in 25L, that would make 10.7%, but not sure how light or heavy the taste. I guess I see my self creating another post with the results.

What do you recommend 7-8% as a goal, again quailty and taste being the main objective. I suppose then I would only need one packet of yeast also.
With molasses, I think 10-12% is about right. If you try to go too high with molasses, you will likely end up with a stuck ferment. It will depend upon what byproducts are in the molasses. There is good stuff (nutrients) in there, but there are also some bad things, which seem to cause yeast to simply stop.

H.
new_moonshiner
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Post by new_moonshiner »

nice work I like it , Im using that design to build a column for stripping :D
brandnew

Post by brandnew »

I like this design. What do you use to connect your worm to your Lyne arm?
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