pressure cooker dangers

[hillbillychia]

I have a question concerning a 5 gallon , supposedly, all stainless pressure cooker from ACE hardware for 109.00$. I have just discovered some friends of mine are making some booze through one of these pressure cookers. For one thing, the cheapest all stainless cooker I can personally find online is for around 275.00$ and it is an off brand from target. i looked on the ACE site when they told me what they were using and the only one I saw was just stainless on the outside. I am assuming from the description that it is alumanum on the inside. They swear it is all stainless. It cant be, can it? Does anybody have any input on this? And does anybody know where a person might find a reasonably priced ALL stainless pressure cooker at a reasonable price? I am beginning to believe that I am going to go with one of Mile-HI's stainless milk cans and b done with it. Better safe than sorry. Are they really COMPLETE distillers? They seem to be to me, but as you can probably tell I am still pretty new at this, but I am studying hard on this forum and with help from all you good people, I will get there one day. Thanks for any and all help in advance.

[pfshine]

Dont use a pressure cooker they have rubber seals and are crazy expensive. Find a keg you can usually get them for around $50. Or get a ss stock pot and a bowl to clamp on. As for buying i would be warry the merchant has to keep your name and address on file for three years and hand it over to the ttb if they ask for it. There have been several busts and stills confiscated lately from those lists.

[Prairiepiss]

I would stop looking a pressure cookers. And start reading around here. There are many many different stills around here. That will give you a much better idea of how to build a good one.

[rad14701]

+1 on what the others have said... You don't see the rest of us using pressure cookers, do you...??? It's a very common novice mistake made by those who haven't done enough research... Take your time, do the research, and do it right the first time... We want you to be both safe and successful...

[hillbillychia]

thanks everybody, advice taken. what is the deal with the ATF coming to your house if u buy from mile-hi?

[pfshine]

Its not just MH its all still manufacturers.

[hillbillychia]

Oh ok, there goes that route. so it is back to making one myself. What could i use for gasket material if i started out with a stainless pot with ss bowl or ss lid on it?

[rad14701]

Flour paste works flawlessly... I use a flour:water ratio of 3:2... YMMV...

[hillbillychia]

thank you Mr. Rad sir, great to hear from such a respected source on the forum.

[Truckinbutch]

Lot of info here on keg builds . That's the easiest straight line shot . Stainless pot/bowl combinations are easily sealed with flour paste . A liebig condenser is much easier to fabricate than a worm .

[hillbillychia]

thanks again everybody for all the advice and safety help. I have another question or two though. if i go with a ss stock pot, does the column have to be in the dead center of the lid? as long as the handle does not have aluminum rivets, right?
I tried to talk my friend out of using his pressure cooker, as y'all advised, but they are pretty convinced it is fine. don't know what to do bout but keep trying. and, can i order some of that alcohol safe gasket material some where? thanks again in advance.

[Truckinbutch]

Column doesn't have to be dead center . Aluminum handle rivets can be replaced by ss bolts and gaskets .
As far as the friend ; you can't rape the willing . All you can do is advise . Let him screw himself and don't drink his hooch .

[hillbillychia]

thanks truckinbutch, is there a minimum size/height for the column? and i would really like to put a coil on it, would 1/2 inch be too much?

[rad14701]

Yeah, my 4 gallon stock pot has the column fitting offset to about mid way between the center and the outer rim and it works just fine... Steam rises and finds and follows the path of least resistance...