Home Distilling Help-desperate

skunk123454321 · Post by **skunk123454321** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:17 pm

I want to make a small distiller. Some ideas that looked good to me so far, is using glass for a pot distiller. If I got like a glass tinning jar, and attached an arm out of the metal, that had a hose or tube coming off it with like a coil through the middle of the tube, that was pumping water through it, that went into another glass jar, would this work?

rough, rough, rough drawing:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i68/c ... 1197501239" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Also I have no idea how a reflux condenser works..

is the refluxer just a condenser ontop of the boiler that feeds into another condenser?

As-Ol-Joe · Post by **As-Ol-Joe** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:28 pm

I have no idea what a tinning jar is. Are you talking about putting a mason jar on a burner and using it for a boiler???

skunk123454321 · Post by **skunk123454321** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:30 pm

a canning(sry) jar is such: (remember I only want to make a very small still.)

http://images.containerstore.com/MEDIA/ ... Jars_l.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Post by **blanikdog** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:31 pm

Firstly may I suggest that you visit this site http://homedistiller.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow and read, read, read. I know it's a pain but, that's where all the good advice is. Distilling can be dangerous if conducted without at least a basic knowledge.

Good luck.

blanik

arkansas · Post by **arkansas** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:32 pm

Take a look at this, think it will help you very much.

http://homedistiller.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

skunk123454321 · Post by **skunk123454321** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:34 pm

i completely understand how distilling works, its just the reflux part that confuses me, im not going to make anything unless i understand it, the pot still is really easy to understand, my idea working or not is more important.

As-Ol-Joe · Post by **As-Ol-Joe** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:35 pm

I would NEVER use a jar for a boiler unless it was Pyrex.

Even if you used a gallon jar, you would make enough to even get a buzz.

Have you read the parent site? If not, I suggest you do so.

skunk123454321 · Post by **skunk123454321** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:39 pm

thats the thing, is i want to make a large amount of alcohol, just in many different sessions, i need it to be compact

Post by **Uncle Jesse** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:50 pm

There are no shortcuts and using glass in the process is a bad idea. Using a glass boiler is madness.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:51 pm

I hate to join the chorus, but you sound like you know just enough to hurt yourself....

Spend some time reading. It takes a long time to soak in... You don't even understand enough to make a sensible question. Thats why you are getting the suggestion to study up a bit. Everything you need to know is here already. Its been provided by folks interested in keeping this art alive. And its not free. You have to pay the price of studying and learning about this process before jumping in half cocked...

So, read homedistiller.org and learn about types of stills, sizes, washes, mashes, materials, ingredients, burners, boilers etc...

Then come back and read this forum and get some up to date real life experiences, then ask a sensible question.

keep in mind, I don't think any regulars here are interested in helping kids get wasted....

grainhopper · Post by **grainhopper** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:58 pm

Midas well use a zippo to heat it!

pothead · Post by **pothead** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:59 pm

I know a guy that put a glass carboy on his stove so that he could melt his sugar quicker....lol...well, the fire broke the glass and 5 gallons of sugar water spilled ALL over the kitchen. the poor guy slipped in it and fell, and got a GIANT piece of glass stuck right in his ass-cheek. NO LIE.

I still make fun of him when I see him.

mikeac · Post by **mikeac** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:19 pm

wow first time I completely agree to "read read and read some more..." it's seems pretty unanimous too....

Cruisaire · Post by **Cruisaire** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:28 pm

I draw like that after I drink, not before. Join me and other Newbs and read..read..read. Nothing good was ever gotten easily nor quickly.

Post by **HookLine** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:31 pm

Cruisaire wrote:I draw like that after I drink, not before.

Cruisaire wrote:Join me and other Newbs and read..read..read. Nothing good was ever gotten easily nor quickly.

What he and others said.

skunk123454321 wrote:rough, rough, rough drawing:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i68/c ... 1197501239" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

That looks to me like a spastic duck at a feeding trough.

firefly · Post by **firefly** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:40 pm

skunk123454321.....Dont do like me....I was so anxious to distill that I went ahead and bought a distiller without even knowing what I can do with it!!!

After 3 weeks of reading the site and with the generous help of the veterans here....I am now a little less confused and if I had to start over...I would have built my own still....

Take the advice of the veterans here and do some reading......and it's all FREE....isn't that beautiful...

..

BeerGuy · Post by **BeerGuy** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:49 pm

Skunk,

Don't do it! A heated flammable liquid (and/or gas) in a fragile container on top of a heat source = a bad time.

Read the site. Try to understand the process before designing a set-up. Folks here are generally glad to answer questions which are not addressed on the main site.

Post by **MisterSteve124** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:52 pm

After you do a couple runs you aren't going to want something that small. You have to remember you don't get out all that you put in. If you were to run a mason jar of wash you would probably be lucky to get a shot of liquor not including foreshots. It is very impractical to make something that small. You could easily make something that holds like 2-3 gallons and fits on your stove and won't cost you a lot of money. That way if you do get into it you have the capability to atleast make a larger amount of liqour.

pintoshine · Post by **pintoshine** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:32 pm

Hookline wrote:That looks to me like a spastic duck at a feeding trough.

This is great entertainment!

defcon4 · Post by **defcon4** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:55 pm

skunk123454321 wrote:thats the thing, is i want to make a large amount of alcohol, just in many different sessions, i need it to be compact

Sounds like you're a high schooler who wants to set up a still in your closet so mommy and daddy don't catch you making crap juice to poison you and your friends. If you want to prove me wrong, go read at least the introduction paragraph to the 3-5 page long reflux distillation theory section of homedistiller. If you're not willing to do that, you'd be safer buying a handle o jack daniel's swill, my guess is that you'll get caught though for reasons I won't point out again

Post by **HookLine** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:05 pm

skunk123454321

Don't take what I said about your drawing too personal. I just found it kinda amusing, and appreciate the laugh. I was just joking in return, and didn't mean no harm.

If you are really interested in learning the fine art and science of distilling, and are prepared to put in the reading and learning effort at the start, (and are of legal drinking age), then you are welcome here and will get lots of help.

Cheers.

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:40 am

this is where your path forks. aint hard becomein a statistic

defcon4 · Post by **defcon4** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 5:24 am

goose eye wrote:this is where your path forks. aint hard becomein a statistic

Wise words goose eye, wise words