Mother's Wood-burning Still

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Now simply install your final drilled plate at the top of the tee, and stack the remaining components in the order shown. Don't forget to install the thermometer wells in the two sections of conduit as illustrated (these cylinders must protrude into the pipe, but have to be capped-on their "inside" ends-to prevent vapor leakage). Also, remember to fill the long section of 3" conduit with marbles before sealing it up.

The condenser coils can be made by winding copper tubing-tightly-around a piece of 1-1/2" pipe until you produce a "spring" of the desired length. (Remember to solder-seal the joints between the column and the protruding copper "pipettes".)

Unless you have a small funnel that fits snugly within the 45° "Y" at the tower's top, you'll have to make one . . . but this involves nothing more than forming a sheet of copper (or a section of copper pipe) into a cone shape, soldering the seam, and fastening a 3/4" pipe to its "small" end. Be certain the funnel is leakfree-and carefully soldered to the "Y"-or some of your distilled ethanol will leak back into the mash vat.

Now complete the copper plumbing circuit to your alcohol storage tank, and hook up the three pairs of water feed and discharge lines as indicated. Be certain that each feed line is equipped with a needle valve, since careful water control is essential to the distillation process.

YOU'RE READY TO "MAKE A RUN"

First, wrap the "boiler" tank with fiberglass insulation batting, then begin the distillation process by filling your mash container with the fermented solution to a level several inches below the lip of the access hole (this might total 25 gallons or more, depending on how large your water tank is). Next, connect your stovepipe to an outside chimney, "lay a blaze" in the firebox, and wait for your mash to generate some alcohol/water "steam". (This will occur when the tank thermometer registers in the vicinity of 170°F. Remember that this "degree sensor" is positioned to indicate steam vapor-rather than liquid-temperature.)

Now open the three condenser flow valves, and wait for the vapors to reach the 175°F to 190°F range. At this point the marbles will begin to crackle . . . and you can start "fine tuning" the still's controls. The main condenser coil at the top of the column doesn't need continual adjustment ... just let water flow through it at a slow, steady rate. The other two coils, however, must be controlled religiously. During the first two hours or so of distillation, the temperature at the lower primary coil should be maintained at a point between 176°F and 182°F, while the heat in the vicinity of the upper condenser should be held to about 170°F (to cool either area down, just increase the flow of water through the coils).

When everything is adjusted properly, an 85%r-pure alcohol product will begin to flow into your storage container. The stream should be slow but steady . . . if it's excessive, chances are that you're getting too much water in your alcohol. (You can prevent this undesirable situation by cooling your upper and lower primary coils slightly . . . but do try to stay within the temperature ranges previously indicated.)

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

GET MORE INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC:

6-INCH ALCOHOL STILL BLUEPRINT'

MEN Editors

Blueprint

Our Price: Price: $15.00

• Browse Blueprints