Recommended fabricator for firebox

[RicdeMont]

Looking to see if anyone here might have a recommendation for a manufacturer of custom direct fire boxes for a still. I have a company I want to buy the burner and safety devices from, but I need someone who can supply the encasement/exhaust. 

I would build myself but I get the feeling I will have a much easier time with the fire dept if I go with a professional. 

[Southernhighlander]

Are you sure that your fire department will allow what you propose?  Will the burner and safety devices that you are looking at meet C1D2 hazardous environment requirements?  Because of the distillery accidents the last few years, direct fire gas stills are not looked at favorably and if safety codes are actually fallowed you will not get one passed your safety inspectors and city or municipality.

[Hudson bay distillers]

dont know about down there but i watched a video from BC and the guy had a wood burning german made still in his distillery . in some ways wouldnt it be safer , if there was a vapour leak it would get drawn into the stove and burned instead of building up and pooling into a huge explosive vapour puddle waiting for a spark . i guess if the kettle ruptured that would be different but i dont think anyone has mash high proof enough to burn . if you do build it make sure you share pics id love to see it .

tim 

[Hudson bay distillers]

the distillery is Victoria spirits in the video im talking about . 

[Glenlyon]

I'm pretty sure they have out grown that system now as they have relocated and expanded substantially in the last few years.

I've always thought it would be fun to have a built in small outdoor wood fired still has part of a farm based 'outdoor kitchen experience' for the guests. Fire it up once or twice a year and have an event wherein everyone would come, enjoy a distillers pig roast and stand around watching some alcohol drip - do some sampling in a moonshiny kinda way. Could be a great fundraiser for some local charity.

 

[Southernhighlander]

I currently have 2 outdoor stills that are wood fired with fire boxes and dampers etc.   The bases and fire boxes are powder coated sheet steel  I sell them to wineries that put them outside in sheds.  Down here where I am and in many parts of the rural south eastern US you can do whatever you like.  however Would never sell a still direct fired by flame to any distillery for the purpose of using indoors.  To know why simply look at the fores at Twister Distillery In OK and the fire and explosion at Silver trails distillery in KY.  Both distilleries were running propane burners that ignited ethanol vapor causing fire, explosion and death at the silver trails distillery.  Direct fire stills are very dangerous indoors.  Also if you try to put something like that downtown in the city somewhere you most likely you will spend the money to set it up and the fire marshal will never pass it.  Go with steam or electric.  It's a hell of a lot safer for you, your customers and your neighbors.  Below is one of the 200 liter outdoor wood fired stills that i have for sale.  The complete still pot is copper.  The wood flame is directly on the copper bottom.  The agitator has chains that rake the bottom so believe it or not you can put wine in with pumice and all without scorching.  i have one of these in 100 liter and another in 200 liter.

 

[SlickFloss]

All systems have their shortcomings. A direct fire still drawing vapor into it is a disaster waiting to happen. Think pouring gasoline onto a fire, its not just going to burn off what it draws it's going to ignite back to the source, boom. At least with a jacket there's no open flame. Good luck. Keep asking questions, you're gonna get it eventually. It's better to make the poor choices theoretically sounding off on a forum then in practice with dollars cents and lives

[Hudson bay distillers]

silk i would have thought they would jus get sucked in and burn but that makes sense they would track back to the source . so explain how do they run wood fired stills like the one at victoria spirits . there are alot of wood fired stills that have the fire box under the still . 

tim 

[Southernhighlander]

Hudson Bay. They have just been lucky enough not to have vapor or liquid ethanol leaks.  I used to work with a guy at a sawmill who was the loader operator and he bucked up logs as well.  He smoked cigs and I watched him refill his chain saw with gas with a lit cig in his mouth.  He would have a lit cig in his mouth when refueling the loader and it was an old massey ferguson gas powered loader.  I asked him what the hell he was doing and he said he had been doing that for years and hadn't burned up yet.  He was lucky.  I had another friend who has putting gas in his riding mower while it was running. The vapor was ignited by the muffler and the fire caused the fuel tank and the gas can to explode in a big ball of fire.  He was on fire and ran and jumped into his swimming pool but he was still burnt so badly that he almost died.  He was unlucky.  Victoria spirits was lucky while twister was not.  You should not have a lit cig in your mouth while you are handling gasoline and you should not have a still fired by flame inside a building because both things increase the danger of fire and explosion unnecessarily.