Since we now know that the oil supply is going to be a major problem in the near future, we need to plan for it.

Does anyone know how to build a still or know where this information can be found?

Small engines can run on alcohol with minor adjustments any small engine repairman can do.

All you have to do to run one for your own fuel is register it with the Federal Government. You can make quite a bit of it as long as you don't sell it. This also keeps it safe from the local sheriff, since it's legal.

Mother Earth news had plans long time ago but I don't remember when. I remember that they were supposed to be good articles on the subject.

At the price of gas and what it will become in the future,it would behoove us to make our own small engine fuel,to keep our machines running so we can produce the food needed.

On the same note remember that fertilizer made from oil will become hard to get and very expensive. So learn to make your own organicly.

-- Nick (wildheart@ekyol.com), January 01, 2001

Answers

Look in the current issue of Countryside. There is an excellent article on biodeisel production.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

Nick: I think TMEN still has plans available.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 01, 2001.

The Foxfire books have detailed plans for a still.....I'm pretty sure you can find them in Foxfire #1.

-- Michelle (lucabanks@netscape.net), January 01, 2001.

Try the Foxfire books....I'm sure the plans for one are in Foxfire#1.

-- Michelle (lucabanks@netscape.net), January 01, 2001.

Nick you said that alcohol could be used in motors with some adjustments. Mind passing along those adjustments? I could probably come up with a still....shoot some of my neighbors might have one. You never know what you will find way back in these hills!

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), January 02, 2001.

I was thinking of using the still for distilling herbal essences,but my mind is always in the garden.

Was hoping to run across one myself, someplace here in moonshine holler.Maybe find one on the property, since the old guy who once lived here was a bootlegger.No such luck.

They had brought in a real beauty down in Clay Co. maybe 5 years back.Boy,would you have liked to get your hands on that one.Too bad it didn't go to surplus sales.

Hoot posted the adjustments on another thread.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 02, 2001.

Do you want the steam shot or thump keg plans? First thing is to make a cooker any large vessel with a small top.. like an old milk can...larger at the bottom. The next thing is to make a condencer, this can be made from either copper tubing that is commected to the top of the still by way of a cap that just sits on the cooker.The tubing needs to have a lot of feet and these should be coiled and have cooling water run over them(dont need to have water in weather like now LOL)to condence the vapors. I forgot the boiling point for ethyl alcholl but think itis around 170 degrees f. So this needs to be cooked at or around 180 to boil the mash and vaporize the alcholl. Been 40 years since I won 3 place at the science fair in Dickson Tenn for my still!! Email me if u have questions

-- Charles steen (xbeeman412@aol.com), January 02, 2001.

The Germans home produced just about all of their alcohol fuel during WWWII, from corn, potatoes, whatever will ferment was used. Contact an oldtimer of German descent, and he most likely will be able to tell you how to make your own fuel at home, easily.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 03, 2001.

Try www.vita.org

These folks have all sorts of plans. And a lot of great information to boot !

j

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.

Some time ago, I was at a convention and coversation with a fella slipped into making your own fuel for the vehicles. He said they hadn't been to a gas station in years. They had converted all the stills, using farm critter droppings. He was just about to give me the recipe when I was called away. Dang!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), January 04, 2001.

If you go to altavista.com and type in "distill" you will get tons of sights with info on stills. It is still legal in some countries to distill alchohol, and some of these guys are building and selling stills through the mail. I have a link on my other computer for a sight that was chock full of information on making alchohol for fuel, including a pdf about why it is not economical to do so. That hasn't discouraged me though, because these gas prices are gonna continue to increase.

If you build a still, the reflux type is probably the best way to go. It will give a better quality alchohol with one boil than a simple condenser type. The other thing to think about is how big to make it. If a person wants to produce enough fuel to run all of their equipement, this will require quite a bit.

And if you are tempted to drink some of your fuel, remember that methanol will boil out first. Methanol will blind you if you drink too much. let the still run a while, and never drink the first half pint.

Wayne

-- Wayne (plefor@hotpop.com), January 05, 2001.

This is a great idea. I was also very interested in those wood pellet generators in the magizine, only if they used regular wood it would be great!

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), January 05, 2001.

I want to thank everone for all the help on this subject. Some of your sites were very helpful. I found 3 sets of plans that are possible.

I found them in old issues of Mother Earth News so here are the issues I found them in: November-December, 1981 March-April, 1980

There are instructions and pictures to aid in building them.

I also found out that if you add only 20% alcohol to your gas, you don't need to change anything in your engines. So you can either strech your gas or convert completely over.

-- Nick (wildheat@ekyol.com), January 07, 2001.