Official Luthiers Forum!

Ok, so maybe this belongs in the off topic section or maybe over in the tutorials area, but I'll leave it up to the powers that be to decide if I've placed this post in the incorrect spot. I'm currently waiting on the epoxy to cure on a laminate neck and the pva to cure on some braces. I've cleaned up my work area, the spousal unit is otherwise occupied and it's been a long couple of weeks at my day job recently so I'm tackling one of my annual fall projects tonight. Winter is fast approaching and with the advent of cold weather comes that age old question "How the hell do I stay warm on those overcast dreary days?". Well my friends and cohorts, I shall now endeavor to impart upon you one of the family secrets passed down over the ages!

*Disclaimer: The author recognizes the inherent dangers in the following product and it's modifications. Under no circumstances should one users drive a motor vehicle, operate any type of machinery, power or hand tools, converse with authority figures in the public sector, balance items on their face for entertainment of friends, family and neighbors or attempt to convince ones spousal unit of anything. Said author furthermore waives any liability from performing any of the above actions and hundreds of thousands more that are subtly or completely not specifically mentioned herein. Ergo: if you start a sentence with "Hey ya'all watch this $#17" be prepared to be embarrassed, arrested, injured or sleeping on the couch for possibly very extended amounts of time.

Alcohol. For lutherie purposes we use it for french polish, thinning of paints, cleanup etc etc. Pure grain alcohol is preferred. Here in the States it's commonly referred to as "Everclear" or 190+ proof pure grain alcohol. For those who've been raised in somewhat less than citified areas, there is an alternative. It's known as moonshine, shine, clear and many other local names. It most commonly comes in quart mason jars or little brown jugs. (caution, little brown jugs are also very popular containers for corn whiskey. Do not mix these two up! How can you tell if you've got the "good stuff" or what we commonly refer to as "swill" or "spit"? The simplest method is what is called the "Shake" test. The "good stuff" when put into a mason jar and given a 5-10 second "shake" will cause bubbles to appear in the liquid. As these bubbles float to the top, the "good stuff" bubbles will form a ring around the top of the liquid. The center of each bubble will exactly split the line above and below the liquid level. Inferior product will produce little to no lasting bubbles and/or not be balanced at the top of the liquid. Pic 1 is the "good stuff" after a shake, pic 2 is the "swill" and produced no lasting bubbles. *note: I purchased the "swill" from a local ABC store as I don't know anyone who produces "swill" locally, we've got too much pride!*
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42157219@N04/5063348891/in/set-72157625123744616/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42157219@N04/5063348675/in/set-72157625123744616/

Now not everyone likes shine in it's clear state. So our tutorial will be on a modification to allow the masses to appreciate the complexities of shine in an altered form. For this particular experiment we'll be making strawberry shine using the "good stuff" for those we like and strawberry "swill" for those we don't, ie: mother in laws etc.
Ingredients:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42157219@N04/5063958450/in/set-72157625123744616/1 Quart "good stuff"
1 lb strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 empty 1 quart mason jars
1 shot glass optional for pretesting purposes.
Refrigerator space!


We'll begin by splitting the shine into 2 - 1 quart mason jars. Slice the greenery off the tops of the berries and add half to each jar. Put 1/4 cup sugar in each jar.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42157219@N04/5063959598/in/set-72157625123744616/

Now refrigerate for 2 weeks.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42157219@N04/5063960008/in/set-72157625123744616/

If you do like I did and make a "swill" batch for those less than desireables who are constantly mooching off your good will, label the jars to prevent yourself from accidentally contaminating your reputation! I use a simple method: Label the "good stuff" with any combinations of letters and numbers and always letter the "swill" with "IL" for in-laws.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42157219@N04/5063349777/in/set-72157625123744616/

At the end of the 2 week period, remove one of the jars and sample. Too strong? Cut with distilled water. Not enough strawberry flavor? Add another half pound of strawberries to each jar. Not sweet enough? Add another 1/4 cup of sugar to each jar. Regardless of outcome, replace in fridge and season for 2 more weeks. I personally end up adding a tad more sugar and another half pound of strawberries myself. Upon completion of the 4 weeks it's now good to go! Pour into shot glasses, paper dixie cups, drink from the jar or just grab a fork and put a few strawberries on your morning cereal. (remember the disclaimers folks!)

I hope you've enjoyed todays learning session and if you feel the need, drop a $20 bill into a plain envelope and send to this forum marked "the Padma's get off the shrooms fund".

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Bobby Masten

LOL





Thanks - I think....

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Interesting article. I have kind of wondered how folks drink that stuff. Do you make your own?

So do you use it to cut shellac too?

(I will most likely move this to the off topic area in a bit - running out the door now - but it is interesting)

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

The state of Pennsylvania protects me from myself. I have to use the poisoned denatured alcohol for my Shellacing and Motherinlaw needs

I have 3 old friends who make about 600 quarts a year in their still back in the woods. I keep threatening the wife to put another still here in the back yard and if I had more free time I would! So I just help them with supplies, testing and the occasional straining for my part. Haven't tried to cut shellac with it yet as every case I've gotten from them ends up being just too good to experiment with. Good moonshine is actually not hard to drink. Well, not until you get the burn back from the stomach or hold it in your mouth too long and go numb. It produces a nice warming effect and little to no shivers when consumed. We've got about 3 more weeks before the apple pie shine is ready for testing. Now that is one we make that I've never had anyone not say "WOW!" when they drink a sip. It's so good it's almost criminal.

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Bobby Masten

Chris, come on by anytime! Would love to meet ya! The shine won't be ready for a couple weeks yet, but I've got a fridge full of beer from Busch Light to Guinness and a liquor cabinet with just about anything you'd want. Just be sure and bring some of that PI with you when you come for me to uhhhh... look at, yeah that's what I'd do with it!

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Bobby Masten

Toot... appropriate word...

There's plans all over the internet for small reflux stills in making your own alcohol in small batches. As I live in California where Everclear is illegal, yeah you can buy medical marijuana but not pure grain, I was going to make my own, but I got a source from Arizona.

A friend of mine makes the stuff to drink and says it comes out great! I don't drink so I never tried it. The still's just a bunch copper tubing, silver solder and marbles!! Sure smells like alcohol!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Glad to see that you were provided with generic photos by download. Wouldn't want no criminatin' stuff around. And I see that there is a Type 19 Bailey, possibly #5 cleverly photoshopped in the background.

My Dad traveled the coal country for many years. My shine experience has colored my tequila preference, of all things. I drink the cheap "T." If you don't get 20-30 seconds of burn with the taste, you are being cheated. Good shine does have a clean taste,but it does have a flavor, too. Now, laboratory eth.-all warm, no taste.

As for using shine for FP or the like-as a well known fuel engineer(his Dad was the Chief Engineer for the Studebaker Works in the grand years) Dad had one of the Chrysler Turbine cars for a couple days. They were all-fuel. I said to Dad, "Hey, if you were heading for a cocktail party(this was the early 60's) and the car ran out, you could drive on your Scotch!" "Doc," he said, "I'd crawl first!" (Doc was my nickname.)