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55 Gallon Pot Still With a 30 Gallon Thumper For $1,950.00


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This is a good solid still that will produce 140 to 160 proof beverage alcohol. All 304 stainless steel and copper construction except for the flake stand. Both the thumper and boiler have threaded inlet caps and drain valves. There is a good temperature gauge on the boiler. This still includes a 1 year warrantee and operating instructions. It can be fired by propane or natural gas. The Still Head has a perforated plate in the bottom of it, so that copper scrubbers can be inserted into the head. The copper scrubbers give the head a little more reflux, and most importantly, they remove the sulfides from the alcohol vapor. In other words, this still gives you the advantages of both stainless steel and copper. It has the strength and durability of stainless steel and enough copper to remove some of the things that import off flavors into the spirit. This still is in stock and can ship right away.

We can also build this Still with a copper head and a copper line arm with a 42 gallon thumper for $2,585.00 If you want a stainless steel Still with a copper head and line arm, without the thumper, we can build it for you for $1,660.00 for a 55 gallon Still and $1880.00 for a 100 gallon Still. We can build 100 gallon beer stripping stills for 1,500 without the Flake stand. Right now we can build most stills within 2 weeks. We accept all major credit cards If you have any questions just email me at mitchellhollow@starband.net or call me at 417-778-6908 Check out our web site at http://distillery-equipment.com

This still has been sold.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just read the article about the distillery explosion, and now I'm seeing this. Something tells me that isn't exactly ASME certified. Would it kill you to put a pressure relief valve on that thing? I can certainly think of something that would- not having a relief valve.

In light of the above mentioned article, and the member concerns about backlash against the industry, perhaps the moderators on this site should employ a small measure of censorship regarding equipment like this, and other posts that would be more appropriate on an amateur distilling site.

I'm not saying I have a problem with a licensed DSP using homemade equipment, but if someone doesn't have the technical ability to make their own still out of a couple steel drums in their garage, then they are even less likely to have the technical ability to operate them safely.

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You want ASME certified, go get an ASME certified still. This isn't a pressure vessel. I'm sure it works just fine. I disagree with your equating still operation with welding and metal work. apples and oranges

I have no connection to, nor do I even know the builder, but I take exception to your derogatory post about his equipment.

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I disagree with your equating still operation with welding and metal work. apples and oranges

You're right. Still operation isn't the same as metal work, and I'm sure plenty of people can operate a still safely without knowing how to weld/braze metal. Perhaps in general, I would tend to trust someone that made their own homemade still to operate it more safely than someone that is using a homemade still made by someone else.

I have no connection to, nor do I even know the builder, but I take exception to your derogatory post about his equipment.

Well I take exception to your attitude about my derogatory post. That still has no place in a commercial distilling environment. If someone gets injured or killed using that thing, I have no doubt both the manufacturer and the purchaser could be found negligent. I don't like that it's a cheap homemade still, but that's a personal opinion about its appearance. I feel it has the potential to create an image problem for the industry, and innumerable insurance/regulatory repercussions when something goes wrong. This is an industry after all, not a hobby. I appreciate that others may disagree with that opinion. But that’s not my real problem.

The real issue is that “equipment” is totally devoid of safety features. A direct fire pot with no pressure relief system is an accident waiting to happen. I understand the distinction between an open and closed container, and what constitutes a pressure vessel. Get a vigorous boil going and get a chunk of grain or fruit stuck in your condenser, and it will quickly go from a still to a bomb. Even without any obstructions, there is a point where you could apply enough energy to the pot that the narrow outlet is unable to equalize the pressure. I wouldn’t trust that the manufacturer too that into consideration either.

I don’t think there should be any argument when it comes to safety, or excuses on why it’s not needed.

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Actually, we installed 1 ASME pressure relief valve in the main boiler and 1 in the thumper a few days ago before the still left here. I had ordered some new ones before this still was finished but they had not came in yet when I took the pictures. My Grandfather always said to blow through all of your lines especially your condenser coil before you fire up your burner, "or the mud dobbers will get you blowed to kingdom come". Mud Dobbers love to build their nests in condenser coils.

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Max Action,

There is nothing wrong with this still. This still is from our Backwoods series. This still is solidly built and is probably stronger than many of the mid level copper stills for sale out there today. Don't get me wrong I prefer all copper stills myself. However I designed this still to be as affordable as possible while maintaining strength and safety, which is why we are using the stainless barrels for our stainless and copper stills. Also this is not something that just anyone can assemble in there garage with a stick welder. This still, like all of our stainless stills, was welded using a tig welder with Argon shielding gas. Even the back side of these welds need to be purged with argon. The equipment is expensive and it takes a lot of experience to lay a good bead with tig.

I grew up in the Great Smokey Mountains, my people have been building stills and distilling Corn Likker for centuries. You might say that it is genetically built into my DNA. I know that some people call me and those like me from rural areas and hill and mountain country Hillbillies and Rednecks and many people consider us to be stupid and illiterate and I know that in appearance this still has Hillbilly written all over it. However those of you that feel that way should keep in mind that appearances can be deceiving and stereo types are usually always wrong. If you have seen the beautiful long rifles that my male ancestors constructed with very simple tools and a forge, and the wonderful wool coverlets that the hill women made on there simple wooden looms, you might understand why we are so proud of who we are, and of course we cannot forget men like Popcorn Sutton who could produce liquid gold in simple wood fired pot stills in the middle of the woods. I am proud of who I am and I am proud of these little barrel stills, However I will not attack you or say derogatory things about you, or what you have said here. It is disrespectful for a man to fight and argue with someone while they are in another mans house. I consider this Bill Owens's house and I would never disrespect him in any way.

In fact I will even go farther. I own a sawmill, cedar closet lining manufacturing facility, and lumber & log export business in the Ozark Hills of Southern MO. near the small town of Alton. My phone number is 417-778-6908. Max Action I would like to invite you to come visit me sometime. We can talk about stills and distilling, eat big suppers taste some good whiskey, and maybe do some Turkey or Deer hunting depending on the time of year that you would like to visit.

Sincerely

Paul Hall

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My Grandfather always said to blow through all of your lines especially your condenser coil before you fire up your burner, "or the mud dobbers will get you blowed to kingdom come". Mud Dobbers love to build their nests in condenser coils.

Maybe the guy buying your still doesn't have the benefit of your grandfather's wisdom. Then what happens? Someone gets killed, my insurance company refuses to renew my policy, and my building inspector reclassifies us as a high hazard use.

I'm not going to apologize for pointing out a serious design flaw that compromises safety, and could damage the reputation of the industry. With my life savings invested into my business I have an interest in what others in the industry are doing and how it might impact me.

You've got a long history of backwoods distilling? Fine. I appreciate that sort of cultural heritage. That doesn't mean it's directly applicable in a commercial/industrial environment.

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Max,

The still in question has 2 relief valves, so what is the problem? We are in the process of building our distillery, and we hope to be in operation by the end of the year. The name of our distilling company is Ozark Mountain Spirits LLC. We are also starting a distilling supply company called Affordable Distilling Equipment LLC. I can assure you that we will do the industry no harm. Affordable Distilling Supply will have for sale on our website our Backwoods Series of Stills, Fermenters and Mash tuns, including our all copper Backwoods Stills, and each of them will have relief valves We will also have a Pro Series of Stills, Fermenters and Mash Tuns along with bottling equipment, pumps and most other things that a Distiller might need. I have been working at sourcing equipment for our Pro series for the last few days. I will be putting some examples of our Pro Series in the equipment section if you would like to take a look maybe we can continue this discussion there where it is more appropriate. I am in this business to stay my friend. I won't be going anywhere.

Paul

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Well done Paul.

I am also the Aussie version of Hilbilly or Redneck and I built my own still.

But, partly in defence of Max Action, I was also concerned initially with no obvious pressure relief, which you say is now fixed.

I think Max should have had the courtesy to ask a few questions before tearing strips off you

I totally agree with PANOSCAPE " I'd love to see one of these produce an award winning spirit that trumps a shiny and pretty $60K still... if run right, I believe it can."

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Daveflintstone

I want to thank you for knowing that you should not always read a book by its cover. Some of us build good stills from used stainless barrels and pipe, while others make good moonshine from 3 day old donuts. As long as we do our best and are honorable and honest anything is possible. Some fine meals have been made in a couple of beat up old pots and pans. I used to watch my grandmother can outside with an open fire, a big black iron kettle and a couple of wash tubs and thermometers. She would can vegetables and even sausage that way. Umm good eaten to.

Paul

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Hi Pete

I clicked on your photo. That looks like a fine rig you were working on there. I would love to see what it looks like now that you've finished it. The way you have it set up sounds great, with the bio diesel and all. I sold the 55 gallon barrel still to a guy who is going to use it to make fuel ethanol. He runs his farm equipment with bio diesel that he makes himself from fryer grease. He wants to make the ethanol for his wife's car. I have had the idea of building a Barrel still fired by a wood gasifier hooked to a natural gas burner, but I haven't had the chance to do it yet.

Paul

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I agree with points brought up by both "Max Action" and Paul. But I think the issue is that this industry is going through some gwowing pains. It is getting crowded. Too many getting in too quickly. It is historically accurate to think there will be a shake out event. It may be something tragic or it may be that TTB will get deeper into equipment approval or something like that. That recent television series didn't help any either.

And by the way, Paul, If I say something to raise your fur can I also get an invite to "eat big suppers and taste good whiskey"? Sounds like a good trip. I used to go to McDowell County, W Va. Same lattitude as you. Good eats there. Was Homer Hickam, NASA rocket engineer, a redneck?

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Hi Pete

I clicked on your photo. That looks like a fine rig you were working on there. I would love to see what it looks like now that you've finished it. The way you have it set up sounds great, with the bio diesel and all. I sold the 55 gallon barrel still to a guy who is going to use it to make fuel ethanol. He runs his farm equipment with bio diesel that he makes himself from fryer grease. He wants to make the ethanol for his wife's car. I have had the idea of building a Barrel still fired by a wood gasifier hooked to a natural gas burner, but I haven't had the chance to do it yet.

Paul

Find some photos of finished still on my website http://www.belgrovedistillery.com.au/

website is about to be upgraded

I estimate that well over half the labour in building my still was to make it look "pretty". Grinding off welds makes them weaker and polishing the outside won't make it run better.

If you want a cheap still it probably won't look so good but that doesn't mean it is unsafe.

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I agree with points brought up by both "Max Action" and Paul. But I think the issue is that this industry is going through some gwowing pains. It is getting crowded. Too many getting in too quickly. It is historically accurate to think there will be a shake out event.

I suspect some of the first in the shakeout will be those that spent too much capital on un-necessarily good looking stills.

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This whole subject goes to the idea of some minimum standards ADI should be promulgating.....and the members subscribing too.

That sounds like a good idea Rosie.

It should for SAFETY standards but very little to do with ARTISTIC standards

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Yes, of course.....my meaning was safety first and foremost....I am just holding my breath waiting for the first craft distiller accident and I sense a real surge in hobby built equipment attempting to move mainstream as artisan distilling takes off. This ain't the beer and wine biz and I am afraid the notion that bad stuff always happens to the other guy is leading to a recklessness in operations.

How many people have ever witnessed or seen the aftermath of a still explosion? I've seen two, one in Manila and the other in Sichuan Province in China. The latter resulted in the death of two factory workers and the culprit was substandard equipment coupled with poor ventilation.

I consulted for a start up distiller in Southern California a few years ago, mainly for some fermenting issues given the high desert heat in summer, and I was stunned to see their operation using beer keg stills with tar paper and flashing on seams and pipe joints. Worse, the smell of airborne ethanol vapor led me to believe that vapor leaks were being treated as just a necessary evil in producing hi shot alcohol. When I mentioned that the ethanol vapors posed a risk for explosion, the assistant to the distiller told me that it was the liquid that was worrisome in creating explsions, and not the vapor......I meam "wow!"

I believe associations shoud be more than just places to exchange information. I believe they should help move the industry forward by developing standards for equipment and, yes, even approved equipment registries. Best standards and practices should also be developed and members wishing to display the ADI seal shoud have to earn it, not merely by taking an online course but subjecting themselves to rigorous peer review and adherance to institute standards.

Absent this framework of professionalism and a real seal of approval I m afraid it is only a matter of time before some unfortunate....and avoidable........accident renders this avocation indefensible to government regulators and the public at large.

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There is nothing wrong with my barrel stills. We pressure test them for leaks after they are built. They have pressure safety valves installed before they leave here. They are tig welded solid. Then we use a pickling compound to clean up the heat stains and insure that the welds retain there stainless qualities. It definitely would not be in my best interest to send out faulty equipment that would get someone killed. I would be sued and shut down. When I designed the barrel stills I did not design them to be pretty. I designed them to be built out of strong but inexpensive recycled materials My purpose in building the Barrel stills was to insure that we could sell low cost quality stills that anyone can afford. It has been my experience in my 26 years as a business man that it is best to have 2 product lines. One inexpensive product line that anyone can afford and another high end product line that is the absolute best product available. There is no reason that these barrel stills will not pass the same safety standards that a Vyndome still will pass. However due to all of the negative response that I have received about these I am considering pulling them from my product line. I will decide before my web site goes up on Sunday.

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