My first pot still build

[Bigmanley2]

It's taken me a month or so to build it to this point my pot is 16 guage stainless and my cap is 16 gauge copper finally got them both welded up today cap won't be permanently connected, and I'm thinking it needs to be a little bigger? Still got to put my cap arm on, I'm going to use 2 in. Copper pipe. And I've still got to put a drain valve on my pot.
Still got to make my thumper and my worm, I'm hoping it does the job the right way I've got a lot of time in this thing

[S-Cackalacky]

Great lookin' start. With your metal workin' skills, I'm lookin' forward to seein' the finished build. Should be somethin' special to behold.

Good luck with it,
S-C

[dakotasnake]

looks good. the cap is big enuff

[just sayin]

Very nice stainless and copper! How much is she going to hold?

[Bigmanley2]

17 gallons to the bottom of the reducer. Think I'm going to make 10 gallon mash. @Dakotasnake I didn't really have anything to go by for my cap size I just used my logic, but it looked small on that pot so I was wondering if it was big enough or needed to be bigger for some reason. Also do y'all know if the 2 inch cap arm is a good size or need to be bigger and does an up or down angle make a difference ? Thanks for the compliments fellas

[acfixer69]

Great looking pot and copper head there.
AC

[Bigmanley2]

You're right sir it was a typo it's a 17 gallon pot and I was going to run a 10 gallon mash

[Bigmanley2]

Oh and I'm building a small stainless gas burner pack to heat it, unless I can find a heating element ALOT cheaper than the ones I've seen so far

[acfixer69]

I use 2 of these http://www.amazon.com/Camco-02963-Screw ... tt+element" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow with a phase angle controller mounted in the boiler with 2 half couplings an run thought controlled thru a phase angle controller. It is the best rig. I run in the basement NO WORRIES.

AC

Run it off my weld socket

[Truckinbutch]

Build looks fine . 2" will serve you well . I'm partial to gas fired as opposed to electric , just personal preference . Was I you I would build a liebig rather than wrap a worm . Again , personal preference . I feel it is more efficient and can take less space . I favor down angles from the cap to output .
Be safe . Have fun . You've started out real well

[1lowluv]

Very nice!

[Bigmanley2]

@acfixer69 I like your idea and I get the concept but I'm not understanding the actual( can't get the picture in my head ) of how to mount it and these controls your talking about, which is why I was going with gas on top of the prices of the elements I've seen for $100+

[pfshine]

Even if the elements were $100 (i got mine for $20) you would still save money in just a few runs. I figure about one tank of propane or a little less per run at 20 a tank or so vs two or three bucks in electricity. A gain of $17 per run. And its easier to controll and duplicate.

[Bigmanley2]

Ok, that's absolutely right, and I would like to go with a heating element instead of gas, but I'm not sure about where to put element, where holes shoul go for wire if any holes are needed what kin of controls to put on it to control the element, how do you propose mounting element and control I've never seen a still with hearing element from inside to out maybe one of you guys could make a drawing of how it should go and pm it to me or give a dummies guide explanation. I've always seen gas an or burners like a stove top

[Bigmanley2]

The beginnings of my thump keg

[Halfbaked]

NICE, VERY NICE. make mine next!