Home, small scale ethanol production.

1. The Plastic Still
Fabrication and Assembly Instructions
Prepared by: Jim Baker

3. • Basic Design
This still is basically a Charles 803 design which produces 190 proof
alcohol in one pass. The water/alcohol steam passes through a cooled
chamber, the water vapor cools and drops out and the alcohol vapor
passes on into a cooling chamber, liquefies and is collected.
• Materials
Three inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe is used for the main body. The pipe
connecting the upper and lower sections is 1 ½ inch PVC pipe. The
feed throughs are ½ inch CPVC which is exactly 7/8 inch OD. CPVC
cement or universal cement is used for connections. Two part white
boat epoxy that comes in a stick from Wal-Mart is useful to strengthen
feed throughs.
Note: Although the PVC will hold up at the 200F temperatures, it is
flexible at that temp. Support the Still so it is not subjected to any
bending or squeezing. Note the mounting on the previous photo.

4. •
Tools
The only tools required are:
1.
Drill press with a vise.
2.
Miter saw
3.
Rat tail file
4.
Sand Paper
5.
7/8 inch drill bit
6.
¼ inch drill bit
7.
1 7/8 inch hole saw for tube into condenser.

5. • Parts
The exploded view of the Still shows dimensions and the parts.
All of these parts except the marbles can be purchased at
Lowe’s or Home Depot. The marbles were found at Dollar Tree.
About 5 bags for $1 each were used.
Washer drain hose is great for connecting boiler to still. The
hose ID is 7/8 inch.
The steam discharge nozzle should point down and be at the
same level as the low proof (water) overflow. Drill enough
holes in the outlet cap to equal the area of the ½ “ pipe. Put
one hole in the top of the elbow so steam can go upward
toward the marbles.

8. • Fabrication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The output side of the still is on the right and the inputs on the left. This
avoids interferences.
Cut and drill the components first. Drill the 7/8” holes straight into the
pipes and adapters. This hole size just fits the ½”CPVC. Test the fit of the
½ “ tube into a 7/8 “ hole to ensure compatibility.
Drill through the 3”x1 ½ “ bottom adapter of the condenser with a 1 7/8”
hole saw to allow the 1 ½ “ pipe to pass through. You might try installing
a section of 1 ½” pipe directly on the top of the adapter rather than drilling
through. Bevel the end and cement in place. The section of 1 ½ “ tube
above the adapter must stay put or the condenser won’t work.
Drill through the brass adapters with a ¼” drill. This is to allow the ¼”
tubing to pass through.
Trim the SS shower drain plate to fit inside the 3” tube.
Wrap copper tubing around a 1 ½ “ pipe to form the coils. Hold the 1 ½ “
tube and go around it with the as purchased coil. Don’t try to start with a
straight piece of copper tubing. Leave at least a 1 foot tail on each end of
the coil to go through the top of the sections. Pull the finished coils out to
reach bottom of sections. Leave enough space for marbles to pass through
the coils in the separator.

9. Caution: Do the assembly in order or you can end up with some embarrassing
situations.
•
Assembly
1.
2.
Install ½” CPVC penetrations into the 3” tubes, caps and adapters with cement. Note:
do not install the ½” steam inlet tube yet.
Steam Inlet: Insert the ½ “ tube through the hole in the coupling and then cement the
nozzle onto the inside end. Push the tube back out and add cement and push back in
until nozzle is in the proper place. Add boat epoxy around tube on outside to
strengthen connection.
3.
Drain Plate: Place the plate about 3” into the bottom of the separator section and then
glue in the split ring support to hold it in place.
4.
Copper coil in separator: Stretch the coil to reach the plate and with the top coil below
the Temperature probe penetration. The two tails should extend above the top of the 3”
tube.
5.
Add the marbles up to the top coil and shake into place. Marbles must be on the inside
and outside of the coils.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Place the 3x1 ½ “adapter over the copper tubing tails and cement the cap in place.
Cement the bottom sections in place.
Assemble the Condenser section similar to the above procedures.
Connect the Condenser to the Separator and finish assembly of the Still.

10. Caution: Do the assembly in order or you can end up with some embarrassing
situations.
•
Assembly
1.
2.
Install ½” CPVC penetrations into the 3” tubes, caps and adapters with cement. Note:
do not install the ½” steam inlet tube yet.
Steam Inlet: Insert the ½ “ tube through the hole in the coupling and then cement the
nozzle onto the inside end. Push the tube back out and add cement and push back in
until nozzle is in the proper place. Add boat epoxy around tube on outside to
strengthen connection.
3.
Drain Plate: Place the plate about 3” into the bottom of the separator section and then
glue in the split ring support to hold it in place.
4.
Copper coil in separator: Stretch the coil to reach the plate and with the top coil below
the Temperature probe penetration. The two tails should extend above the top of the 3”
tube.
5.
Add the marbles up to the top coil and shake into place. Marbles must be on the inside
and outside of the coils.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Place the 3x1 ½ “adapter over the copper tubing tails and cement the cap in place.
Cement the bottom sections in place.
Assemble the Condenser section similar to the above procedures.
Connect the Condenser to the Separator and finish assembly of the Still.