George:
Regarding the benchtop still for proofing, you need to look at the AOAC method, which has listed all the materials you need. (AOAC Official Methods of Analysis 920.47, 942.06, 945.07,
982.10, 983.12 (17th Ed.); ASBC Official Method Beer-4; 27CFR part 30), but basically you need a glass distillation equipment as follows:
Boiling flask with 35/20 joint
Vigreaux distilling column with 35/20 joints, 50cm long and 2.2cm od
Connectig adapter with 35/20 joints
Liebig condenser with 35/20 female joint on top and straight 7mm od tube as outlet (H20 jacket lenght ca 38cm)
Conderser outlet connector tube
Pinch-type clamps
volumetric flasks
You will obviously need a heat source (electric heater) for the distillation.
Now, depending on the method you use for the density measurement, you might need to have to size the flasks differently (if you are going to use hydrometers you need bigger volume than the Anton Paar DMA or the pycnometer). Also, depending on your equipment availability and method chosen you will need either a 20°C water bath or a scale sensitive to ±0.1mg
Please feel free to contact me if you need more info
Carlos