My first DIY pot still design - opinions needed

[Maynard Rowley]

Working on designing my first pot still. I have a 15 gallon sanke keg that I was thinking of using as the boiler. I was then thinking of using the keg to copper tube kit sold by mile high distilling to connect a 24" long section of ø2" pipe to the keg. This would then go to a 90° elbow, followed by a 45°elbow, a ø2" to ø1" reducer, a 6" long section of ø1" pipe, a ø1" to ø1/2" reducer and lastly a 36" lg section of ø1/2" pipe. I'd then use (2) ø3/4"-1/2"-1/2" tees and a 30"leg section of ø3/4" pipe to create a liebig around the ø 1/2" pipe. The whole thing will look like the attached picture.

I'll use a march pump that I currently use for beer brewing to circulate water through the liebig. I'll heat the whole thing over a banjo burner that I also have for beer brewing (any tips to avoid scorching?)

Any thoughts/opinions?

[oliver90owner]

Working on designing my first pot still.

In more realistic terms you intend to copy the one in the picture?

[Maynard Rowley]

I modeled the one in the picture in Autodesk Inventor. It's kind of unfair/ignorant for you to assume that I just pulled a photo off the internet. I am aware that my still looks very similar to others, but I tweaked things here and there so that I can use things I already have and order what I don't from McMaster. I think using the term "designing" is appropriate, apparently you don't. Not sure that has anything to do with my question which was about the still, not semantics.

[heartcut]

That ought to work well as drawn.
My only comments would be:
Add a few more inches to the 2" after the 45 to allow the vapor to collapse before the reducer. Same principal as a tapered Lyne arm without as much work and coppersmithing chops.
Make the Liebeg as long as will fit and consider 1" over 3/4" (I'm assuming the drawn one is 3/4" over 1/2"). That's so you can go fast when stripping.
Inventor is a nice program, but they're sure proud of it.

[Maynard Rowley]

Thanks for the comments Heartcut.

I have to buy the 2" from McMaster, and it looks like the shortest lengths it comes in are 2' and 5'. I made the main column 2' tall. What are your thoughts on making the column shorter, say 20" tall and then using the extra 4" after the 45° elbow? I'd just hate to have to order a 5' section when all I really need is 4". Also, for what it's worth I found ø2" pipe locally but they'll only sell it by the full length (10' or so). I'll keep looking locally and if I can find a short section I'll stick to the 24" column with 4" after the reducer.

As for the Liebeg: I thought I read somewhere that ø3/4" over ø1/2" was the most "ideal" for cooling. I originally had a ø1" over ø1/2" in there. I'll look at switching it back.

Autodesk is a bit like Microsoft: very proud of their software even when it's "buggy" and doesn't work. Inventor is pretty good but I think Solidworks is better. We use Inventor at work and I stick with it for that reason.

Thanks again for the feedback/comments. Take care.

[rad14701]

The 2" pot column does little for the performance of the pot still itself and as such simply increases construction costs... Use as few fittings as needed and save some cash for the next still or other equipment... Or send it to me...

The reason oliver90owner made the comment he did is because so many members piss away time drawing up the exact same design and expecting praise for doing so... We've seen it, lots of times... It's been commented on, lots of times... You're just reinventing the wheel in our eyes... I guess your attitude depends on which side of the fence you're on...

[Bushman]

I am going to take another approach and hope it doesn't confuse you. Normally I would agree with rad about saving the money and keeping it simple but personally if I build a pot still I really like Walkin Wolf's design as it has more angles but adds balance to it so the liebig extension isn't off balance and in need of support. I will look for his picture and repost if I find it.

[Maynard Rowley]

Thanks for the reply rad14701. If I understand you correctly you're saying it'd be OK to shorten the main column to 20" or so and then use the extra length after the 45° elbow as suggested by heartcut?

I hesitate to respond to your other comment. I am new to this community and I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. That said I would like to point out that oliver90owner is also new to this site; he has only been a member since February of this year. How many times could he have possibly seen people "reinventing the wheel"?

Also, are you sure you're not adding your own personal feelings to his comment? As I read it he was simply assuming that I copied a picture off of the internet and then claimed the design as my own. I stand by my comment that it is unfair/ignorant to make assumptions like that. Even if that was the case; how is making a comment like his constructive for anyone?

I also don't believe any part of my original post made it sound like I was seeking praise; I was simply asking for advice. After reading through the threads it seemed like everyone suggests Samohon's pot still so I used that as a starting point. Yes, I agree I tweaked it/changed it a little. I didn't do this seeking praise, I did it so I could use some of the crap I already have. Perhaps I should have pointed that out. At the time I didn't think of it; even if I did I wouldn't have thought it was necessary.

I'm sorry if this upsets or offends anyone. I guess I am just used to forums like those on homebrewtalk (where I am also a member) where making changes is considered part of building your own equipment.

[Maynard Rowley]

I am going to take another approach and hope it doesn't confuse you. Normally I would agree with rad about saving the money and keeping it simple but personally if I build a pot still I really like Walkin Wolf's design as it has more angles but adds balance to it so the liebig extension isn't off balance and in need of support. I will look for his picture and repost if I find it.

Thanks Bushman. I'll definitely take a look at Walkin Wolf's design before I finalize anything.

[RonH3154]

Maynard you can also order short lengths fo 2" copper from Grainger and have it shipped or pick it up at their warehouse if there is one in your area.

[Coyote]

Stop by your local plumber and ask for a short piece of 2"

Tell him your trying to make a wind chime the misses found
in a magazine - he'll know what some of those crazy women can come up
with.

Or tell him your wife wants you to make her some bracelets, matching for
her and her 4 sisters you know the kind 1.5" wide on the top and narrow on
the underside.

You have never worked with copper so you need a foot or 2 so you have some
material to foul up and practice on.

Coyote

[heartcut]

What coyote said. Also, most metal scrapyards will sell you whatever hasn't been crushed for a buck or 2 over spot price. 2" pipe and fittings are easy to find at the local metal recyclers and I've stumbled over a little 4", but it's rare. I just make it a point to drop by and ask occasionally.

[Maynard Rowley]

Good idea heartcut & coyote. There is a scrapyard not far from my work, I'll go check it out. If they don't have anything I'll call a few plumbers.

[jholmz]

what he meant by reinventing the design is take a look at samohans easy pot design its what most of us use and pretty much the same thing theres a link in my sig

[GuyFawkes]

I hesitate to respond to your other comment. I am new to this community and I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. That said I would like to point out that oliver90owner is also new to this site; he has only been a member since February of this year. How many times could he have possibly seen people "reinventing the wheel"?

You'd be surprised. Also, you only know how long he has been a member, not how much he has read nor how long he has been reading it. Rad's point is valid, and probably about half of all new members introduce themselves with some sketch or another of their design, and it almost always is something that has already existed for a long time and many people have already done before, or it's a really stupid idea. I am guilty of it myself.

The sooner you realize you following in a well tread path, the better. There is a metric f***ton of information about your still idea spread all over the site. I'm not sure what about it you think is original, but I can guarantee you there are only so many places you can get copper pipe/fittings from, only so many sizes and shapes of said copper, and only so many ways you can arrange them. Unless you're literally taking sheet copper and building the still (and even then in many cases), odds are it has been done before and there's sound advice you can read to improve it and avoid making the same mistakes.

[Maynard Rowley]

Has anyone even bothered to read this guys last few posts? Let's see:


Re: liebeg or worm or what?
My comment is :What a waste of a good Corny keg.
by oliver90owner
Tue Apr 09, 2013 4:57 am


Re: My first DIY pot still design - opinions needed
Working on designing my first pot still.

In more realistic terms you intend to copy the one in the picture?
by oliver90owner
Tue Apr 09, 2013 4:51 am

Re: New pot still
Maybe stop trying to re-invent the wheel and follow a well tried and tested design? Probably easily searched out on this site.
by oliver90owner
Tue Apr 09, 2013 4:42 am

Re: sugar weight
I don't think this thread is worth bothering about. We now have a perfectly neutral carbon footprint, for yeast converting biomass to carbon dioxide, and there are some who are thinking it adds to global warming! Ha ha ha. These hypotheses need simple testing to prove they are not true, so don't'hol...

How are ANY of those statements constructive in any way? oliver90owner wasn't trying to help anyone, he was simply being a prick. If you disagree with someone's post or what someone is trying to do it's just as easy to be pleasant and constructive as it is to be an a$$hole.
It's just as easy to say "have you looked at ______'s design, it's a good starting point?" as it is to say "stop trying to reinvent the wheel".

And I agree, I could've spent more time searching the forums and other people's posts. I was trying to fast track a bit because I am in Canada, McMaster doesn't ship here (at least not to private individuals) and I was trying to place an order for the items I haven't been able to locate locally before crossing the border next weekend. I tossed a quick model together using the items I have been able to cobble together just to illustrate where I was going and then I asked for people's advice. So sorry for trying to take a short cut. Apparently this isn't the sort of community that tolerates that.

All that said, this site is obviously not for me. Thanks to all that offered opinions and advice. To the others: thanks for convincing me to become part of a different community.

[F6Hawk]

Maynard, I am as new to this as you. But I have seen that design MANY times over. I went with a Bokakob design, as I wanted more options, and thus far, I am happy with my decision. I don't use a Liebig, but some do. I may add a small one to my 1/4" output line to knock down some of the vapors I get when cooking.

Don't get offended. A thick skin will go a long ways, and there are a LOT of smart people here who will give good advice, as well as some stinging rebukes.

BLUF... have fun doing what you do. Enjoy the hobby. Read, take it all in, and do what is easy and workable for you. Pot stills produce flavored spirits, reflux one produce neutral spirits of a higher ABV. Know what you want, and make it. Make it yours. So many options, so many ways to skin the cat. And even if someone disagrees.... it's still your cat.

[wv_cooker]

Working on designing my first pot still.

Here is what got you.

When I first came on her I made about the same mistake in my first post about my still. Got a real short answer as to why it was too hard to build and how it had been done before, and on and on. You get the picture, but when I explained that I am not in any way an engineer and what I was trying to accomplish, the same person gave me the best info that I could possibly have gotten and it clarified my build. I built it, it works, I love it, you tell me who won? A lot of people here have given you good info that you seek, and there are plenty of Canadian folks that I am sure can help with your parts dilemma. Slow down put pride behind you until your still is done, the information you seek is here. Then you can have all the pride that the rest of us have in that first drink! By the way you and I signed up here within a day or two of each other.

[oliver90owner]

It's kind of unfair/ignorant for you to assume

I did not assume. Even more so for you not to read the question mark at the end of ther sentence.

There are ony so many designs out there for a simple pot still. They have all been invented before. It boils down to simple distillation - boiling off a liquid and recondensing it into a separate vessel, n'est ce pas?

I've been around long enough to see lots of re-inventions of the wheel on this site, let alone for the restof my life. I like to abide by the KISS principl.. Making a pot still is nothing more than deciding on sizes and doing the job.

I'll now go back and read the rest of the thread.

[Maynard Rowley]

After re-reading this entire thread from the beginning I can see I am definitely coming off on the wrong foot. The post I made last night after coming home from judging a beer competition certainly didn't help (in the future I won't post after coming home half cut). I think wm_cooker hit the nail on the head, I should never have said I was designing a still. I now understand that this is what oliver90owner was trying to say as well, I just misinterpreted his remark and it got my dander up. Wasn't my intention to sound like I was creating something new that hasn't been tried before. I work with people who use the terms "modeling" and "designing" interchangeably and I guess I've started to do it as well. Didn't even occur to me that it could be interpreted the wrong way.

I'm going to attempt to start over. Here is what I am trying to do:

I want to build my first still. I've looked at Somohan's design and I like it. I started creating a model of his still trying to use components that I already have (I find it easier to think things through with a model to look at). One change was moving the 45° elbow to the 2" section of pipe (I already have a 2" 45°) instead of having it on the 1" section. Then I just straightened out the 1" section while trying to keep it the same overall length as on Somohan's design (around 8" I think). I don't think this will affect much but I thought I'd ask for other people's opinion's before I go any further. Perhaps their advice can help me avoid some pit falls. My still still looks like other's I've seen on the site so I think it should be good.

And a quick thank you to heartcut & coyote: I stopped by a local scrap yard after work yesterday and found a 3'-0" section of 2" pipe (don't know why I didn't think of trying the scrap yard). Made another stop at a local plumbing supply and they had 1"-3/4"-3/4" tees and 3/4" to 1/2" reducing couplings that fit inside the 3/4" end of the tees (hope that makes sense). That should be all I need to make the 1" Liebeg over the 1/2" pipe. Now all I need is a 2" to 1" reducer (can get locally) and a couple of 3/4" to 1/2" female NPT adapters (which I can't find anywhere so I'll prob get from McMaster).

I hope that's better.

[bellybuster]

here's what I suggest
gather all your stuff including the keg and heat source. Set the keg where you will use it and decide where you want to place your collection point. Build your still backwards from the collection point using the minimum amount of fittings ($$)
that would mean building your leibig first and going from there.
I wish I had done this with my own.

[Angel_Kefka]

One thing I've seen mentioned (although didn't think to build into mine till it was too late) was using an adjustable union between 2 90* fittings at the top of the riser so you can adjust the angle of the liebig and height of the output for easier collection.

[Roundyround]

Glad to see you joining the site. The site can be a bit snarky at times but that's a small price to pay for the wealth of information and talent you are able to tap into here. Just remember it's one person's opinion usually, it's better to hear many views, then form your own. Looking forward to seeing your completed still.

[rad14701]

Maynard Rowley, it sounds like you have a good plan in place... Just don't over-complicate things... I can virtually assure you that this won't be your last still build... It gets in your blood like an addiction... And, as you will see over time spent here, this is not the only topic here where a new member was quick to judge and then came around once they did enough research to know why we say what we do... Don't take comments personal because they aren't... Many times they are made for the betterment of the entire community rather than merely being addressed to a particular situation...

Get building and post pictures of your progress...

[GuyFawkes]

I know sometimes it seems like you need to get it all perfect on your first shot, but you really don't. Just slap something together with whatever you can get by you and maybe the finishing touches from stuff that you may need to order. Don't over-complicate it, really.

Then, you can start researching through all the builds, gather ideas, take notes, ask questions, start to gather bits and pieces and save up and build your "perfect" one while you already have something else to tinker with. Trust me, this way works a lot better because inevitably if you want to build a really good still, your best friend is going to be spending lots and lots of time on it, and that way you don't rush things.

[wirdip]

Welcome aboard Maynard, You have gotten a lot of peoples attention with your first still plans, and lots of comments. I would like to agree with all those that said build it and then start thinking/planning your next still. It is an infectious hobby and there are always lots of ways of doing things. I have built a completely different pot still and am now working on a reflux column, please have a look at my attempt.

[Maynard Rowley]

Wirdip: I imagine it was "fun" to coil that double helix! I hope my copper joints turn out as well as yours.

[Boda Getta]

+1
"I want to build my first still. I've looked at Somohan's design and I like it. I started creating a model of his still trying to use components that I already have (I find it easier to think things through with a model to look at). One change was moving the 45° elbow to the 2" section of pipe (I already have a 2" 45°) instead of having it on the 1" section. Then I just straightened out the 1" section while trying to keep it the same overall length as on Somohan's design (around 8" I think). I don't think this will affect much but I thought I'd ask for other people's opinion's before I go any further. Perhaps their advice can help me avoid some pit falls. My still still looks like other's I've seen on the site so I think it should be good."

Good luck with your build.

BG

[Xnerd]

I like to put a tee on the top of the column and place a very small piece of pipe with a cap on it.
I drill a hole the cap for temp probe. I also only hold the cap on with dough so that it is the weak link in the system.
Any burbs will make the cap lift off. only happened one time when I was running too full.

Live and learn

[Xnerd]

and consider an adapter to remove the condenser!
You will be SO happy that you did...

I know that copper fittings are expensive but it is so worth it to do it right.
Im going to add another adapter in the horizontal section for easy cleaning.