whitewolfrun wrote:im looking to get something small for my place i got to much free time you can say i pour cement we been without work for over a month so what more to say .
GOING NUTS .
but ive been looking around online for the past months more heavy for a good still i dont need much but i dont wont something thats not going to work.
Build one as someone once told me on here.... So here I am,, mine is built, finished the condenser last night, now just waiting upon a waterpump and a Fermenting kit with all the testers so hopefully I get it right. Would like to give a photo but it said the size of my download was to big.
Wow been lurking here for a long time and finally signed up. Wanna do this simply for the challenge. I'm a industrial mechanic and can build mostly any still for free, also have an unlimited supply of sugar. Decided on a Valved reflux from this site moonshine-still.com/valved-reflux-still-head/
Decided on this design because it looked easy to build, and I got all the parts to build one and made my own condenser coil (alot easier than i thought). Well I did more reading and now people are saying the bokakob is better. Now I'm a fabricator for a living and the bokakob looks about three times as hard to build as the valved reflux I decided on.
I'll go back to lurking now, would like to also mention while digging around in my deceased father's garage I came across my grandfather's old still its a big oval copper pot looks like about a 20 gallon job. I think all the parts are there I might play with that old time still too. There is a staggering amount of info on this site, almost too much. I have no idea where to start.
baron4406 wrote:Wow been lurking here for a long time and finally signed up. Wanna do this simply for the challenge. I'm a industrial mechanic and can build mostly any still for free, also have an unlimited supply of sugar. Decided on a Valved reflux from this site moonshine-still.com/valved-reflux-still-head/
Decided on this design because it looked easy to build, and I got all the parts to build one and made my own condenser coil (alot easier than i thought). Well I did more reading and now people are saying the bokakob is better. Now I'm a fabricator for a living and the bokakob looks about three times as hard to build as the valved reflux I decided on.
I'll go back to lurking now, would like to also mention while digging around in my deceased father's garage I came across my grandfather's old still its a big oval copper pot looks like about a 20 gallon job. I think all the parts are there I might play with that old time still too. There is a staggering amount of info on this site, almost too much. I have no idea where to start.
Ok I printed out the templates, still looks a little confusing but I'll give it a shot. Also brought home parts to build a small pot still with a liebig condenser on it to use on a stovetop. I will probably build 4 or 5 stills. I just gotta say the guys on this forum are great, this is gonna be a fun hobby.
Used my Hillbilly Still 4 times now and I think its great,their service and products are top notch if anybody's considering purchasing one of their stills,wish I would of gone with the 13 gallon instead of the 8 gallon but I'm happy with the way it works and the simplicity of the simple pot still.
I'm thinking about the 10 Gal. I'm not into building one right now, and I think they would know how to build one better than I would. One thing I saw on that site that makes me wonder is in the Q& A section I read
"Q: Do you make a thumper keg for any of your stills?
A: No. Thumpers are only used in large scale production of moonshine to increase proof and remove sediments. This strips the flavor from your product and is undesirable unless using poor ingredients. The removal of sediments is not needed as well due to the bulb on the top of our stills. Among other benefits, this prevents the carry-over of liquid into the condenser when properly operated. Adding a thumper is expensive and unnecessary."
I have never seen anything about that on here so I just wonder if they know what they are talking about
Don't know anything about the company, but the stll is an alembic still. It is primarily for making flavored alcohol like whisky, rum and brandy. You probably won'tbe able to make a neutral without doing one or two stripping runs followed by a spirit run. If you ever decided you wanted build a different style distillation column you probably wouldn't be able to re-use the boiler.
I don't know what you want to make but if i were in your shoes I would look for something more versatile. Many on this site use a 15 gallon keg that has a 2" ferule. From there you build your own distillation column with standard fittings that are readily available or you can buy ready made. You can have several columns that all fit the same keg. Most the people on this site are happy with a 2" inch opening with a ferule, but I prefer a 3" or 4" opening, it just makes cleaning a lot easier.
t_tony_d: Anyone have any feedback on this still or company? http://www.whiskeystill.net/collections" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ... l-for-sale
http://www.whiskeystill.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow? Well I just purchased my still from this site about 2 weeks ago. They have delivered my toy in less than 3 days, pretty efficient! I was able to avail of their new design, it's no longer riveted but fully soldered and really well crafted (I was quite hesitant because the old design was riveted and it might leak and all)! Everyone knows it's a pot still and it's pretty versatile, can make moonshine, whiskey, vodka etc. although it's especially designed for whiskey and brandy. I've made my first batch and it was just awesome
Quiet unlucky though, I purchased it too early, I didn't know they have a promotional discount for father's day! However, I still recommend this vendor!
"Pot stills are great, they're perfect for my whiskey!" Chris, still a rookie :)
Chris, I got my still from them yesterday I'm not sure I am too happy with the wrom. It only has an inlet at the top, no place for the water to come out at the bottom but mostly that is only has 3 turns. Seems to me that isn't enough to make conversion. Two Questions, is that how your worm came and did it work well for you?
I have the same thing though. I actually just notice now, after you just asked, that the worm only has 3 turns. Completely didn't mind about it. It works well for me. Wish you luck on your new baby still
"Pot stills are great, they're perfect for my whiskey!" Chris, still a rookie :)
t_tony_d wrote:It only has an inlet at the top, no place for the water to come out at the bottom
Put the hose from your water source down the middle of the coil almost to the bottom, this way the cool water will fill from the bottom and the warmer water will drain off from the top through the fitting you're calling the "inlet".
My first still was a reflux still it was awesome 13 feet tall. and made great clean ethanol.
Lots of work went into its design and the learning of all things aimed towards the cleanest pureest ethanol i could get out of it.
My second was a pot still and I love it to death..
I can make clean stuff much like my reflux. although way faster.(more runs but faster)
I can make whiskey, Rum, and anything else under the sun.
I did learn alot from both but if i could only have one it would be a pot still.
I strongly encourage anyone who is on the fence about buying or building your own to consider this.
1) if you have the skill or know someone you trust that has the skill then build it yoru self. you will learn far more.
2) If you are unfomfortable with doing it your self buy one... but... really push for #1 in the end you wont be dissapointed.
3) if you do decide to buy one, at least go through al lthe motions in designing your own still. just the act of doing that will enlighten you to the entire process in ways buying one will never!
hello fellow shiners...i am new to this site and moonshinin....i have been doing some research about building my own still. can someone out there help me find plans to build my own? i have come across a few plans that show me how to build an internal reflux condenser and a valved reflux condenser....however after reading some of the post i found the the old timers think that these types of condensers are not worth the money....i am handy with a variety of tools and torches. all i need now is some help finding the right plans for a great design....can anyone guide me to those plans? thanks for your help....johnny redwood
Johnnyredwood wrote:hello fellow shiners...i am new to this site and moonshinin....i have been doing some research about building my own still. can someone out there help me find plans to build my own? i have come across a few plans that show me how to build an internal reflux condenser and a valved reflux condenser....however after reading some of the post i found the the old timers think that these types of condensers are not worth the money....i am handy with a variety of tools and torches. all i need now is some help finding the right plans for a great design....can anyone guide me to those plans? thanks for your help....johnny redwood
What still to build depends on what you want to get out of it... Are you after flavored or neutral spirits...??? This determines whether you need a simple pot still or a reflux column...
shutterich wrote:I have a 50gal kettle with steam jacket and limited head room (3 feet) what style still should I build when my primary spirit is Gin?
Thanks
Richard
You would be looking at an LM/VM design with a gin basket placed into the vapour path to produce Gin.
Welcome to HD... Head on over to the Welcome Center and tell us a little about yourself...
shutterich wrote:I have a 50gal kettle with steam jacket and limited head room (3 feet) what style still should I build when my primary spirit is Gin?
Thanks
Richard
Welcome aboard.
For a gin your gona want a still that will give you a good neutral base to work with. Then a good way of infusing the flavors. The problem you are going to run into is 3' is short for a total reflux still height. To make a good neutral. So I will suggest you research a hybrid that has a packed section above one or two plated sections. A modular design would be best. As you could run it one way to get your neutral base. Then reconfigure it to get the best infusion of the flavors for your spirit run. Have a look around there are a growing number of hybrid stills. My bubble bumper experiment Fu Man is an example. LWTCS has some videos that led up to what we are now calling hybrid stills.
In the space of a week or so of reading, Ive gone from buying a still, to deciding on making one! Thats purely down to the wealth of info here, so a thanks to all the posters is first matter of business!
I have found a source of legit kegs, and can get a 50l stainless easily enough. I have seen though that they also offer 30l kegs. I guess my question is, other than the time involved to work with 40l of wash compared to 25l, is there any point in going with the smaller keg?
I want to make a propane heated keg with 2" reflux column initially, and maybe a pot column later that could go on the same keg. Still working thru the all the reading as to what type of reflux column would be best for me.
Back to the reading.
All this readings giving me a headache. Upside? At least the grog wont.
hay all is any body using one of the Electric Reflux Still as
i am also in to all grain brewing all ready i all ready have a pid unit to controll water temps you getting my drift
i all ready have a small steel keg and can weld
us in uk converting kettle elments for brewing so with a pid unit can controll the element to where ever temp we like within say 1 deg c
If your PID has manual control it will work for you. But you can't control a still by boiler temp. Because the boiling point is changing all the time. Some good reading on this in the must read new distiller reading lounge. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=16635
And yes many of us use electric boilers. But you need a good controller that can adjust the amount of heat you put into the boiler that has a constant output.
I was able to avail of their new design, it's no longer riveted but fully soldered and really well crafted (I was quite hesitant because the old design was riveted and it might leak and all)! Everyone knows it's a pot still and it's pretty versatile, can make moonshine, whiskey, vodka etc. although it's especially designed for whiskey and brandy. I've made my first batch and it was just awesome 
However, I still recommend this vendor! 
