Here's what you need to know to make your very still. Start by gathering your supplies:

(1) Aluminum pot with an aluminum lid (we used a tamale steamer from a place that rhymes with Target…Doh!)
5 Gallon bucket
(1) Drill
(1) 1/8 inch drill bit
(1) 3/8) inch drill bit
(1) Cooking Thermometer
(1) Teflon Tape
(1) Hot glue gun with high temperature hot glue sticks
(1) Metal File
(2) 3/8-inch to 3/8-inch compression adapter (found in plumbing section
(1) 20 ft. Refrigerator coil
Ice
A stove or other consistent heat source (when using the still you need to keep whatever you are boiling at a very even temp)

Now you're ready to begin construction:

Step 1: Drill a 1/8 inch hole in the lid of the aluminum pot
Throw the lid over a piece of scrap wood to make it easier and drill a hole a few inches back from the edge of the lid.

Step 2: Wrap the thermometer with Teflon tape
Originally, we were just going to wrap the thermometer with Teflon tape to create an airtight seal, but decided we wanted to secure this thing in place even more with some hot glue (rated for high temps). You could probably get away with just using hot glue at the end of the day and ditching the Teflon.

Step 3: Place the thermometer in the hole
Thread your cooking thermometer through the hole so it sits nice and flush on the top of the lid.

Step 4: Secure the thermometer with hot glue
For those concerned that hot glue is a bad choice for this project (since it will be in direct contact with hot steam) it’s important to note that high temperature hot glue sticks have a melting point well above the melting point of water (100 C). This is also true for the melting point of “other liquids” (78 C). There are other adhesives you can use, including high temp silicone and even high temp resins. Just make sure whatever you use is rated for heat well beyond what your liquid’s steam will be creating.
High temperature hot glue will be fine for this project.

Step 5: Drill a 3/8 inch hole in the pot lid
Begin by drilling another 1/8 inch hole in the lid. This will act as a starter hole for the much bigger 3/8 inch drill bit. Put it roughly opposite from the thermometer across the lid. Drill a 3/8 inch hole with the 3/8 inch drill bit.

Step 6: File as needed
If there are any burrs, this could cause some problems when inserting the compression fitting. Take a file and grind the burrs down until they are gone.

Step 7: Insert a compression fitting into the lid
Insert the male threaded nut of the compression fitting into the hole by twisting it through from the bottom of the lid. The fit won’t be perfect, but don’t worry if it jiggles around a little bit.
The fit won’t be perfect, but that’s okay. We aren’t perfect either, but our mom still loves us.

Step 8: Seal the fitting with hot glue
This seal needs to be air tight to prevent steam from leaking through it. It’s time to bust out that trusty glue gun again! Make sure you put hot glue on the other side as well, working well around the seams.

Next, attach the copper coil to the lid by placing the female-threaded nut over one end of the refrigerator coil and then screwing the female-threaded nut to the male-threaded nut. Now, make a pilot hole in the bucket using a 1/8-inch drill bit, placing it 2 inches above the base. Then, drill a 3/8-inch hole through the pilot hole. Now, take the male-threaded nut of the other compression fitting and screw it into the bucket, then use a hot glue gun to seal it. Finally, attach the coil to the bucket placing the second female-threaded nut over the coil and inserting a ferrule into it. Take this end of the coil, place it into the bucket, and thread the female nut onto the male nut. Then, just add some ice to cool all of the gasses created during this process.

And you're done! Doesn't this sound like a cool DIY project? It's a lot simpler than you might think, which is why it's ideal for DIY beginners. It's also a lot of fun to make, making it the perfect introduction to DIY. Raise your glass and toast all of your hard work!

Article Source: DIY Projects