Home Distiller

Here is the new Nixon Stone still I designed with 2" copper. It is a modification of my previous still which controlled reflux ratio with a sensitive valve controlling the cooling through the reflux condenser. This one uses the same condenser, but ran to complete reflux, and the sensitive valve can now be replaced with an ordinary needle valve attached to the 'stream splitter'.
This picture shows my sketch and the reflux condenser jacket with a customized tip (hammer and saw):


Then I soldered on a threaded fitting to join it to the stream splitter:


This shows the connection of the reflux condenser with drip tip, to the stream splitter attachment. The overlap is about 1/4" so that all the condensed vapour goes into the stream splitter cup:


These two photos give you a view of the stream splitter before I soldered it into the 2" pipe:




The stems were cut down later to fit it in.

Here are the three peices and the column and boiler:





Cheers.

nice work.

That's real pretty! How you get that stuff so shiny!? How did you determine how far up into the cup to put the reflux return hole?

The shine is just from a light rubbing with 0 grade courseness steel wool. The hole fills up to 10mL. This number is arbitrary, however, since the excess will always just pour out back onto the column packing.

Yes! Brilliant inovation. Congratulations.

G

some of yall is artist.
with them coils that tight dont the liker come out hot without a buch of water or do it matter

Goose, I think that the hootch condenses on the OUTSIDE of the coils... the coils run with cool water. It is backwards from a standard worm in bucket rig.

very nice love those copper 2" joiners cant get em here only get brass ones every plumbing supplier I ask looks at me with a blank look shaking their head

Here's what I use
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/n ... sembly.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g58/n ... omSide.jpg
It operates on the same principles as yours but IMHO it has less parts, is easier to build, and takes up less vertical space. This is based on the bokakob single in-line head from the old yahoo forums.

those stills are starting to become popular
those look very much like my 'modified ministill'
(link below for pictures)

Here's a stoopid question from a noobie

Why is the tube in the bottom of the spliter cup pinched off?

Seems to me that it is a useless piece of hardware soldered into the bottom of the cup

Reference pic #4 from the top to see what I am refering to

The tube is pinched off, then a hole is drilled into the pipe as an overflow. It is not the clearest view of the hole, but you can see that it is there (also see the sketch).

The same principle as the overflow drain on a bathtub. The condensate reaches the height of the hole, then overflows back onto the packing.

The reason it is pinched off insead of left open is to prevent any condensate from falling straight through without first landing in the cup.

The cup is approx 10mL.

Gotcha

old dog learnin new tricks

I've been loooking at still design and like the look of the nixon stone still but do not understand how the vapour travels up past the assembly to the coils. Are holes drilled in the tapered pipe? thanks Norm

Norm,

I think you should have a real good read of this web site, http://homedistiller.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow , it contains almost everything you want to know to get you started.

Question for the original poster. I plan on making that exact still. In the Making Vodka and Gin book from which it originates it talks about modification to the water heater to cut its power in half. Did you do that? If so, how?

Thanks,

-- professor zedlavski

Hi Professor

I am not sure how to cut the water heater power in half but on my still which has a 240v 3000w element I run it on full power to heat up then for the run plug the element into a 110v site transformer (which runs off a 240v supply ) using a made up lead with the necessary fittings, that drops the power by 1/4 to 750w. Not too sure of the maths but it works.

The transformer is used here in the UK on building sites etc. if they have them where you are it is a simple solution.

very nice still

By placing a valve capable of closing the output of this, or any condenser, could there not be a chance of steam pressure exceeding the design limits of the various components?

Stillhead,

Are they Copper (2" or 50mm) BSP fittings, and if so where the heck did you get them ?

All I can find is brass...

Cheers

Warren.

Is that 3/8ths aor 1/4 inch tubing for the coil? Is it a special kind to not crush?

Beautiful it is, but I didn't design or build it. Contact Stillhead for specifications. I have no idea where you would find 3" pipe or fittings and I doubt it would be worth the extra cost.

I use converted water heaters, but stainless steel kegs or two restaurant grade stainless pots welded together is another way to go perhaps. Both heated with propane burners.............not in your living room though


G

Looks like Stillhead is no longer a member here. I believe the drawings for this still are on the parent site.

Well my friend, if you can build that still out of 3" pipe, Then post detailed plans of a workable still on this site management could/might consider this refinement qualifying as the " Lurch Still ". I think the collection cup in the Stillhead still is simply secured by solder in one place on the side of the tube. Pretty, but too flimsy for practical use. Some refinement is required here,

Other members have commented steam rising to the coils at the same time as fluid is returning to the cup could "maybe" be a hazard. This should also be improved in some way. Otherwise, a beautiful concept that you can tackle.

This 3" still, with its fittings, is not going to be cheap. If I were tackling it, I would have two interchangeable 30 " tubes, one with scrubbers i.e. your reflux still, the other without i.e your pot still. Or, if just one column, a capability to dismantle and simply remove the scrubbers for pot still function and cleaning.

In the meantime, read the book so you totally understand the theory of this hobby. Finish your wash and simply store it until you are ready to convert it to ethanol.

What is your SG today?

BTW thanks for taking this on. We will watch with interest as you progress and comment as required.

Have a good day.

G

PS Where are you buying 3" pipe and fittings and how much?

G

Yup, a 3" column will give you all the vodka you could possible need for personal use.

Sounds like you are well on the way.

A 3" Bokakob LM column would perform just as well as the more complex offset head Nixon Stone LM column for a lot less money...

I made a tripple for my 3" Bokakob build. it is 3 seperate coils with a central 1/2 inch return.This has very little back pressure. It is pictured in this thread.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =17&t=6849

Hey Lurch, I called a bunch of metal recylers, scrap metal guys and they all had copper and a good selection. I scored 5 ft of 2" for about $30 AUS.. ($20ish US?)
The plumbers sell their leftover copper for a bit of beer money, and the scrap guys bulk sell it on. The scrap guys pay $4 (AUS per kilo) MUCH cheaper.. I tell them that I am collecting copper to make a home brew beer font (with chilled taps.. ) and they sometimes discount the price.

Cant help with nixon stone, got some plans and pics for a Vapour Management, (which is great for neutrals).

That triple is lovely.. I made a coldfinger coz Im cr@p at bending.. (and welding...)

If you looked at my Boka build, you will notice that I made the head removeable.
It would be very easy for me to convert this to a VM still.
If I had it to do over, I would make the VM first. You should still have a potstill for stripping runs. (It will save many hours of watching paint dry) I had a 14 hour run, even with the 3", starting with a 10% wash. Doing a quick strip first would have cut the time in half.