Home Distiller

Someone had asked me before to post a pic of my still i had built, to which i had mentioned it was a first crappy try without much thought and that it would have been embarassing to post . BUT i finally built (at least to me) a "real" one and it works beautifully for me. I didnt really follow any designs but sort of put it together from what i have read and seen from this and the HD site. Although it isnt as good-looking as most of the ones i see here i am proud of it. Oh and here is a pic of my old still so you can see why i was embarassed
*Edit...I'm not even sure what "type" this would be called,...but it works well for me.

nice one noobsauce.. looks good and safe!

good to see the flour water sealant in use..

Nice looking pot still, noobsauce...

Nice Noobsauce,
I am building one very similar. What is the ID of your colem, and how big is the ID of the lyn arm? Oh how many QT is your pot? Mine should be arriving very soon and it is a 24QT. All I have to do is build every thing. Yippeee!!!

W.S.C.beachman wrote:Nice Noobsauce,
I am building one very similar. What is the ID of your colem, and how big is the ID of the lyn arm? Oh how many QT is your pot? Mine should be arriving very soon and it is a 24QT. All I have to do is build every thing. Yippeee!!!

ID i beleive is 3/4" (its 3/4 plumbing pipe anyways..the lighter duty stuff with an "m"). The arm was fun..i used a 3/4 T connector to allow me to use a thermometer on top as you can see. From there i used a reducer to 1/2", then a reducer to 3/8", then 3/8 line. The pot is a 23 or 24 quart (forget) so yours will be similar..it has a VERY snug fitting lid that almost doesnt need paste.

One thing you dont see in picture is the 7 1/4" wide by 1/2" thick solid steel plate i use under the pot as a buffer for heating. (Also i found that when i did a cleaning run that the stove top around the element was getting SUPER hot because of the low overhang of my big pot).

Although superhard to find the steel i am very happy with the results. You can hear the stove element cycling as the run goes...but see no change on the output side. And the stove top isnt so hot anymore.

*One important note though about the plate...Heating control is very essential not to overdo as whatever you put the heat to takes roughly 5 minutes to "pass through" the plate to the pot. This also includes turning it down

*Edit...If you are wondering what holds my lid down...I used stainless "toolbox" clasps that were riveted on using SS rivets. works like a charm

Nice work.

And a handy little unit that will be for experimental runs down the road.

Good for you and happy stilling.

Thanks,
Now I have butter fly's in my stomach..Let the fermenting begin!!!!

how did you attach the copper tubing to the lid of the pot?

mississippimoon wrote:how did you attach the copper tubing to the lid of the pot?

It appears to me to be a 3/4" brass male fitting attached to a copper 3/4" female coupler attached to column

Nothing wrong with that as long as the brass was de-leaded first.

mississippimoon wrote:how did you attach the copper tubing to the lid of the pot?

I used a brass threaded 3/4" "nipple" and 2 brass nuts through a 1" hole i made in the top of the lid. The bonus is my column is soldered into a connector that has a female threaded end that goes onto the brass nipple. I made sure that any brass i used was lead free..which it is far as i know when its a plumbing part. I used a 1/16" cork gasket i made between the top nut and the pot lid. The top nut is soldered onto the nipple for sealing and the connector for my column is soldered to the nipple also.

*Edit I also took all parts and covered them in a baking soda and vinegar paste for a half hour or so..then washed them vigorously...i did this just for safety sake since just because they SAY there is no lead doesnt mean i have to believe them