Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi All,

Been lurking around here for a while and reading heaps but finally decided to take the plunge and build my first still. I was going to just buy one..... but that removes half the fun and the learning of new skills. I work in the science field, I love Gin, I love tinkering with things, and love building new projects so this seems like the perfect hobby!

My farther in law is a sheet metal welder by trade so he will help with any welding needs and i work next to a scrap yard which has been selling me copper pipe for $5/Kg :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I want to build something modular so that it can be upgraded in the future when more funds are available, I also like the idea of adding an offset carter head at a later date too if i get hooked. This still will be for running neutrals and making Gin.
I have done a quick sketch (attached hopefully) of whats in my head at the moment and also incorporated some copper pipe sizes that i already have.


I have a few questions on my setup:
Should i use a 4" Ferrule on the keg and use the 4" to 3" reducer that i have or just go straight 3" from the keg?

If i do use a 4" ferrule plus my reducer and want to pack the bottom section of the column, can you buy a 4" strainer so my packing wont fall out into the boiler?

Is the 3" 500mm column and 3" 300mm dephlegmator long enough, or should I wait until my scrap man has some longer pieces?

I would like to hear some cheaper ways of getting from the 3" column to the PC, should i even bother including the lyne arm extension piece and how long should it be? That 3" x 3" x 2" Tee is $95.

Looking forward to hearing your expert thoughts!

Thanks
Mat

Hi there and welcome to the community!

The only advice I can offer on your setup is the following;

1. Go with a 4" on the keg. Leaves it good for future builds. Especially if you already have the reducer.
2. I personally don't think the extension out the side towards the PC is needed. But it depends on the heights of your work area so if it works for where you distil to make it easier, go with it.
3. Have you thought of just going with a 4" column and future 4" carter head? If you specifically like and want gin, I'd future proof your system and go with 4" from the start as you'll probably be making a buttload of neutral off that 50L keg.

In here there is so much info and a wealth of experience. Don't shy away from asking what seems as dumb questions. The search function and newbies corner are also a good way to start

I started by reading nearly every bubbler build twice when I decided to build Bender The Bubbler. It was worth the effort.

Good luck and welcome!

You will want to go taller, 500mm won't get you much in the way of neutral.
Might get you to high 80's %ABV wise.
If you want gin you will either need 2 stills (pot still and a reflux still like a boka or something) or 1 bubbler, as well as maybe a carter head.

Put an extra element in the boiler as well.

Good advice so far, only thing I'd suggest, and this is from my personal point of view is do a 6" on the keg!

Don't know what your physique is like, but I can't get my forearms past a 4" and that makes it very much harder to scrub/clean the inside! I'm no Arnold but I wish I'd done that!

Thanks for the comments so far, I like the idea of a 6” hole but that would add quite a bit of cost, with reducers and extra for the ferrules/ clamps, however, I could always add a 6” fill hole at a later date and just put a cap or sight glass with a tri clamp. Looks like I might need to get some longer pieces of 3 or 4” pipe from the scrappy then.

A lot of my costing seems to come from SS ferrules and bends / tee’s, so if I can work out an easy flange method with the copper then that will save heaps. I’m also hoping some cooper bends show up at the scrappy too.

Scubadriver wrote:Thanks for the comments so far, I like the idea of a 6” hole but that would add quite a bit of cost, with reducers and extra for the ferrules/ clamps, however, I could always add a 6” fill hole at a later date and just put a cap or sight glass with a tri clamp. Looks like I might need to get some longer pieces of 3 or 4” pipe from the scrappy then.

Just going over this again (like a Terrier with a bone :D ) the 6" ferrule and Tri-clamp isn't that much more expensi so if you then make or buy a 6-4" reducer you could add in a fill port onto that...

promise, no more bringing this point up :silent:

I'm concerned about the 300 mm RC. Your location says Victoria so in winter you'll have really cold cooling water. Unless you have a very slow pump and running a needle valve you'll struggle to get vapour past it, especially with 2200 W. Nothing wrong with a 100 mm RC.

Like others have said, 4" is better if you can get it and 500 mm packed section won't cut it. Unless you make some plates too. 4 plates gets the abv up to 92-93 % before it even gets to the packed section. The packed section will get it further beyond that.

Good luck, posts lotsa photos. :text-worthless:
Sorry couldn't help it. :teasing-tease:

db1979 wrote:I'm concerned about the 300 mm RC. Your location says Victoria so in winter you'll have really cold cooling water. Unless you have a very slow pump and running a needle valve you'll struggle to get vapour past it, especially with 2200 W. Nothing wrong with a 100 mm RC.

Like others have said, 4" is better if you can get it and 500 mm packed section won't cut it. Unless you make some plates too. 4 plates gets the abv up to 92-93 % before it even gets to the packed section. The packed section will get it further beyond that.

Good luck, posts lotsa photos. :text-worthless:
Sorry couldn't help it. :teasing-tease:

Thanks for your comments, oh ok didn't realise 100 mm would be good enough, i was just trying to use the 3" tubing i have, 1 piece is 300 mm and the other is 500 mm.

I managed to get a nice 2" Tee piece and also a 90 degree bend today from the scrappy so i only need to get a 3" to 2" reducer now, or wait and see if he gets some decent 3 or 4" pipe in soon.

What about if i leave the dephlag for now and just use the 800mm (plus tee) as a packed column and i could put a coil in the top of the tee with a small extension (CCVM) if needed?