Jim, 

The moral of this story is to model a controllable heat source. Sorry Dan derailed your thread

It is simply impossible to “derail” a train thread. Can‘t be done...

Jim Rowson said:

It is simply impossible to “derail” a train thread. Can‘t be done...

Thank you, Jim.

Devon ....... 

Working on the main tank of the still (the one that boils the alcohol off the fermenting mash). Rick Marty gave me a pointer in my log loader thread to a site that helps you build a frustrum (a cone with the top cut off): [link]

Using that, I made a paper version:

I'll need to cut the can down substantially.

Here is the frustrum cut out of brass shim and formed into the cone shape:

Slow progress, but progress nevertheless...

Looking good Jim, glad you were able to use the information. 

This is going to look great somewhere almost hidden on your layout, do you have a spot picked yet?

I don't have a spot picked out yet. Thinking about it, but no conclusion. Has to be away from "civilization" ...

Cut down the can and attached the frustum, including a 1/4" styrene exhaust pipe. I'm currently cogitating how to make a tapered pipe. Getting lots of ideas from the chat guys (fred, bob, gary)...

Ideas for the horizontal, tapered exhaust pipe include:

• heat 1/4" styrene and pull it to make it taper
• solid 1/4" styrene in a drill and sand it down
• find some tapered applicator tube laying around: caulk, glue, eye/ear drop

Hmmmmmm....

Wouldn't the last be the most "MIK-like"?  

Well, I looked around and couldn't find any existing tapered tube to use for the exhaust. I tried using the 1/4" styrene pipe heated and pulled but it just broke apart. So I went with sanding down a 1/4" styrene rod. Started by drilling a hole to accept the #14 solid wire, then used a dremel sanding cylinder to do a coarse taper, and finished it by putting it in a drill and using a sanding stick to smooth it out.

After a little smoothing of the top joint, I primed it:

A bit rough around the edges but generally seems ok. I need to think about how much I want to neaten up the border between can and cone, and between cone and exhaust.

Jim Rowson said:

Well, I looked around and couldn't find any existing tapered tube to use for the exhaust. I tried using the 1/4" styrene pipe heated and pulled but it just broke apart. So I went with sanding down a 1/4" styrene rod. Started by drilling a hole to accept the #14 solid wire, then used a dremel sanding cylinder to do a coarse taper, and finished it by putting it in a drill and using a sanding stick to smooth it out.

After a little smoothing of the top joint, I primed it:

A bit rough around the edges but generally seems ok. I need to think about how much I want to neaten up the border between can and cone, and between cone and exhaust.

Looks good!

When will tastings be offered?  

You sure you ain't making this life size and hiding it in your back 40 somewhere? ..........

Jim Rowson said:

............... 

A bit rough around the edges ...................

 

I would say that is the embodiment of a backwoods still   The folks running them are a little rough around the edges too or at least the ones I have bought ....... errr, uhmmmm ......  seen on TV are 

Thats looking awesome Jim. This is gonna be a favorite of mine. Between you and Dave the uniqueness of the projects is just too cool. 

Devon Sinsley said:

....This is gonna be a favorite of mine. .... 

   Why didn't you just loan him one of your hats then?