How to Build a Still

If you are interested in a truly unique science project, consider building your own still! Be aware, however, that Federal Law prohibits citizens from building a still for the purpose of distilling alcohol.These quick, easy steps, however, will demonstrate how simple it is to make your own still.

Required Materials:

• Copper boiler, about 4-gallon size
• Copper sheeting, about 18” in diameter
• Copper Pipe, 2” diameter x 36” long
• Copper tubing, 1” diameter, 24 inches long
• Lead-free solder
• Glass thermometer
• Stainless steel milk can
• 1”x 1-½” reducing coupler
• 1-½” x 2” reducing coupler
• Elbow joint, 1” diameter
• 3” nipple
• 1” x 2-½” nipple
• Copper coils (5-6 feet of 1” copper pipe coiled in a spiral shape)
• Standard spigot faucet
• Large copper tub
• 1-½” copper elbow pipe
• New bucket, glass gallon jug, or other container that is easily sealed.
• Siphon or piece of unused garden hose
• Airlock
• Rubber stopper to fit the opening made in your sealed container
• Connecting ring to fit the boiler and 2’ Pipe together
• Flour and water OR silicon kit
• Mixture to be fermented
• Yeast
• PLENTY of COLD water

Required Tools :

• Saw
• Solder gun
• Heat source (propane or electric heater)
• Drill

Assembling the boiler:

1. Saw the copper boiler in two. Lay the copper sheet face up on the work surface. Place the open end of one half of the boiler directly on top of the copper sheet.
2. Cut a piece of sheeting with a diameter 1cm larger than the diameter of the open end of the boiler.
3. Solder the sheet to the boiler, making sure there is no leak.
4. Place the boiler, flat side down, on the work surface. Cut a hole in the top of the boiler that is exactly 2” in diameter. Solder the connecting ring to the top of the boiler, directly over the hole.

Assembling the column:

1. Drill a hole in the top of the 1-½” elbow connector, just large enough to solder it to the 3” nipple.
2. Solder the 2” pipe to the connecting ring at the top of the boiler. Solder the elbow connector, to the top of the pipe, using the 1-½” reducing coupler.
3. Solder the nipple in place. Insert the thermometer into the nipple, and secure it in place with either flour and water or a silicon kit.
4. Solder the 1” reducing coupler to the other end of the elbow pipe. Solder the 1” length of pipe to the coupler.
5. Solder the 1” elbow joint to the end of the pipe so that the other end of the elbow points downward. Solder the smaller nipple to this end of the elbow pipe.
6. Solder the nipple to the coiled copper tubing. Place a large metal washtub or other large metal container below the coils, so that the bottom of the coils rests in the container.
7. Cut a hole low in the side of the metal container large enough to force the end of the tubing to meet up with the hole. Solder the connection. Solder the spigot to the hole cut in the side of the metal container.
8. Place the heat source beneath the copper boiler.

Assembling your fermenting container:

1. Use a clean, new container. Place the mash or mixture to be fermented inside the container. Add yeast and seal the container. The container does not have to be permanently sealed, but it must be airtight.
2. Cut a hole in the top of the container large enough for the rubber stopper.
3. Place the rubber stopper in the hole. Attach the airlock to the rubber stopper.
4. When removing the fermented mixture from the container, use a siphon. If you do not, you will get the leftover yeast contaminates in the mash, and the result will be a very foul-tasting distillation!
5. Now, you are ready to begin the distillation process. Fill the washtub with water, siphon the fermented mixture into the boiler, and turn on the heat! Place a clean container at the end of the spigot, and open then spigot.

Tips and Warnings:

• Making alcohol with a still like this is against federal regulations unless you have a special permit from the government.
• This is the most basic design for a still, effective for a science project. If you have been granted permission to distill alcohol, consider using a reflux still to enhance the distillation process.
• Use caution when operating machinery.
• If you use gas for your heat source, be sure the area is well-ventilated and beware of resulting toxic alcohol fumes.

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How to Build a Still

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