New to distillation, or simply new to the HD forums.
** Your first post MUST go here. Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your interest in distilling. Any posts asking distilling questions will be deleted. **
I'm a beer geek who loves getting his brew on. My brother has a budding vineyard, and once that begins producing I'm expected to be the vintner.
I've been fascinated with fermenting, and was very timid at learning how to brew, but it was easy to find people I knew who brewed beer who'd let me watch and teach me along the way. Distilling...for obvious reasons...not so much, sadly.
I'm hoping to find plans for stills here...I was planning on making a reflux still like the one:
however, looking through some of the threads, I find that this really isn't the most optimal design. So, now I continue searching for something I can use as both a reflux still as well as a pot still...I'd like to try my hand at both neutral spirits as well as corn whiskey.
The bestr advice everyone here will give you is to not build that particular coolant management (CM) reflux column... Yes, it's plastered all over the internet, complete with well documented plans... No, it's not the best design and is showing its age... The reflux tube through the bottom of the column hinders performance... There are better options which are cheaper and easier to build, as well as easier to run...
I'll be the first to recommend the Bokakob dual slant plate Liquid Management (LM) reflux column... Two angled cuts, solder in two copper plates, and add a take off port with needle valve - plus an optional product take-off liebig condenser to cool the spirits...
Do your research before making a move on building... And keep asking questions...
I will second Rad's recommendation on the Boka slant plate. Easy to build and runs like a charm. Here's a good build thread http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=13598" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I learned the hard way that it is a lot better to have a reflux head and a separate pot head rather that trying "detune" a reflux to run in pot mode. A pot head with a liebig condenser is a super easy build.
Welcome to another from the Beaver State
I have said it before and I'll say it again
READ READ READ the parent site start to finish at least 2 if not 3 times.
Take a couple of weeks to view these forums and refer back to the parent
site to find answers to those things that need clarifying.
Then ask questions on here, before you start
It WILL save you many pitfalls and accidents
Don't tell Don't sell
Remember if you burn down or blow up your house
while committing a crime ( yes stillin' is a crime ) your insurance
company WILL NOT pay up
Safety first
Enjoyment second
Have fun and good luck
Coyote
"Slow Down , You'll get a more harmonious outcome" "Speed & Greed have no place in this hobby"
Welcome neighbor from the south. My son-in-law built that still as it is called the greatest on the website. I luckly found this site before I started to build and built a VM still. My ABV is 7 to 10% higher than his and I think I get better separation between heads, harts, and tails. Guessing at that last part but know you can get higher ABV with a better design.
