My first still

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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Antidotum
Novice
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:28 am
Location: Morrow, Ohio

My first still

Post by Antidotum »

Making a Bokakob as my first still. Winding my own condenser and everything. I may even make my own controller for my heating elements. Figured I'd put a few pics up to show how its going.

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This is what my condenser came out looking like. No leaks, first time ever doing something like this and got it on my first try. Don't get me wrong, i think the coils are too close together and there are some near kinks, but it runs water threw it fine. The real test will be soon enough, just waiting on my thermometers and valve before I put the last few parts on.

Image
This is the bottom plate, I need to take a new pic now that I have both plates done and installed. Wow what a tedious job! I marked the angles out and cut them free hand with a hack saw and then sanded out the grooves to make them wide enough for my plates that I made from hammered out pipe.

I need to take a pic of my parrot(gonna have a stand made for it by my friend that is a black smith.. I hope). Should have at least 4-5 more pics coming soon!
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just-a-sip
Rumrunner
Posts: 660
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2010 3:31 pm

Re: My first still

Post by just-a-sip »

keep it up it will come together before you know it.
Just-A-Sip
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Antidotum
Novice
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:28 am
Location: Morrow, Ohio

Re: My first still

Post by Antidotum »

Got my Ferrule and tri clamp in the mail. Attempted to braze them together without the proper flux.. man was that frustrating! I go to the hardware store tomorrow to get the proper flux, then I'll have a tower. I'm holding off on installing my drain hose and thermal ports, mainly due to their tardy arrival. I'm leaning in the directions of ele. heating and after seeing this guys heating element installation http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... y#p6967496, I have some new ideas that are going to require some thought and planning! I hope to have it functional by this coming up weekend. More pics soon!
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bowhunt76
Swill Maker
Posts: 251
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:39 pm
Location: hell

Re: My first still

Post by bowhunt76 »

make sure you get yer cleaning runs in before you waste any good washes you might have layin about. get that rig runnin and clean and lets see what she does.. :clap:
my shizzle......13gal 3" vm.http://homedistiller.org/forum/download ... p?id=19748

E. CLAMPUS, VITUS....HANG THE BASTARD
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rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: My first still

Post by rad14701 »

That lower plate should have a drip tab on it, not simply a notch, to better direct the reflux down into the center of the structured packing... Without the tab the reflux will tend to run down the underside of the lower plate and channel down the column wall... You install the plate and bend the tab downward before installing the top plate...
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mystakilla
Swill Maker
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 8:22 am
Location: Paradise

Re: My first still

Post by mystakilla »

Looks good!

Make sure you are getting sufficient flow through the condenser, i believe 1 1/2L per minute? (I forget), some of the turns look flattened.
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