I'm about to build a reflux still but cannot find the right raw material ,1' copper,right here in Thailand. So I will use what is available.
For the column I intend to use food carriers in stainless steel diameter 10 cm eight about 6 cm. Actually, they have the right shape to be used as 'plates'. For a 1m column, one must take 16 units ,4 pieces with 4 containers each,
One of the problems I expect is the sealing of each container. Using white teflon tape reinforced with normal tape renewed after each batch ? Is teflon tape OK with alchohol ? Here a picture of those carriers.
I .I will use 4 units like this so 16 containers each about 6 cm high. The holes , 2 holes with a diameter of 1/2' or?, made in the bottom of each container will be alternated to force the vapor to enter in contact with the bottom of each plate.
For the other parts, I will try to get a beer keg covered with a stainless steel pot. At the top of the column, I will place a copper coil as dephlegmator.
As raw material for the wash I intend to use cane juice to make rum like in the French Antilles or palm tree sugar like they do here.
What do you think about this approach?