Home Distiller

I'm in a "pricing phase" of my build. Trying to balance the design i want with a build i can afford. i picked up a 50l keg for dirt cheep money ordered a couple of tri clamps. but i cant make up my mind on what to build. In a perfect world i would make two columns one for pot mode and one for reflux (still cant decide what reflux design i like either) i was hopeing to get away with making it for less then 200 bucks. but im having a hard time making just the pot column for under that. I guess this is just a half rent half question thread haha. but tell me if im beyond the realm of possibility with my budget?

That's my problem, I'm going to step up to 15 gallon keg from my turkey fryer still. I have 1" on it and it was $150 just for copper and copper acc. I was going to do a pot with 2" Cu on this keg. Cheapest I have found 2" is $21/FT . Stepping to a big gun isn't gonna be cheap . However, I have the wife's support because it keeps me busy and not bothering her . Good luck with your build.

You should be able to easily make a potstill column for under 200. Whats your design? Where are you located? Got a menards?

I think you could probably easily build a reflux hybrid that does both for 200.

My rig cost an arm and a leg. but, I wasn't being thrifty at all. Piles of stainless swagelok fittings and stainless valves. Throw in an MK5500. Tons of pricy R/O fittings for pushlock cooling connections. Rotameters for multiple styles of runs. etc.... The actual still column was nothing compared to all the accessories involved. I don't think 75% of it was necessary though.

Which rig? Which accessory? If your looking at cost, your in this for the wrong reasons. Yes, there are cheap ways to build... And there are "crafty" ways to build. We all have a budget. Get what you can, when you can. When its done, its done.... You then will find a reason to start the next project. And so on.

Oh, if I added it up.... It would be thousands.

Im just anxious and trying to get going, im used to the "wanting so i buy" mentality, but sense i lost my job patients has been a slow developing trait, as for designs i wanted to go with samohons pot design, then in my head i go, "why not make it a little taller, how about a little shorter with a graham condenser, how about i build a boka, make a vm/boka, or bla bla bla bla" lol anyway im more surprised by the price but not deterred, im a car guy, been one for years and i know quality parts make quality product, and that carries over into everything and i failed to remeber "quality" means "expensive" haha

i failed to remeber "quality" means "expensive" haha

Not so much. That is why I said "crafty". If you have time / ingenuity on your hands you can easily save some money and keep the quality. This site is full of ideas.

** Worth noting: this hobby is not one to jump into. Take your time, figgure out exactly what you want and how your going to do it. I realize this may be easier said than done. But you will thank yourself later

Im just anxious and trying to get going ... as for designs i wanted to go with samohons pot design, then in my head i go, "why not make it a little taller, how about a little shorter with a graham condenser, how about i build a boka, make a vm/boka, or bla bla bla bla" lol

Just make a pot still. The rest will follow or it might just be enough for a long time.

Might want to check the metal scrapyards and plumbing contractors. C&D metals in Houston sells the stuff that's sold to them for a couple of dollars more per pound that they gave for it.

I'm at such a dilemma! I have a keg but now I have to make up my mind. I can build either a pot still column and worm or a small flute. I have no soldering experience and no machinery to make a flute.

But the time it takes to pot still is crazy! Close to 6 hours from start to clean-up. A flute run would be done in 3!

Next is the cost. The copper for a pot is close to $200, for a flute at least $500.

I can't decide whether I should spend my hours building and getting frustrated with a flute (and dropping serious doe) or build a pot, quickly and easily, and start running tomorrow, with mediocre results.


-RB

What a rut this is!

I can't decide whether I should spend my hours building and getting frustrated with a flute (and dropping serious doe) or build a pot, quickly and easily, and start running tomorrow, with mediocre results.

You are mistaken, a pot still is not inferior ... not at all. Thems fightin words

But I hear everyday of their greatness it seems silly to run anything else.

RB

Rum Bum wrote:I'm at such a dilemma! I have a keg but now I have to make up my mind. I can build either a pot still column and worm or a small flute. I have no soldering experience and no machinery to make a flute.

I can't decide whether I should spend my hours building and getting frustrated with a flute (and dropping serious doe) or build a pot, quickly and easily, and start running tomorrow, with mediocre results.


-RB

What a rut this is!

You can make great things with the basic tools my friend. My build is not simple but the tools used where. Im only using a few drills and basic hand tools.
There is a great tutorial on soldering
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=13262
As for spending lots of time building, well thats why I do it. Just love working with copper and the feeling you get when you have made something with your own two hands.

blind drunk wrote:
Just make a pot still. The rest will follow or it might just be enough for a long time.

Yea I think your right, probably the better idea, maybe I'm over thinking everything

Over thinking happens often with this stuff...

beats not thinking tho...

I've got stupid sums of money tied up in all my brewing/winemaking/distilling gear.

building a still was probably the cheapest part of it.

My potstill probably cost about $100. The offset head cost a bit more. Careful scrounging will reduce your out of pocket expenses considerably.

Rum Bum wrote:I can't decide whether I should spend my hours building and getting frustrated with a flute (and dropping serious doe) or build a pot, quickly and easily, and start running tomorrow, with mediocre results.

Building a Flute aint hard, you have just got to do one step at a time. I think there is enough information out there, so you don't need to experiment, just build it, you won't be sorry.


OD

$ 165.50 so far

A dollar two ninety eight.

Prairiepiss wrote:A dollar two ninety eight.

I just finished building my reflux column and can tell you, it adds up quickly. I might have been better off buying a column from Brewhaus or Milehi, but I had free 2" copper and hated to see it go to waste. Now granted I've built exactly what I need, a column split into 20" sections so that I can go from reflux to pot still just by removing a section, but you can now buy these from both companies for a little more than what I've sunk into it. Don't forget to include with your rig a parrot, alcoholmeter, hydrometer, temp gauge, etc.

Enail still crasy on here, he does a great job.

astronomical wrote:You should be able to easily make a potstill column for under 200. Whats your design? Where are you located? Got a menards?

I think you could probably easily build a reflux hybrid that does both for 200.

My rig cost an arm and a leg. but, I wasn't being thrifty at all. Piles of stainless swagelok fittings and stainless valves. Throw in an MK5500. Tons of pricy R/O fittings for pushlock cooling connections. Rotameters for multiple styles of runs. etc.... The actual still column was nothing compared to all the accessories involved. I don't think 75% of it was necessary though.

I too have shelled out more than I'm willing to admit. I fuckin love an industrial supply website. Its like porn with a shopping cart