Home Distiller

TimJ wrote:Chris,
I read what you suggested. It sounds like alcohol spilled from the top and ignited on the burner, then basically exploded the top off. This makes me extremely nurvious 'stillin in the house. Even if the top had been fastened down, it sounds like alchohol would have leaked and flashed. hhhmmmm
Glad you were ok. What did you do differently now? Your still is very simular to mine except the lyne arm.
Tim

I never saw anything leak, I was firing the boiler with a lot of heat, overfiring my set up, the rapidly expanding alcohol vapor created pressure in my boiler and popped the top off.

I'm just going to braze spring mounts on each side of the cap and pot , keep pressure down on it with a couple of springs.

Popcorn would put a big rock on top of his cap to keep it down.

Not trying to hijack your thread with safety issues.

Love the still Tim, you got some skills.

Chris

Chris,
No worries on hijacking. I appreciate your input and concern. I have been debating on how exactly I am going to run my still. My first thought was sitting on the woodstove in the kitchen area. Second thought was on the kitchen cook stove (electric) and now thinking of moving to a outside fire.

The easiest to control heat wize would be the electric stove, but not sure how wife would handle that. lol

With proper damper management, the woodstove would be the next easiest. The outside fire would be the hardest to control, but safest for the house.

No matter which method is used, it sounds like slow and easy is key! Bring the heat up very slowly and not too high ever.
Tim

I use a propane burner from a turkey frier... Good control and works fabulously!

Tonight I made the worm and condensor. I think getting everything just right so the worm didn't have any flat, or uphill spots was harder than making the still it'self! Came out good though. Now I am ready for a cleaning run. I stopped and bought vinigar tonight but as long as it took to make the worm, I think I will wait until tomorrow to make the cleaning run.
Tim

Dude... I'm excited for you! I hope it all works flawlessly!

Good luck man...

might wanna get a piece steel to put between bottom of still and burner will help with flash heating the copper that thin and make slower temp swings.

Thanks Knuckles,
I have been reading everything I can find to read in this entire forum. The UJSSM is bubblin' as we speak. It has been a mild winter here in these here parts, so it has been easy to keep the cabin warm all night and day for the wash to brew. Good thing I have the wash covered! Everytime I open that closet, the dogs run over to get a wiff. I think they are natural born moonshiners! lol

Tim

Yeah man....I'm a little further south and it's been in the 60's and 70's here...My place always smell like bread baking!!!!

Do what Tater said. Add a piece of steel between you boiler and burner...!

Can't wait to see how she performs!

Tater wrote:might wanna get a piece steel to put between bottom of still and burner will help with flash heating the copper that thin and make slower temp swings.

Thanks Tater, good idea! I plan on heating her up real slow the first run until I get a better feel for it.
Tim

BareKnuckles wrote:Yeah man....I'm a little further south and it's been in the 60's and 70's here...My place always smell like bread baking!!!!

Do what Tater said. Add a piece of steel between you boiler and burner...!

Can't wait to see how she performs!

I think I learn something new everytime I read a thread on this site
I never did like that heavy flame directly on my still bottom but never thought to slip a piece of steel between them.
Thanks Tater.

Good luck with your first runs Tim.

chris is right about securing the cap...its even more true when running a thumper ( or two ).

Also if you still ever starts spitting vapor cut off all possible ignition sources immediately!!

Just set it low and take it slow...


Love the still!

CT

Copper Thumper wrote:chris is right about securing the cap...its even more true when running a thumper ( or two ).

Also if you still ever starts spitting vapor cut off all possible ignition sources immediately!!

Just set it low and take it slow...


Love the still!

CT

Tonight I am going to stop by the shop and solder a couple of leaks around the rim of the pot. I am thinking of just keeping the still there and doing my run in the shop instead of bringing it home again. It is in a building on the other side of the county, but a safer place to do the run. I can use a propane grill there as my heat source, and be in a big cement block building where nothing but me can burn. lol

Ok, seams resoldered, and it is on the stove boiling vinegar as I type. I have 2 bottles of crappy tasting wine to run through next. Can somebody confirm that will work for the sacroficial alchohol run?
Tim

Next question......I assume the drippings coming out GREEN is normal from the vinegar oxidizing the copper inside the still????????
lol...hope so!
Tim

Yep... oxidization and flux.. Yes you can use crappy wine for cleaning...

BareKnuckles wrote:Yep... oxidization and flux.. Yes you can use crappy wine for cleaning...

Thanks knuckles......feel better now......lol

Yeah man... No problem...

I'm excited to hear how you're getting on. No worries about the green from the cleaning run. My brother has been saying he wants to try stilling since I started, I might have to make one like yours for him. Looks like a fun build!