still

[jacob 28]

anyone ever used one or got any experience of them,how they used to be made,any info?my sons doing a history project on prohibition

[maty j 6]

What does he need to know..

[jacob 28]

easy ideas on how to make one

[maty j 6]

Your very basic still, easy to make, knocked up from mostly household items? The amazing plastic still. Now I'm no expert and alot of the yank moonshiners don't like the plastic stills. It takes a while to get 2 ltrs (a ltr a day usually) but then It will be about 35-40% If using a high % turbo yeast mash. I like the 18% one, turbo 48 but leave It longer and give It more sugar and It goes to 18-20%. All this stuff can be bought from The still shop and he's a top guy, really helpful too. Getting the heater for It Is probably the hardest part. Try ebay, there was a home brew shop that would set the immersion to whatever you wanted. Once you have the 2ltrs distilled spirit It will need filtering through activated carbon. The pipe needs to be of 38mm (I think) dia and a couple of meters tall. If Its below a certain diameter or bigger than a certain dia It won't filter efficiently. Straight out the still It tastes shit. It Is still abit rough even after filtering (reminds me a of a certain polish or Russian vodka, I can't remember which Petrov or something like that?) so I'm thinking of ordering some more home distilled and making up some blackberry vodka with It see how that turns out. Flavorings and good with It, there's plenty In that shop. I like the absynth flavour 1.50 a bottle. With the fruit flavours I think the roughness of the hooch Is abit strong but the strong aniseed flavour cancels It out well.

 

There's plenty of ebooks about filtering with activated carbon, making the still, insulating It, etc already on the net but If your son needs anymore help I'll try my best

 

They used to sell a kit on the still shop for the plastic still but I've just checked and It Isn't on there anymore. Still easy enough to get the right buckets and of food grade.

Edited September 24, 2008 by maty j

[mackem 27,289]

Kids eh Jacob,I checked the history on their PC,they were looking at coin-presses and a site on counterfeiting coins and the incidence of fake pound-coins in the UK

[jacob 28]

thanks maty,thats good didnt expect you could make one from plastic,ill give that a proper read up.mackem,as long as they spend their time constructively

[hagar 5]

Be carefull when i was a boy i knew someone had one in his shed the thermo went in the night and the still exploded and burned the shed down :laugh:half the street was out and he nearly got evicted pmsl

[maty j 6]

No probs Jacob. It's a piece of piss using that method. No welding or soldering joints but It's not good If your thinking of going into production

 

Hagar: I or rather my friend who does It were It's legal always has It protected by an RCD, one of those garden ones you plug in then put the plug into that. I don't think It would stop the thermo going but gives you/him a bit more piece of mind If you have It under airlock and put a bit of activated carbon In the airlock It stops It smelling and no chance of It exploding then. Just remember that the gas Is still flammable

[kurgan 5]

try this on made loads last year will have to find the video i made of distilling in the kitchen

[hagar 5]

No probs Jacob. It's a piece of piss using that method. No welding or soldering joints but It's not good If your thinking of going into production

 

Hagar: I or rather my friend who does It were It's legal always has It protected by an RCD, one of those garden ones you plug in then put the plug into that. I don't think It would stop the thermo going but gives you/him a bit more piece of mind If you have It under airlock and put a bit of activated carbon In the airlock It stops It smelling and no chance of It exploding then. Just remember that the gas Is still flammable

Cheers i ll remember that

[maty j 6]

No probs hagar Did you get the condenser sorted In the end Kurgan. Come on, how was It done

[elec 0]

I built one out of an old electric urn, and some stainless tube scrounged from an old hospital bed. I used the pot head condensation method. Just added a reflux condenser before the pothead, so I'm expecting a much cleaner and purer spirit next batch. Stills are common as hell in my neck of the woods, due soley to the outrageous ask for spirits.

 

Regards

[kurgan 5]

tell you the truth i gave up had my operation and all that ,also standing in a room full of 'alcohol steam' gave me the biggest head ache ever almost as big as the one the wife gave me for buying so much copper pipe from b and q

[maty j 6]

:laugh:

[jacob 28]

,

Edited November 9, 2008 by jacob