Stuff was probably run out of old car radiators. Now a GOOD still is pure copper and it's brazed, not welded and especially not soldered. The top is kept on with flour paste so if the pressure DOES get to high it'll blow off the lid and hurt anything.

If you're using a pot still (one without a worm) you can gather the run in a bucket, but a worm still has to have the coil in water, preferably running water, so that the whiskey fumes will condense correctly. Of course, you toss out the first cup or so because it's prit near pure fusel oil -- let the fairies drink it.

You want to run it through three times altogether if you can, run the alcohol content up to 180 proof (you can powder proof it if you don't have a bead bottle or a specific gravity measurer). Course, it depends on the sugar content of your still beer and that depends on your mash but shucks, Mom already knows that.

Please note that this is all theoretical and I most certainly would never have sullied my lips with any sort of illegal liquor, nor would I encourage anyone else to do so.