Moonshine from a washing machine tank

It is irrational to immediately get rid of old household appliances - you can give them a second life by turning them into useful homemade products. So, on the Internet there is a diagram of a moonshine still made from a washing machine tank. True, one container will not be enough; many more consumables and parts will be required. We suggest you figure out what exactly is needed for the invention and how to use it. The list of materials and step-by-step instructions are below.

Making a moonshine still

An old washing machine is an excellent basis for a homemade moonshine still. More precisely, you will need a metal tank from a machine gun, of which it is advisable to have two. You should also find the following materials:

• a barrel or body from a washing machine (if it is round);
• sheet metal (for the neck, holders, stove, cooler);
• a piece of rubber under the cover;
• cover;
• metal pipes (diameter 1.2 cm and 14 cm);
• thermometer.

The tools you will need are welding, a grinder, a tape measure, a hammer, a drill and a gas torch. You will also need sand, bolts and nuts. Be sure to prepare a rag and cleaning product.

Having collected all the materials and documents, we begin to assemble the device with our own hands. First of all, the main tank is made:

• thoroughly rinse washing tubs to remove soap scum and dirt;
• weld all the extra holes in the tank (the “plug” for draining water, soldered to tin, should be heated with a burner and pulled out);
• place one tank on top of the other and weld them together with an electrode;
• find the iron cover;
• Based on the size of the lid, make a neck out of sheet metal (cut the sheet, bend it into a circle);
• drill a hole in the tank for the neck and weld it;
• provide fastenings for the lock;
• equip the structure with a thermometer to measure the temperature of the vapors.

The next step is to cut a circle from rubber that is proportional to the neck. It is recommended to place it under the covers when closing, additionally tightening them with bolts on both sides. This ensures the tightness of the structure - steam will not escape outside.

The optimal material for a moonshine still is stainless steel.

If you don't have sheet metal for the neck and lid, you can use an old steel flask. It is enough to cut it with your own hands and weld it to the tank. This option is faster and more reliable - the design will already include a rubber seal and a locking mechanism.

A mandatory element of the distiller is the stove. You can use the body of an old semi-automatic machine or an old tank as a firebox. It is necessary to weld the extra holes, cut out the door for the wood burning chamber, and also add awnings and a locking handle to the structure. We make sure to provide an internal outlet for smoke, and on the other side we remove the external chimney from a metal pipe. At the “finish”, we place the welded tanks on the stove and securely fix them.

Next we make the cooling tank. The instructions are as follows:

• cut a stainless steel pipe with a cross-section of 1-1.2 cm (length - approximately 1.5 m);
• flatten one end with a hammer or vice;
• pour dry sand into the pipe and compact it;
• flatten the other end;
• heat a sand-filled pipe with a gas burner and bend it into a coil of the required diameter (bend the heated metal around another pipe several times);
• find a reservoir for the cooler or make it yourself (bend sheet metal, weld it, and then add lids to the structure on both sides);
• drill holes and insert the coil so that 30-50 cm remains at the bottom and top for connection to the main container;
• insert two tubes for running water into the tank (top and bottom);
• attach the cooler to the welded tanks;
• strengthen the structure with welded metal plates.

This concludes the instructions on how to make a moonshine still from a washing machine. All that remains is to fix the structure on the floor or ground with cement or metal legs. Now you can run the test cycle.

How to use?

Using a homemade distiller is easy. The main thing is not to immediately pour mash into the tank - first of all, the container is filled with water. It must be heated and boiled for 15 minutes. In this way, the tank will be prepared for the “production” of alcohol. Then the homemade moonshine still is used as follows:

• mash is poured into the distillation cube, which acts as a washing tank (it is important that the container is filled to a maximum of half, otherwise the rising foam will fall into the cooler and spoil the alcohol);
• the lid closes (it is better to place a rubber gasket or a piece of rye dough under the lid);
• the firebox is filled with wood and lit;
• the mash is brought to a boil;
• running water is introduced into the cooler through the provided tubes;
• A bottle or bucket is placed at the lower end of the coil to collect moonshine.

It looks like this from the inside. The mash boils and the alcohol begins to evaporate faster than the water. The steam generated during the heating process enters the cooler and settles on its walls.Afterwards, the condensate flows down, enters the tube and comes out. The result is raw alcohol with an alcohol content of about 40 degrees. Moonshine is produced quickly using such a machine: 3 liters are produced in twenty minutes.

Raw alcohol cannot be drunk - additional processing is required!

It is worth remembering that raw alcohol is not suitable for drinking. After the initial distillation, harmful substances are formed in the drink: fusel oils and aldehydes. To obtain “pure” moonshine, it is necessary to clean the liquid from impurities by running it again to separate the food part or by adding activated carbon.

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