My new still (pics!)

[plonker]

Go gentle, it is still a work in progress.

Pot still version

With the thumper attached!

]

Just the thumper unit

I have a reflux version that uses the same kit, but Im still working on it..

And yes, I will pickle the brass tomorrow. and its only temporary, I have a SS version but I need to get a better solder flux.

Otherwise, the same liebig is used in all of the versions, it has a coil of copper wire inside the entire length to convert it into a Allihn / Graham condenser. Really makes a difference.

I use a 50L Keg and a dual 8000 btu propane burner..

Run the thumper today for the first time.. really happy!
got a rum, whiskey and another sour mash running....

[new_moonshiner]

nice looking rig , are the unions SS or Galv. ?

[plonker]

Apart from the brass cap on the thumper, everything is stainless.. I was hoping not to use the brass cap at all, but the SS version would not take any solder.. At all..
Im tracking down some specialized SS flux and solder..

Interestingly the SS thumper was quite easy to solder.. not sure why...

[rad14701]

Nice work, plonker... You've designed a good amount of versatility into that rig...

[DamianRyan]

Compliments on the still mate,seeing those concrete wash basins reminds me of my old house in Springs near Johannesburg,I pulled a 2.5m cobra from between the leg(stand) and the wall.Had the Rock Band I was playing with practicing at the house and me dogs started barking in a way i new meant snake,anyway pulled it out grabbed,it turned arround and the drumer was on the garage roof,man we laughed. Damian

[Hawke]

I would twist that last 2" elbow around so that I didn't have to collect on the floor. Otherwise, Looks good.

[plonker]

Thanks Damien, Its an old, old house.. haven't found any cobra's yet, but it has been a few years since I been to Joburg..

And Hawke, took me a while to figure out what you meant, but yeah, real good idea... thanks..

[DamianRyan]

[quote="plonker"]Thanks Damien, Its an old, old house.. haven't found any cobra's yet, but it has been a few years since I been to Joburg..

Blimey where do you live now.I'm living in a place called Prieska in the Northern Cape where I bought a house with a still attached,the photos of it are posted at "Novice Distillers" "Not Another New Distiller"
My house in Springs is 100 years old built on the Daggafontein gold mine.

[plonker]

Hi DamianRyan, I live in Australia, but have family in SA. My house is about 90 years old. I even have a big copper pot in the outbuilding for boiling clothes!

I have been following your posts about your new house with attached still.. I know that you are not looking to make profit from your still, but Im curious as to whether you can... Anyhow keep updating us on your progress, very interesting..

[DamianRyan]

Hi DamianRyan, I live in Australia, but have family in SA. My house is about 90 years old. I even have a big copper pot in the outbuilding for boiling clothes!

I have been following your posts about your new house with attached still.. I know that you are not looking to make profit from your still, but Im curious as to whether you can... Anyhow keep updating us on your progress, very interesting..

Hi Plonker,this still did at one time make some money for the original owner.He at one time was supplying a group of pharmacy's with spirits made from potatoes with very strict rules as to the quality of the potatoes etc.He then got ill and sold it to a Hollander and when I bought the house I thought it would be great for me missus to have a sideline income.However the guy who sold it to me lied about how well it was doing and within a couple of months I knew I had a lemon on me hands.This Hollander does evironmental reports for companies and was hardly ever here so the trade fizzled out.
So I've got me a leagle still and can make me own hooch.I've just done a small wash of 400L of Citrus and it seems to have yeasted out wonderfully the SG has gone from 1.06 to 1 on the SG scale in 3 weeks

[tcat1]

How much will that yield at one time?
tcat1

[The Baker]

Hi DamianRyan, I live in Australia, but have family in SA. My house is about 90 years old. I even have a big copper pot in the outbuilding for boiling clothes!
snip
..

I have five of those copper pots, without having a stand.
Have you thought of getting another pot, fitting it upside down on the first, and adding a lyne arm (with one of those funny hat things between)?
Then you would have (almost) a traditional wood-fired pot still!
It's something I have thought of from time to time, using bricks to make one of the forms of traditional stand. (The other was cast iron).

[DamianRyan]

How much will that yield at one time?
tcat1

Hi tcat1 I can't remember how much I got from that particular run but being a novice I have a problem in that my boiler takes 800L. I just did a 400L run with carrots and the distillate tuned green. That's 5, 25Kg bags of sugar down the tubes. I'm trying to get the materials together for a smaller still to practice on so when I mess up I don't lose so much. Damian