How to make a still? Plans and advice

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renaud67
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How to make a still? Plans and advice




by renaud67 » 14/12/06, 16:02

Hello everybody

we had talked about it in the thread on nettle manure ...
a superb realization here with a 'howto' : Cheesy:

it's beautiful 8)

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It is possible to make a still with very few things, such as a pressure cooker, plastic buckets, a copper coil ... The option chosen here is more serious, more technical, but proven. The stills described below work very well and allow a real control of the finished product ... It is not a question of getting intoxicated with its homemade hooch!

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As you have already read, there are several types of stills, and it is possible to make many models ...
Whoever wishes to produce neutral alcohols, will build a reflux or fractional still. If he wants to produce flavored alcohols (whiskeys, fruit alcohols ...), he will build a traditional pot still. The enthusiast will want the two or three! It will be necessary to think of it from the beginning, because some parts are the same ... So we can do from the beginning 2 bowls and 2 bridles (or 3)!
Except for the experienced handyman, it is better to start with a "pot still", which is less complicated!

You will find on this site some tracks, but there are many others. Although the following information has been tested by New Zealand fans, we can not guarantee any results (it depends on the skill and know-how of each).
We remind you once again: if you live in a country where it is illegal: DO NOT DO IT !!!

It is impossible to explain everything by the text, so look at the pictures, study the plans ... and make sure you understand before you start!

It is essential in any case to be a good handyman or to get help.

Take your time: before you start, you must:
- have all the necessary tools,
- have all the necessary equipment,
- depending on the material found, make a plan,
- if you start (eg welding): train on waste.

There are a lot of sites that can explain the basics of plumbing needed, check them out!


But come to the point: how to build a still?

The still: 3 parts

Your still will consist of 3 parts:
- the boiler: it is the pot in which one will heat and boil the must to be distilled.
- the column: it is the copper tube in which the alcohol vapors rise towards the condenser. As said above, there are 3 types of columns: simple, reflux, splitting.
- the condenser: as the name suggests, this is where the vapors condense into liquid alcohol. There are two types: coil or tube tube (Liebig).
Materials :

This subject is very controversial within the moonshiners community! The general opinion is to avoid any contact between alcohol vapors and alcohol at a high% ABV with materials like plastic, rubber and any other synthetic material. Similarly, non-stainless steel, zinc, galvanized, aluminum ... are to be avoided. The lead in the welds is obviously to proscribe too.
To summarize, it is easier to remember what is "safe": stainless steel, copper, tin and silver solders, cork, paper and flour paste for the joints. That's all! You may find people to say that silicone is safe, that such and such a type of plastic is too ... But to put it bluntly: if you break your ass to make an artisanal product, you might as well not take the risk of putting m ... e!
It is useful to get organized:

- the boiler can be entirely built separately from the rest.
- the condenser can be completely built separately from the rest.
- the boiler column connection can be entirely built separately from the rest.
- The column of a pot still can be entirely built separately from the rest.
the column of a reflux still can not be entirely constructed separately from the condenser, because it requires a great precision of alignment of the cooling tubes with the water inlets of the condenser.


The following: http://www.fairesagnole.eu/page39/construire.html

Other cool stuff or to do it yourself: tips-and-tricks-Greenest-vf61.html
https://www.econologie.com/shop/cote-cuisine-c-103
https://www.econologie.com/shop/faire-s ... erves-c-58

Edit: a small alambic available for sale: https://www.econologie.com/shop/alambic ... p-566.html

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by Christophe » 14/12/06, 21:14

It is clear that it throws ... I like the title:

Amateur distillation
: Arrow: Do not do your hooch yourself, it's illegal! : Arrowl:


: Cheesy: : Cheesy: : Cheesy:
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by jonule » 15/12/06, 11:15

there is also equipped cocotte minute method of a choo-choo and a pressure relief valve (almost mandatory if a pear-end butcher comes out the choo-choo), a pipe sticking out of the right of some choo-choo cm, an angle of 135 ° I believe, then redencente on a coil, air cooled or water ...
cooling (gently, too, is not fuel but the water VIE) vapors condense and fall drip.
beautiful illustrations on old dicos.

you have to climb VERY progrssevement t ° C if you want quality, with good fruit, to 88 ° c I think to separate the alcohol from the rest (of the water), you need a thermometer in direct output vapors .
let the first drops piss it's dangerous methanol for approximately 50ml 10kg of frutis?
then separate the drops falling with gender lenses No. 1, 2 No. etc, ranked from strong + at + low in alcohol content, dripping in the As or with alcoolmètre (20 €?). and was different contents alccol, brandy to the water, not to keep either the purpose of distillation.
we can re-distill Lots times.

What is distilled?
take good pears not damaged, cut the tails and pile them in a WATERPROOF drum (be careful with the lids which have small holes like the waste vegetable oil drum cleaned, buy new "maceration drum" 50 or 60L), crush the everything and let macerate. every day, stir everything with a suitable accessory made for the occasion, until it no longer ferments, formation of a black layer on the surface: it's time to distil, otherwise keep WATERPROOF.

voila, I've seen him do a grandfather like that which explained 2 or 3 stuff!
the best is to see a pro, those who do it legally and show you gladly!
I don't know if "vintage boiler" is in the directory ;-)
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Re: How to make a still? Plans and tips




by Targol » 15/12/06, 11:33

renaud67 wrote:Hello everybody
we had talked about it in the thread on nettle manure ...


Actually, we talked about it, I even took the pictures, and then ... I completely forgot.
As Renaud67 talks again, I propose you my solution which has the advantage of being much simpler and which requires less material and technique.

The principle is simple: we use a standard pressure cooker as a boiler, it only remains to manufacture the steam cooler ....

This is a plastic bottle 20l which was cut off the top. Do not worry if this can is intended for food contact: your distillates are never in contact with it.
  • A hole is drilled at 10aine centimeters from the top of the can to get a tube (left on the photo).
  • This tube will be inserted instead of the needle on the pressure cooker. It must be provided for high temperatures since these are vapors that will pass into it. This tube was surrounded by a piece of electric sheath (ICTA) to stiffen it a bit (it softened with heat) and to avoid burning when touching it.
  • The tube is extended inside the can by a copper coil (made by winding a copper tube annealed 4mm around a tin, a PVC pipe 10cm ...) which will serve as exchanger with the water of the can and thus cool the vapors.
  • the other pipe (on the right), comes out of the can half a dozen centimeters from the bottom and receives a pipe through which the distillates will come out.
  • The last pipe at the bottom is connected to a tap used to empty the can.
  • Note that the pipes have been folded inside for the photo but that normally, they go outward.


That's it, all you have to do is put a little water in your pressure cooker, put your plants in the basket of the casserole, close the lid, connect the hose to the needle, fill the can with cold water and light the fire (as the fiscal expat would have said : Lol: )

Occasionally stir the water in the can to counter natural convection and, when it becomes really too hot, empty part of it (take the opportunity to do the dishes or wash your floor with, at the price of energy hot water is used !!!) and replace it with cold water.

I realized this device during one of the sessions organized by the association nettle which offers many courses in botany, awareness of bio-diversity, etc ...
Last edited by Targol the 15 / 12 / 06, 14: 16, 1 edited once.
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by jonule » 15/12/06, 13:34

I advise the wood stove for cooking, which allows anyway to control the t ° C through the draft moderator flap, and uses wood; good against it must stay ahead, but anyway it's like pasta: that's how we succeed! -)
http://www.nrjrealiste.fr/poele/poele.html

PS: Targol, "the other pipe that comes out of the container half a dozen cm from the bottom", is it on the right in your photo, and not on the left as you say? the distillate is necessarily lower than the arrival of the vappers ?!
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by Targol » 15/12/06, 14:15

jonule wrote:I advise the wood stove for cooking, which allows anyway to control the t ° C through the draft moderator flap, and uses wood; good against it must stay ahead, but anyway it's like pasta: that's how we succeed! -)
http://www.nrjrealiste.fr/poele/poele.html

PS: Targol, "the other pipe that comes out of the container half a dozen cm from the bottom", is it on the right in your photo, and not on the left as you say? the distillate is necessarily lower than the arrival of the vappers ?!


Of course, Jonule. Thank you for reporting this dumpling (corrected on the initial post)
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Re: How to make a still? Plans and tips




by fatih » 07/05/07, 16:52

Hello everyone
I am looking for documents on the modeling of the distilallation of essential oils
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by Neville » 19/06/07, 17:12

jonule wrote:you have to climb VERY progrssevement t ° C if you want quality, with good fruit, to 88 ° c I think to separate the alcohol from the rest (of the water), you need a thermometer in direct output vapors .
let the first drops piss it's dangerous methanol for approximately 50ml 10kg of frutis?


I'm a chemistry student and yes the thermometer is compulsory it should be known that methanol has a high level of toxicity for the body methanol has a vaporization temperature of 64.6 ° C that means that when your thermometer indicates 65 ° C is methanol that comes out! Ethanol alcohol drinks has a temperature of vaporization of 78.4 ° C so it is necessary to wait for the melting temperature to be at least 78 ° C !! But it is still indisosiable ethanol by simple distillation!
Last edited by Neville the 19 / 06 / 07, 17: 18, 1 edited once.
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Re: How to make a still? Plans and tips




by Neville » 19/06/07, 17:14

fatih wrote:Hello everyone
I am looking for documents on the modeling of the distilallation of essential oils


It is very hard to get PUR oil, you will need products such as cyclohexane to separate the oil from the water it contains to have the most pure oil possible and then wash your oil for no longer have traces of cyclohexane
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by kanosensei » 21/06/07, 13:02

I was wondering something.

How can we measure the temperature when boiling at the cocote minute?

Because if we want to remove methanol, we must go up to 65 °
How to know that we are at 65 ° and how to know that we have passed the barrier of 78 ° ethanol.

Do you have a solution or something? Because it is necessary that the casserole is closed, but, how to introduce a thermometer inside?

Thank you
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