New to the Hobby, Western MI

[clodev]

Hey Everyone,
Glad to take part in the hobby. Lookn to start in about a month as i want to get all my pieces together build a system and tested before i attempt a mash. look forward to some great education on this new hobby in the future.
For those of you who are curious i will build a pot still with a doubler for better end result. Will run a straight sugar mash the first time or two than go to a cornmeal and sugar mash as a final goal.
Just picked up a heat source for the still (electric) now combing the area good will's for some sock pots to use that are SS. Last resort i will using a blk enamel turkey roaster as the primary still.

[Bayou-Ruler]

welcome to the forum.

[Prairiepiss]

Welcome aboard.

What kind of electric heat system did you get?
And I would look extra hard for a stainless pot. That enamel coated one isn't a good choice for a still boiler.

And very good idea to wait till you get your still built. To start a wash. Have a look at UJSSM in the tried and true when you get to that point. It would be a good one to start with. Even for you first few runs. You get the first one out of the way so you can get the backset for the next one. That is after your cleaning runs and sacrificial alcohol run.

Good luck be safe take your time.

[clodev]

Welcome aboard.

What kind of electric heat system did you get?
And I would look extra hard for a stainless pot. That enamel coated one isn't a good choice for a still boiler.

And very good idea to wait till you get your still built. To start a wash. Have a look at UJSSM in the tried and true when you get to that point. It would be a good one to start with. Even for you first few runs. You get the first one out of the way so you can get the backset for the next one. That is after your cleaning runs and sacrificial alcohol run.

Good luck be safe take your time.

I got a skillet type that had interchangeable grates so the element would cover most of the pot surface.
Thanks for the heads up on the enamel surface pot i'll keep looking around.
Needing another hobby as we have no snow to run snowmobiles so trying to occupy myself. Not that i don't have 5 other hobbies i could do also. To many interests never enough time. I need to retire just to do them all

[Prairiepiss]

Skillet type? Not following you here?

[clodev]

flat 12" by 18" griddle with interchangeable surfaces. Ya skillet was a bad choice for a description. I'll have top take a pic as i have never seen one like this.

[Prairiepiss]

So your going to sit the boiler on the griddle? And the heat controls will not be good for a still. As they will cycle on and off. You need a steady heat.

[clodev]

good to know. back to the drawing board. only out $8 so not to bad.

Since you are being very helpful i was going to use 3/8 copper tubing from main pot to doubler at a 45 angle for 24-30"to promote some reflux. My tought is to stuff a screen in the bottom of the 3/8 to diffuse the initial distilation or Cap and drill many small holes. Would run the same size out of the top of the doubler to the coil with another 24" 45.

[Prairiepiss]

What size boiler and thumper? 3/8" is small to go from boiler to thumper. And would be the smallest I would use to come out of the thumper into the worm.

[clodev]

Not sure as it all depends what i can acquire. thoughts are 3-5 gallon boiler with a 1-2 gallon doubler. My initial thought was 1/2" boiler to doubler and 3/8 doubler to coil but had concern that it could build presure in the doubler. Logic said same size tubing would not cause this.

any good places you would recommend picking up a SS pot. trying to keep the cost down to a resonable # trying to keep it under $100 in parts. That seems hard to do.

[Prairiepiss]

I would go 3/4" to 1" to the thumper. And 1/2 out of the thumper. Maybe reduced to 3/8" for the worm.

And good luck finding a good 5 gal SS pot cheap.

[bentstick]

Welcome aboard
Nice to see another from Great Lake state. good luck to ya, have fun and be safe.
Its snowing now!

[circlehook]

Im using a new 16 qt SS stock pot I got from Sears online for $12. Its a fairly thin guage but seems to do the trick.

[clodev]

Im using a new 16 qt SS stock pot I got from Sears online for $12. Its a fairly thin guage but seems to do the trick.

Thanks circlehook. your note got me to amazon and found a set of 3 with in my budget 16qt, 12 and 8 qt. this will allow me to keep the scale down and cost. 3.5 gallon pot is not huge but it's a start before i go large as i typically do. Being held to a budget this year so need to keep it under $100 best i can.

prariepiss what benefit is there going to 3/4". would the logic that it would cause back pressure do to the reduction not hold steam? (bad joke but had to)

[Prairiepiss]

More vapor.

[clodev]

As probably happens to many that are starting out I'm gonna change my still to a reflux version as it has more versatility and i feel more comfortable with what i have read. Just keep sponging it in right now until i'm sick of it. That way i don't have a design change in the middle. Seems harder to build ie coil but easier to understand and control.
Give me a few days and may change again m:) can't wait to get to the fermenting part hahahaha

[clodev]

Just bought my parts yesterday at the recycle center not to bad 4.70 ish a pound. except i picked up 3/8 tubing instead of 1/4". love the learning lessons so days.

[Schoobah]

Well perhaps there should be a special area of this forum just for Michiganders I picked up a 30 liter (about 8 gallons) SS pot from meijer with glass lid for my reflux still. it was normally 69.99 got it for 34.99on clearance GO get one if they still got em.

Scuba

[Samohon]

Welcome to HD...

Have fun and be safe....

[clodev]

Well perhaps there should be a special area of this forum just for Michiganders I picked up a 30 liter (about 8 gallons) SS pot from meijer with glass lid for my reflux still. it was normally 69.99 got it for 34.99on clearance GO get one if they still got em.

Scuba

I'll have to look have an inside source with them to find out who has any inventory still

[Bushman]

Welcome to the forum, sounds like you already got some good advice!

[clodev]

Welcome to the forum, sounds like you already got some good advice!

sure did bushman glad for it too. One day i'll have it done. this is one of those hobbies that will take lots of time for the knowledge to sink in. The thicker the skull the longer the time so i'll be around for awhile