Home made still
Moderator: Site Moderator
-
- Novice
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:29 am
Home made still
Simple still manufactured from two 2" id x2' triclamp spools for the column, one 1.5" id x 2' triclamp spool. 2 1.5" triclamp bosses silver soldered to the triclamps, holes cut with a hand drill and carbide tooth hole saw.
Reflux condenser is of the dimroth type and contains around 3m effective of 6mm microbore copper piping silver soldered at the input/outputs to the top cap. Flow control via a small valve mounted on the outlet pipe.
Main condensor is a 4m effective length coil condenser soldered Same as above.
All water connections are 1/8" bsp compression fittings to 6mm push fitting
The plastic pipe for the condensate will be replaced by a silver soldered copper pipe or the barb cap removed from the bottom and allowed to drip into a parrot style collector/measurement container.
4500w heater element on a tri clamp connector controlled by a 10000w SCR through a 30ma RCD and 16amp circuit breaker. 13amp household plug to connect to mains.
30L beer keg with silver soldered 1.5" triclamp for attaching the heater.
Hope you guys like it and maybe have suggestions on mods etc. With my cack handed operation my first ever run with cheap cider output around 600ml of 60% abv from a 4.2% cider. Around 100ml of foreshots chucked to be sure and once the output dropped below 35abv I shut it down rather than chase the last drop and introduce more unwanted crap
Tasted like weak schnapps once diluted with tap water to 40%. Not the worst when mixed with OJ and no hang over after a half bottle and kebab. (The kebabs another story)
Red
Last edited by Reshorseman on Sun Oct 11, 2020 5:41 am, edited 2 times in total.
-
- Novice
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:38 am
Re: Home made still
I’m just starting out myself so can’t say too much on your build, but I’m curious why you went for a 30 litre keg and not a 50 litre?
Also just checking you did a vinegar wash and sacrificial wash before the first run?
I’d recommend making a few batches of TPW / birdwatchers for practise runs on the still, relatively cheap and easy to make while you figure out how it all works.
Any nosey neighbours yet?!!
Also just checking you did a vinegar wash and sacrificial wash before the first run?
I’d recommend making a few batches of TPW / birdwatchers for practise runs on the still, relatively cheap and easy to make while you figure out how it all works.
Any nosey neighbours yet?!!
Re: Home made still
I would move the condenser further away from the column so it’s easier to catch the distillate and the condenser doesn’t draw all of the heat from the column. Just some thoughts.
Homer
Homer
[align=][/align]Stay strapped or get clapped.
15.5 gallon boiler, 5 gallon thumper, shotgun condenser, 57” spiraled liebig,
mash steam cooker head, 5.5 kW element with SCR controller
All modular
15.5 gallon boiler, 5 gallon thumper, shotgun condenser, 57” spiraled liebig,
mash steam cooker head, 5.5 kW element with SCR controller
All modular
-
- Novice
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:29 am
Re: Home made still
I went for a 30L keg as i will only be making 25L of wash at a time as space is quite tight in my house.dunderstruck wrote: ↑Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:19 pm I’m just starting out myself so can’t say too much on your build, but I’m curious why you went for a 30 litre keg and not a 50 litre?
Also just checking you did a vinegar wash and sacrificial wash before the first run?
I’d recommend making a few batches of TPW / birdwatchers for practise runs on the still, relatively cheap and easy to make while you figure out how it all works.
Any nosey neighbours yet?!!
Yes, i did a vinegar run and a sacrificial run using cheap cider as i was impatient to see it run. I currently have a super basic sugar wash on the go, thought it had stalled at an sg of 1.03 and spent a good couple weeks messing about trying to get it started etc. got fed up and said bugger it, an 8% wash is better than nothing. degassed it and its now sitting at 1.005 which puts the final wash at around 13-14%. so thats a good lesson for me to learn and a waste of several weeks.
i never really thought of the condenser stripping the heat from the column, there is an inch gap between the surfaces of the column and the condenser? i can always add a small section of triclamp spool in there, i do plan on making/buying an inline gin head for the still which would do exactly what you suggest
thanks for the input guys
Re: Home made still
I have to keep an eye for one of those cute little kegs. Great little tester
- Yummyrum
- Global moderator
- Posts: 7730
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
- Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie
Re: Home made still
Just some semantics .As this is a CM ( coolant management ) still , the reflux condenser should be referred to as a deflagmator .
You will find that stripping a few 25 litre washes ( ni coolant through the deflagmator) and rerunning the combined stripped run will produce a bigger and better yield from the small keg .
Nice job .
You will find that stripping a few 25 litre washes ( ni coolant through the deflagmator) and rerunning the combined stripped run will produce a bigger and better yield from the small keg .
Nice job .
My recommended goto .
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
-
- Novice
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2020 4:29 am
Re: Home made still
Yummyrum,
Thanks for the clarification on the dephlegmator. I just did a stripping run, stopped when output was around 15% ended up with a total of just over 5l of 41.5% low wines. I shall be starting another wash this week to hopefully do a spirit run before mid December.
Thanks for the clarification on the dephlegmator. I just did a stripping run, stopped when output was around 15% ended up with a total of just over 5l of 41.5% low wines. I shall be starting another wash this week to hopefully do a spirit run before mid December.
Re: Home made still
Nice
i have picked up a barrel thats been turned into a pot still not done anything with it yet as still playing with a t500 and having loads of fun
daft thing is i hardly drink so my wife and friends are loving it
yours looks great enjoy
i have picked up a barrel thats been turned into a pot still not done anything with it yet as still playing with a t500 and having loads of fun
daft thing is i hardly drink so my wife and friends are loving it
yours looks great enjoy