Gettin an all copper still. Good company?

[Aaron_the_distiller]

I am currently on the prowl for an all copper still. Im lookin for 5 gal plus. Im deciding between a still kit or making my own. The 5 gal kit im lookin at is a product of clawhammersupply.com. It is a completely diy kit with nothing assembled, so i could modify if i wish. Its $249.00 usd. I have found all the materials neccessary for a similar custom build for the same price or more. My question is: is the company reliable? I know stilldrinkin and hillbillystills isnt, but what about them? Needing a few opinions on the subject. I have plans already made for a custom still of very similar design, but need a little help deciding. Any input is appreciated

[Doogie]

Seems reasonable from a quick search
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=33053
I do not have one - and I dunno if since it is a kit not a finished product if it gets away from the whole TTB investigation that is going on

[Stainless dude]

Hi Aaron, I have read where claw hammer is a ok company. And I don't believe you have to worry about the parts having a number on them but if that does bother you. You could get some sheet copper, make some patterns and make your own. I believe there might even be a thread here with patterns available.

[Bushman]

If not I have a few patterns I have made for members, just give me a pm!

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Well i have plans fo the similar style still they sell, ony my plans use a hea cap with a side discharge arm into a coil, not a liebig and column. Im gettin a big paycheck thursday night( welding project being sold) and will be ordering supplies or still friday ir saturday. Just tryin to get an idea

[superdaveva]

Why all copper?what are you planing on making?

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Just a pure clean whiskey. I have a 5gal SS stock pot as a boiler, and a 1/2" column with a 1/4" worm. Im having terrible problems sealin the lid shut so im just lookin to upgrade for the long haul...

[Halfbaked]

Aaron I have not heard anything bad about clawhammer stills, There are plans on this site and builds on this site that are at least as good IMO as a clawhammer. If you have a printer I would just buy a sheet of copper and cut it out yourself. Save you a bit of money. The real quality is not in cutting out the copper it is putting the solder to it. The video that clawhammer puts out on putting of their stills together is first class. I would love to put one of them together.

[Rivver]

A fellow shiner/friend ordered a kit from clawhammer and is completely satisfied with it. If you can solder halfway decent, you can assemble the still rather easily. He has had it for a couple years now, and is making some fine sourmash with it.

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Ok. I have made up my mind to build ine using the plans of the clawwhammer one, but a larger pot, because i have to buy an 8' sheet o copper, i might as well use it

[Prairiepiss]

Haven't been many bad reviews for their equipment or kits. Some of the recipes on their site or sent with the stills. Is a different story.

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Well, im gonna use the exact style they use, and probably their video to build it, only makin my pot larger and the liebig longer. I have to buy a 3ft x 8ft 16oz copper sheet, so im gonna use as much as i can and make a larger capacity pot still out of it. Yall think 16oz is a good size? My plans call for a 20oz sheet, but this is all i can find for my price range.

[Hound Dog]

I used 16 oz for the sides of my boiler and 20 for the top and bottom. For the opening that the head fits into I used a piece of 1/8" x 2" bar stock so it would be very rigid. I think you could use 16 oz for everything but would want a little more for the bottom. Just my opinion.

That sized sheet should be more than enough to make everything. Keep in mind that despite what Clawhammer says on their website (pretty sure it was them that used to say it) you don't need a packed column on a pot still. You don't gain reflux from it.

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Yes i know. I dont want reflux. Im lookin for more metal but 16 is all i can find. I may just double up the bottom, will also keep the heat transfer more even and prevent scorching...

[planethax]

One of the reasons I went the keg route is it can be difficult to find items in Canada that may be more readily available and cheaper in the US. Woulda loved the look of an all copper 20g setup.

[corene1]

Well, im gonna use the exact style they use, and probably their video to build it, only makin my pot larger and the liebig longer. I have to buy a 3ft x 8ft 16oz copper sheet, so im gonna use as much as i can and make a larger capacity pot still out of it. Yall think 16oz is a good size? My plans call for a 20oz sheet, but this is all i can find for my price range.

It all depends on how big of boiler you are going to make. The larger the diameter the heavier the copper needs to be. I recently built a copper still for a friend and we used 16 oz for the side and 48 oz. for the bottom. It was 20 inches by 20 inches and works well but is a little delicate for my likings. If I were to do it again I would use 20 or even 24 oz for the sides just for the strength. It will also be propane fired. What are the dimensions of the still you are planning to make?

[Hound Dog]

I don't think you can just double sheets up. I would think the outer sheet would burn through because it does not have the contact with the liquid. Where I agree with Corene, thicker is better, I used 20 oz on the bottom of mine and it works fine. I just put a grill grate over my burner for it to sit on and support it a little. I don't know the radius any more, its whatever 47" circumference comes to since I used a 24" x 48" sheet for the cylinder with a folded locking seam up the side.

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Rough size will be 24" tall x 12" bottom. Should get around 5+gal size. Thats just the pot. It will have a 2ft column and liebig

[Hound Dog]

A cylinder 24" tall with a 6" radius should have a volume of 2714 cubic inches. There are 231 cubic inches to a gallon so that should give you about 11 3/4 gallons.

[Halfbaked]

Aaron Keep it below 25 gal to be in the hobby size. The larger the size helps make cuts easier. Something to consider is if you evvvvveeeeerrrrrrrrr think you might go electric then keep your diameter large enough to put an element in. a 15gal keg is 23x15.5. I would guesstimate that the actual size that holds the liquid is closer to 15.5x 16 +- some after you take off the shields that guard the top or bottom.

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Yes i will. I dont want anything bigger than 20 at absolute most. Ill do some math cause i may go bigger than what i said before, or skinnier, but im sure it wont be that exact size

[Hound Dog]

Yes i will. I dont want anything bigger than 20 at absolute most. Ill do some math cause i may go bigger than what i said before, or skinnier, but im sure it wont be that exact size

Just Google cylinder volume calculator and you can figure up what you need in a jiffy. I did a 24" x 48" sheet folded seam and all it comes to about 19 gallons. I find it a convenient size. I can ferment in a 20 gallon brute trash can leaving some head space and room for crap to settle, rack off into 3 five gallon buckets to clear. Gives me a just right charge in my boiler for a run that does not take forever.

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Good idea. I might look into it.

[corene1]

You might want to make it a little wider and less tall. It will be a more stable platform that way. More surface area for the flame to work on also.

[Hound Dog]

I agree with Corene here too. I think a short and squat boiler is good. As round as is tall would be my preference. This is a subject that varies greatly in opinion also around the board. The example of mine was just what I had to work with at the time. Check out the thread of the one she made recently if you want to see a beautiful boiler!

[Aaron_the_distiller]

Ok well im still loking into it all. Ill get a exact design and size in mind, and ill post it when its done

[Bugflipper]

Of course your main concern with 16 oz won't have anything to do with running. It will be transporting and storage. Just easily dented and in a worst case damaged or destroyed. If you can be careful with it and not allow anything to bump into it then no big deal. On a positive note if it did get caved in it would likely be simple to blow it back out with an air compressor.

For the bottom also no big deal. You can braze whatever you want to the bottom of the copper with whatever thickness desired. Just think permanent diffuser plate. It wouldn't even have to be copper.

Have to agree short and fat is the way to go. I can appreciate those guys are looking to get as much as they can out of a sheet and likely they came up with the best design to give maximum profits without waste since copper is expensive. Just not as efficient of a boiler shape though. Since you control that and only need to get 1 out of 1 sheet then you aren't as constricted.

[ChairLawyer]

This is the pot Corene is helping me with, 20" x 20" with 16 oz. sides. It is waaay more durable than I ever thought.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=46393

[Full_moon]

I built the 5 gal. clawhammer still about 4 months ago. It is a quality kit and an easy build if you are comfortable with soldering.
I have made about 7 runs with it now and I am quite pleased, as a newbie I stuck with the sweetfeed and UJssm recipe and made some real nice moonshine.
I have run into a slight dilemma with the size, 5 gal. When you make a 5 gal. ferment and want to go to 2nd and 3rd. gen runs and adding the feints there is little room left so something has to give.
The one and only problem I had with it, I had to add a support at the bottom of the lieburg, a small 1/2 in, piece of 3/8th tubing soldered in as attatching the hoses on and off to the lieburg caused one of the top 1/2in. L solder joint to come loose to the flexing. Now its rock solid.
A good little still.