I NEED HELP LOL

[Vitruvian_Man82]

I see some of the diagrams, but I would prefer a more descriptive one to help me step by step on what to do! Please, help me

[just-a-sip]

I see some of the diagrams, but I would prefer a more descriptive one to help me step by step on what to do! Please, help me

my advice is to read until you get it. although many people here are super helpful no one is going to spoon feed you a step by step. there are hundreds of great build threads that are almost an exact how to on any given design. do some searches take notes and pay attention

[HolyBear]

First, what is it you like to drink??? That will dictate what type of still ta make generally, then figure out what recipe sounds alot like yer taste... that parts simple... dive in, do lots a reading, were about the hobby hear, (purely hypothetical of course), read, learn, understand, grasshopper...

[Prairiepiss]

If you can't build one with the information provided here. Maybe you would be better off buying one? Just a thought.

[Vitruvian_Man82]

I have read alot, Im interested either in the neutral tasting liquor or whiskey, Im one of the newbies thats not bright, I dont want to ask all the same questions I just would like to get into this but want to go about it the right, safe and best way. Im in it for the enjoyment of the hobby, not for anything else, here in nebraska it int a big thing so its hard to have a base point to start with. I have noticed tons of different stills, stilling instructions etc, I guess I just wanted someone to lead me in the right direction for the best information as I have never been on a forum so Im not familiar with how it works as well but Im slowly making my way around I appreciate your replies very much

[Vitruvian_Man82]

I know theres alot of information here, I guess I said it wrong, Im looking for a link to some diagrams as I have a hard time navigating....my apologies

[Prairiepiss]

Short answer there is a plans and diagrams thread in the must read new distiller reading lounge. And another one in the Research and Theory section.

Long answer. This hobby isn't a good one to just get a set of plans and go. We get new members all the time. I built this still I got plans from xxxxxxx.com. And it don't work. Most of the time they can't even tell you what kind of still it is. And it ends up being a completely wrong type for what they want to make. If they had taken the time to research. And learned how the different stills work and their theories. What the different stills make and not make. What happens if you do this or that. Bla Bla Bla.

What I'm trying to say is take your time. Read until the puzzle pieces start falling into place and you start having ah ha moments. Then go back and read stuff you already read. And you will have more ah ha moments. Then you will understand the why's and what fores. And you won't even need a set of plans. Because you will know why a still is built the way it is. And you will be able to adjust to what materials you have available to you. And your building skills. You will have far less headaches and things will go so much smoother.

I read for 2 months elsewhere before I found HD. I thought I had a good handle on it. Then I started reading here. And man was I an idiot. I read here for another 6 months. Then I thought I had a good enough handle on it that I could finally build something and make it work good. I did. And it went pretty damn smooth. Because I had taken the time to research all the things that mite or could happen. And I was ready for it.

This hobby takes patients and the greed needs to be left at the door.

F:

Good luck be safe take your time.

[Vitruvian_Man82]

Thank you for both short and long answers lol, I appreciate it and yeah I have been reading all over the web then found this and have been hooked and looking all over, Im definitely taking my time and reading all kinds of valuable information so it is done in a safe professional manner as Id like to be able to say Im proud of my finished product etc, thanks again

[rad14701]

Thank you for both short and long answers lol, I appreciate it and yeah I have been reading all over the web then found this and have been hooked and looking all over, Im definitely taking my time and reading all kinds of valuable information so it is done in a safe professional manner as Id like to be able to say Im proud of my finished product etc, thanks again

The best advice I can give you is to slow down and allow the information your are being overwhelmed by to sink into the gray matter... I can tell by the two almost identical topics that you have started that you are becoming overwhelmed... There is a lot of information and many theories to be absorbed and understood... Once you have done enough research you will know when you are ready to proceed... We can't give you a link to a Step-By-Step-How-To because that would only provide on narrow view of how thing might be able to be done... You need to learn your options...

[Prairiepiss]

+1 Rad. Until you get a good grasp if the info. You will change your mind every other day of what you want to make or build. Then when it starts to sink in then you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. And it will be shining in the one you need to build.

[Vitruvian_Man82]

Ok well thanks for the information guys Ive read all damn day and decided I want to start with the reflux still and get that down and try to gain knowledge through that route now Im looking into diagrams on how to make one at home, as I like to build things rather than buy them

[Prairiepiss]

Ok now what design of reflux still do you want to build? And why that design? They all do things a little different. And choosing which is best for you. Can be a little tricky.

[Vitruvian_Man82]

Im actuallyy thinking about th fractionating design and only because I can grasp the concept the best and have found a decent diagram. Honestly I just want to start with a simple concept to learn the trade and go from there. I take this very serious and get lost when I start navigating on this site theres so much information my mind is all over the place lol and I found a decent diagram for this type of still, so now I have a type chosen, Now I can focus on all the fine details for this specific type instead of finding all the specifics of all of them then choosing, Id prefer to start wth a neutral liquor that I can flavor to my choice. I might sound like a complete idiot but this is the best way for me to go about it as I cant handle all the different options, I rather start with just one and go from there

[Prairiepiss]

There really isn't a fractioning design. This is really a generic term that is used for many different stills. Some of which aren't even reflux stills. And won't make a good neutral. There are 3 main designs of reflux stills. And each of these make different things better or worse. There are some good threads in the must read new distiller reading lounge that explains the differences between the designs.

[Vitruvian_Man82]

I guess Ill break it down Id rather just start with simplest one to learn the trae and go from there, id prefer to do neutral liquor to flavor to my liking, I just cant focus on tryng to learn the details of em all, Id rather learn specifics of one and attempt a good product and once i learn that type then possbly move on. i wrote a long post explaining but it didnt post.... grrrrr

[Prairiepiss]

Suit yourself. Have fun. Good luck.

[Vitruvian_Man82]

Thanks Prairie, Im gonna go look into the different types in the Must read section this week and get the information I need, I appreciate you taking the time to help me out a little bit.

[Durace11]

The most simple design is the traditional pot still. It's just a pipe out and reducers into a liebig condenser. Can be built on the cheap or bought ready to roll(after a cleaning run). Running it is simple as that, turn the heat up until product comes out then adjust the heat to your output and collect. Doesn't get much easier than that, you just need to re-run it a few times to get a more neutral product or start with a sugar wash and run it twice. Works fine for me and if you flavor it you will probably kill any leftover flavors anyway.

[HolyBear]

Yea, I like a potstill. Wish that's what I would have really started out with. Samohan has a nice one in the diagrams thread that lots of folks really like. I have one now that I use all the time as a stripper and on occasion I use it for whisky. Having a stripper running on one pot, while running a stripped wash with a reflux still saves time in the long run... maybe that would be too complicated for you right now, but what I'm saying is that a simple pot still head has usefulness even if you want to make a neutral... it's not really the case the other way around....I don't know, maybe I should delete this post...

[Durace11]

People have done it both ways, strip it 5+ times in a pot and you get a near neutral, run a reflux with little or no reflux (detuned) and you get near pot still flavor. Just depends on how much work you want to do to get what you want to get out if it.

[paramedic68whiskey]

Read through the parent site too. I started off with a simple pot still and a liebig and went on from there. A pot still is probably the easiest way to learn the basics and help you get the theory down. Then move onto a reflux still. It takes so long to really get a grasp of this hobby . These guys will help you, but just keep reading. When I started I had no idea how much info was out there on this. Good Luck!!! Happy Stillin!

[cornsqueezer]

I agree with these guys, a pot still is easy to make and run. That's what I started with and still use

[just-a-sip]

ok here is my $.2

pot stills are the oldest and simplest form of basic moonshining, hence the reason people have been shoving them into the woods and making spirits for years. however i think there are a few points that have been over looked. PP tried to hit on them and was more or less ignored. one basic fact is before you decide to spend time money and effort to make a still, the reading should be done to decide which still to make. the Original poster said himself " just cant focus on trying to learn the details of all of em"
2 main problems here.

1. before a build is done you should know what it is your building and why.. the poster said he wanted a neutral. hence forth should learn to build a rig made to run a neutral. although easy and simple are good starting points, you will waste time and effort building something that you may not like the product and perhaps will either have to start over (after doing the research you should have done from the start) and build a boka or something.

2. the thing PP was trying to hit on was the original poster himself was saying he didn't know the difference and then backed it up by calling all all reflux still fractionating stills. as he tried to explain them he blew him off stating he didn't have time to learn them all and was going to build the one he found because it had spoon fed diagrams. no real research was done to explain how it worked for the differences in each still. one of the main things we harp on is to read... and although most everyone says read read read the OP pp is the only one trying to not just enforce the principle but is trying to tell him to not just read till you get that little answer but to read and understand and learn.

don't just harbor the notion of its easy start there. although none of this is bad advice the bigger picture needs to be looked at when a new distiller starts making something he knows nothing about. lets make sure we remember why were here. to share teach and learn about SAFE home distillation. you cant have any sort of safe fun without knowing the basics.

I will get off my soap box