I started building my pot still after work tonight!

[TimJ]

]On the way home, I stopped and bought a 3' X 4' sheet of 16 oz. copper for $108.20. Ouch! lol......I have been playing with a design. It is just a simple pot still, made like most of them, but I had to calculate the dimensions and make up a template. Here are some pics, and explanation of what I did tonight:
First, I cut a piece of sheet 36" X 13". I "V'ed" out the bottom edge to form tabs. Then I folded 1/2 over on each end in opposite directions so they would interlock. This will be soldered later. Then I folded the tabs under 90 degrees.

Next, I cut a round disc for the bottom. Mathematically, it should have been just a hair under 11 1/16, but in the real world it ended up needing to be 10 and 15/16. To make this, I used a dremmel with a circle cutter to make a 1/4 inch plywood template.

Next came my first mistake. I had calculated the top cone to be a 13" disc with a hole in the middle and a slit up to that. Then overlap and seam to make a cone. The idea worked perfectly, but it should have been a 14" disc to allow for tabs to go down inside the wall of the pot. I decided to quit there and start again fresh tomorrow. I should have plenty of copper to cut a new one.

Tomorrow is another day. I will continue this tread as I work on it.

Thanks for looking,
Tim

[rgarry]

Looking good

[greasydog26]

May I ask where you bought the copper from? That seems like a good deal to what I have found on other internet sites...

[TimJ]

May I ask where you bought the copper from? That seems like a good deal to what I have found on other internet sites...

I bought it at a little metal shop in a town a couple of counties over from me. It is called Galicks in New Philadelphia, ohio. Not sure if they ship, but I bet they do. They had about 20 3'X10' sheets and will cut what ever size you want from a full sheet.
Galicks Inc.
330) 308-9211
Tim

[TimJ]

Here is the drawing I am working from:

[whiskeyD]

Any more progress on this still?

[TimJ]

Any more progress on this still?

Nope, you actually jumped in right at the beginning of this thread. I just started last night. Nonight, I hope to complete the pot, including solder. Tomorrow, which is Friday, I should finish the lyne arm and be ready for a cleaning run over the weekend. I will start my UJSSM this weekend as well. By December 21st, I should be ready for a stripping run. That is if there are no leaks or problems with the still to work out. lol

Keep checking back, I will let everybody know how it goes.

Tim

[greasydog26]

May I ask where you bought the copper from? That seems like a good deal to what I have found on other internet sites...

I bought it at a little metal shop in a town a couple of counties over from me. It is called Galicks in New Philadelphia, ohio. Not sure if they ship, but I bet they do. They had about 20 3'X10' sheets and will cut what ever size you want from a full sheet.
Galicks Inc.
330) 308-9211
Tim

Hey man thanks a bunch this is the best deal I have heard of for copper!!!

[mtnshiner85]

Looking good, I love traditinal copper pot stills, my bigger one should be here soon, I hope to be able to build my own one day, I keep practiceing my solder skills, and find a source for sheets maybe one day I can like you.

[TimJ]

Ok, tonight things went pretty well. I got the entire pot soldered together. I definetely don't claim to be a neet solder dude. And, I definetely don't claim to be any good, but what I did worked.
I have to admit, even I was surprised there were no leaks the very first time.

Here are the results:

[DavidWatkins]

Looks great Tim, once everything is together, give it a shine (I've heard cherry coolaid works wonders as a copper polish) and take a few more pic's for us before it acquires a patina from use.

[TimJ]

Thanks Dave,
I will shine her up good when done. I was watching a youtube video about that. Some recommend lemon juice and salt, some say Brasso, I have seen bar keepers helper......lol...there are so many to choose from. But I will shine her up real well with something, and maybe even some polish for good luck.

Tonight I hope to finish the cap and Lyne arm. It is Friday so I can work a little later. I am amaized at how much solder this has taken. I will have gone through $25 worth of solder by the time she is finished.

I will post more pictures tonight after I finish working.

Thanks everybody for the comments and advise. This just remains an awesome site!

Tim

[Im gone]

Very cool. Nice work! How many gallons does the boiler hold?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[TimJ]

Thanks Chig,
It is 11" in diameter, and the walls are 12" tall.
R=5.5 squared X pi =95.03 square inches on the bottom X 12" high = 1140 cubic inches. @ 231 cubic inches to the gallon, it works out to exactly 4.936 gallons.

Tim

[TimJ]

I've decided to name her "Ethel"

[manley125]

^ haha that means i can call her grandma

[TimJ]

Ok, she is ready for a good cleaning and polishing. Then she can stand proud and pretty.
Tim

[WalkingWolf]

Congratulations man -- u, sho-nuff went ole-school on this build. A build you can be proud of and will be around for a long time.

[TimJ]

Walkingwolf,
Wow, what a wonderful compliment! This is such a wonderful site, and such helpful people and information. I live in a small little cabin, and this style still just seemed to fit my lifestyle better than the reflux and newer style stills. I plan on making mostly UJSM, so this still will work well for that too.

Last night I stopped at Tractor Supply and the local grocery for some "makin's" I hope to get it mixed up this weekend and let the bubblin' begin.

But.......SHIT! Now I need to learn to play a fiddle! lol

Tim

[WalkingWolf]

If you put as much effort in fiddle-learn'n as you did still-mak'n you'll be playing fiddle in short order.

[scotland_cad]

hey nice work man!! i'd recommend the equal parts vinegar and water for cleanin her out.. i ran my still the first time like that and whoah!! did it ever shine!!

[TimJ]

Thanks Scotland,
I will do a vinigar run early this week. The wash for my UJSM was put together yearsterday and I hope to do a stripping run next Saturday.
Tim

[Prairiepiss]

You will need to do the vinegar run and a sacrificial alcohol cleaning run. It's outlined in the cleaning a new still thread found in the must read new distiller reading lounge.

So I wouldn't waist the UJSSM on a cleaning run. Because all of it will need to be thrown out. Not fit to drink. Even the backset.

Maybe make up some Birdwatchers or a cheap box wine for the sacrificial alcohol run.

[NY Chris]

Nice looking still
I love the arm you made, should flow nice.

What will hold the cap in place, don't want it to pop off while heating.

Good luck with it.
Chris

[Cmdte]

Nice, I like the old PopCorn kinda style look to it, should bring nice flavours on whisky.

[TimJ]

Nice looking still
I love the arm you made, should flow nice.

What will hold the cap in place, don't want it to pop off while heating.

Good luck with it.
Chris

It shouldn't be a problem popping off. The worse problem is getting it to slide down on. It fits over the collar on the pot REAL tight. You have to get it just right to get it to slide down on. If any steam leaks, I will make a flour paste.

Tim

[TimJ]

Nice, I like the old PopCorn kinda style look to it, should bring nice flavours on whisky.

Thanks cmdte! Popcorn is my hero!

[NY Chris]

Just sayin,
If your going to be heating with propane I think you should secure that top, I recently had a problem with a still similar to yours.
Maybe some of the veterans will chime in on this.
If your heating with a hot plate I'm not sure if it would be a problem, not sure about the igniting temp of ethanol vapor.
I have decided after my accident to hold my cap in place with a couple of heavy springs, just got to figure how and where to mount the loops.

You'll feel better knowing it's being held down.

Look at thread "Blew my top" if you get a chance.

Chris

[TimJ]

Chris,
I read what you suggested. It sounds like alcohol spilled from the top and ignited on the burner, then basically exploded the top off. This makes me extremely nurvious 'stillin in the house. Even if the top had been fastened down, it sounds like alchohol would have leaked and flashed. hhhmmmm
Glad you were ok. What did you do differently now? Your still is very simular to mine except the lyne arm.
Tim

[BareKnuckles]

Nice work man! I love those type stills... Keep us posted on your results..

-BK