Like minded folks in central Wisconsin

[DragonWhip]

I am looking for some folks around Wautoma or Wild Rose or Waupaca that are interested in making alcohol in the area. Just send an message to me here. Later

[Thumpin455]

Still nobody in Wisconsin? come on, I know there are people out there. Wisconsin isnt that big.

[DragonWhip]

No contact yet. I have been real busy getting set for winter. Hopefully I'll have a chance to call the person near the Dells even though that's a pretty good trek for a regular brewing. I think part of the problem if you can call it a problem is we are in the heart of " Renew country " and they continue to have a real good price spread. Renew ( other wise known as Outlaw ) has kept their price at $ 1.84.9 for the whole summer and Fall, so most folks around here are content with Renew pricing and apparently making your own is to much work.

I finally got the RV sold so this winter I can start building the still. Hopefully I'll have the skills to get it done myself or its going to take longer if I have to pay others for their skills.

I hope everything is going well for you up there in cold country. We just spotted Junco's at the bird feeder and they only show up when winter is set. This has been a messed up weather year, winter to summer then a couple of Spring days and now Summer to winter and hardly any Fall. And people say there is no global warming.

Later, Dean

[Thumpin455]

We didnt even have a summer here, had to start a fire at least once every month this year and its already going full time. Cant wait to get the biogas plant working and heating the house and shop that way I wont have to build a fire in July just to get the frost off the windows. I wont comment on the weather, other than it hasnt been very warm of late, but it sure is changing.

Making my own fuel is about the only way I can get it easy, one station carries E85 and the price goes up along with gas. Its ok though, I really dont need much fuel and if I grow my own food then make my own electricity I might be able to afford to live again. :)

[brutusmach8]

I have not been on this forum for a while seen your from wis. I am from northern wis have read some of davids book not all of it Iam going to try making ethanol when I get my last project done Ive started to build a boiler.glad to see someone else in wis interested in it thanks

[Thumpin455]

Northern Wis where? Im not far from Menominee, ok well two hours or so isnt far to me.

[brutusmach8]

Iam south of superior wisconsin I see your from michigan. are you producing ethanol yet I bought a 803 but had to take it a part to fix a leak havent fixed it yet got side tracked by a buick repairable iam trying to finish just about done . then can get back to the boiler and still thanks

[Thumpin455]

Im a few miles east of Marquette in the U.P.

Some of your fellow Wisconsin types came up here yesterday and we made a small batch from sweet sorghum they fermented. I found a couple things I need to remedy with my still, but for the most part it is functional. I have some testing and learning to do with it, but it works pretty well. The toughest part for me is controlling the temp, that is the first hurdle I need to get over. we got quite a bit done, much more than I could have in one day by myself, so I greatly appreciate the effort and help.

Mine is much smaller than the C803 being only a 2" packed column, but I am modifying it to use some of the ideas from the C803, such as having a transfer tube with a valve to the still from the boiler to control the temps better. I only need 200-500 gallons per year, so the smaller size fits my requirements better. When I have more of the project in place I will build a larger still and boiler so we can use ethanol for electrical production. Ethanol is only part of the project, but I cant do the rest without it and vice versa.

I had a much smaller still that held two gallons of mash and it worked pretty well being electric powered. It just didnt have the capacity that I need. Fun to learn with it though.

Before the white stuff buries us I want to harvest some cattails and get the still set up in the shop so I can run it over the winter. Need to build a rack to dry them by my woodstove, if I have to heat the house I may as well make it work for me.

[brutusmach8]

Did they say where abouts they were from It sounds like your quite a bit farther ahead then where iam at.I not close to making any yet but it will come in do time buick almost done .One more little project after that .then I will get back to finishing my boiler i started.I want to use corn and feed the left over distiller grains to the pigs and other animals .

[Thumpin455]

I had car projects all summer, and I still have to get another one running for the winter. I feel your pain. They are from the Madison area, long drive to come up and give me a hand with some of the hard labor stuff.

Right now I am using 20 and 55 gallon drums to do everything, simple and effective, best of all cheap. Since you want to use corn, why not malt it to save on enzymes?

[brutusmach8]

heres what I have going found a old fuel oil barrel cut it in the middle cut an arch in it. Iam going to mount a 55 gal laquer barrel on top fire from underneath with wood use pelite and cement mixture for fire block wall. it should work not much money invested yet in it.anyway .as to malting corn hows the recipe for that.been reading a new book called alcohol fuel trying to get a plan of action thanks

[Terry Decker]

Hi guys.

I am looking for some people in the neighborhood who are already making their own alcohol. Except that I am in Southern Wisconsin. When the time is right, I wouldnt mind making a trek northward to check out your operations. I am getting ready to build a street legal sand rail dune buggy to run off alcohol and/or E-85. Hope to have it running before summer.

Terry