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That blows the doors off of mine...6500w and 1650w

chris wrote:That blows the doors off

That does... does that?

Thump is insulated now too. nice rig to run.

VLAGAVULVIN wrote:

chris wrote:That blows the doors off

That does... does that?

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Good eyes, that was a rookie mistake I made years ago, and believe it or not has never given me a problem. I look into the blow off just after the union and there is a nice flow with zero backup, bubbling, or gurgling what so ever. I know it defies gravity but for some reason it works!

CatCrap wrote:Chris that copper boiler is Gorgeous!!
Where did you get it, or how did you make it??

Thank you! It has been in my wife’s family for generations and cooked countless gallons of slivovits. It resurfaced about 5 years ago, I found it in an old Uncles house. It was pretty beat up, the worm was destroyed, the slobber box was re-leaded over and over and the boiler was crushed, so I gave it a makeover. I took out as much of the old lead as possible, worked the copper back, added a thermometer to fill a hole and gave it a 1650w heating element. Makes my wife’s family happy that it found new life.

Looked exactly like this to begin with...

pfshine wrote:Gotta say, I dig that slobber box. Does the top open or is it sealed?

It does open, it had a screen at one point and the valve leaks like a sieve. Im saving it for a rainy day, thinking about using it for botanicals.

Just finished a new still, 27L “essentia” stainless fermentor tank and 3/4 over 1/2 Liebig feed buy a pond pump from a 120L garbage can.

Built myself a copper parrot for Easter. Test drive it nxt weekend

here is an upgrade to my flute. Just added the SD sight glass kits. I really like the blue against the copper.

please excuse the "kitty litter collector" . I run both of the condenser outflows to it then out to the drain.

Celis, here's a direct post of your still:

Here is my rig in LM reflux operation

180 proof from my lil still

Here’s a couple birds

Here is a pic of my still. I've only had it for about six months. I've run five batches through it so far...

My plater....& potty....

Thought I'd posted in here!, a couple from.the past...

I was 30 years ago lucky enough to know my way in the library of the university. And a friend had an easy book on distilling.
Books are good, because the knowledge is written down in a structured manner. On internet nowadays you can easily find more, but the information is scattered and it takes time and rereading to connect the dots.

Of course you make mistakes, but when you survive these, you can learn. Just like you learn everything else.

My second still of 10 L: The condensor is a ss spiral of a total length of about 9 m.
My third still, about 60 to 80 L: Build by a friend, bought from another friend for a case of beer. Made the seat myself. I use it for stripping birdwatchers.
Heated with two electrical elements and sealed with flour paste.
Another one of 10 L: The advertisement said 15 L, but it is useful anyway. This one came with a Liebig, but I prefer the air cooled condensor. The Liebig takes a lot of water and extra attention. Only advantage is the speed.
I often use this boiler as a thumper for the other 10 L.
Then the last one: A glass one of 2 L Erlenmeyer, with Vigreux and Liebig. I can save water by switching buckets. I use it for tests or very small runs.

Apart from the big one, that I run outside in the garden, the stills are fired on my gas stove in the kitchen, near the open window.

Pot still configuration. 5 gallon boiler with a purifier. The purifier utilizes 2 through condensers with a 3" X 1" scrubby packed section below it. It pulls about 60% abv on a full power stripping run. More photos soon.

Column configuration. 16" X 1" column, only 28" total with rc. Cm style, very skinny and short. Pulls about 90% if I bleed the run. I only use this for spirit runs, with 55-60% low wine charges.

Modular 3" 4 plate flute. 24" packed column,7" inline gin basket.
Since the pic I added two heating elements, 4500w and 1500w.

My set-up is a 10 gal alembic with an 'onion-head' and 'swan's neck' vapor line. I run into a wooden 5-gal charred oak thumper keg, then the worm. My still produces ~130 proof and slowly declining without the thumper. Running with the thumper charged with distillate (eg. 2nd gen sour mash), the worm streams 160-170 proof. I really like the wood thumper as it is relatively quiet and won't burn me if I accidentally touch it like copper does.
Anyway, Mrs. cariboux bought me the pot for my birthday, elevating her to 'Greatest Wife Ever!!!!' status.

No greater satisfaction than exercising a personal liberty and being self-sufficient. Sorta fits right in with hunting, ranching/farming, gardening...........

Also, I've started using 3/4" monster ptfe tale instead of the 'dough paste'. It works really well, a working temp of 700 degrees f. The white stuff shreds when removing, but the blue comes off clean.

Recirculating water system not shown.

This week I completed the fabrication of my new bigger, badder worm condenser. A 228 L oak barrel with 30' of 1/2" I.D. copper tubing. it was a bit of a struggle getting the coil elevation correct with no 'flat' or 'high' spots. After finishing, I ran a vinegar wash through it to clean. Looking forward to my next distillation using it.

Shown without the recirculating water system for the flake stand.

I am building my new still at my friend's place, it will not be so sophisticated as one he is working on though The main column is 100mm in diameter.

Just completed a 'stripping' run through my new worm. I filled the 235 L oak barrel with 50 F water and ran 15 gallons of molasses (rum) wash through it, boiler-thumper-worm. Without ever changing out or circulating additional water, the distillate came out at a steady 50-51 F. Quite a change from my 5 gal copper worm.
Mrs cariboux just finished putting up rose hip jelly. There is great satisfaction in a 'self-sufficient' lifestyle.

2" Boka with sight glass and 13 gal stainless milk can. Has a graham condenser for product cooling. It does the job. As a reflux and pot still.

I've got an all stainless system I put together, 58lt boiler, 20lt main thumper, 5lt second thumper and a 5 it worm.

I'm going to build a 10lt worm eventually although this one runs like a well oiled machine.
I've got two 2200w heating elements, thermometer on both the pot and the primary thumper and a 60lt water recirculation system.