Legal use of reflux still?

[ozshots]

Hi,

I'm going to bring reflux still from overseas.
What should I tell about the purpose if asked at the border?

I've heard something about essential oil extracts? Can you actually use relux still for this? Any advice appreciated!

[olddog]

Whenever I ship distilling equipment, stills etc, overseas, I always state that it's a "water distillation column" I have not had any problems yet. It's always the problem for the receiver whether customs OK it, it's not the responsibility of the sender, in other words, it's your risk.



OD

[ozshots]

I think "Water distillation" is a very weak excuse. You can easily buy distilled water and noone will belive you are buying all this gear just for ditillation.
What is the purpose of distilled water anyway? Car batteries? Very funny.

I really like the idea of "essential oils" but not sure if reflux still can be used????

[Smokehouse Shiner]

Yea water distillation is kind of a weak excuse but so is essential oil extraction. Couldn't pay me enought to try and cross national borders with an elaborate still. My suggestion would be.... don't.

[rad14701]

Fractional separation apparatus...

Vapor entrapment and extraction apparatus...

Azeotropic separation apparatus...

Contemporary steampunk...

Mix and match as needed...

[blind drunk]

If it's a modular unit, then maybe you can call them copper fittings. Given the price of copper, you could say that you got them for a good price at a yard sale. The less believable that a story is, the more believable it can seem ... if you can act and you don't break out into a nervous sweat.

[ozshots]

Fractional separation apparatus...

Vapor entrapment and extraction apparatus...

Azeotropic separation apparatus...

Contemporary steampunk...

Mix and match as needed...

"Chemical equipment" is not a bad idea as soon as noone will think about explosives
"are you making chemical experiments at home? What is the purpose of it?" Few basic chemical questions and I'm done

I don't think it's copper. I hope a can detach the heater...

[Smokehouse Shiner]

Good luck, dude...Keep your shit together.

[blanikdog]

Interesting, if not fascinating thread.

[ozshots]

I think there is no point to overreact.

I don't know about US, but here is Australian customs question:

Are you bringing to Australia:
Good that may be prohibited or subject to restrictions such as medicines, steroids, firearms, weapons or any kind of illicit drugs?

http://www.evisastoaustralia.com/section06/customs.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Well, the honest answer is NO. Subject to restrictions??? You can buy various stills in many homebrew shops in Australia!

I think I will stick to the truth: this is a reflux still. Purpose - extracting essential oils from herbs and flowers. I can buy exactly the same still locally but they're more expensive.

[blind drunk]

I think that's it. Good luck.

Is that Russian writing on the still?

[olddog]

Just had a look at this still on the Russian Alcohome site, the glass jar (which would not be recommended for a boiler) is ony 7.5 litres which means you can only distill a wash around 4 litres (allowing for headroom) and it has a plastic tube for the takeoff, so it will need modifications. Using the jug type heating coil with no control will mean it would be hard to handle. Is it worth going to the trouble of importing something like this
You would be better off with a Bokabob or similar


OD

[Smokehouse Shiner]

Well, the honest answer is NO. Subject to restrictions??? You can buy various stills in many homebrew shops in Australia!

I think I will stick to the truth: this is a reflux still. Purpose - extracting essential oils from herbs and flowers. I can buy exactly the same still locally but they're more expensive.

So your assuming that an alcohol still (call it what you will) is not subject to any restrictions and is not prohibited??? Think again, bubba. I can buy various types of glass pipes and "hookas", powder scales, labware and chemicals at my local "art store" which are clearly marked for tobacco use and "experimental" purposes only. Would I be allowed to cross the border with them under the guise of just wanting to smoke some tobacco and perform "science experiments"? No. Absolutely not. Maybe Aussie border guards are more lax than US or Canadian but I wouldn't bank on it. I'm surprised that everyone here is so quick to tell you to walk into the fire. Do what you want. I won't comment further. The most they could do is confiscate the still, right? Hope you've got a clean house...

[blind drunk]

Gee, it sure looks like a high tech still I was thinking more along the lines of a bunch of dissembled copper fittings and a piece of copper pipe. The way that thing looks, could raise an eyebrow or two ... on so many levels. The world ain't what it used to be no more. One thing to your advantage is that the Cold War is over ... more or less. Take care.

[The Baker]

I believe it is lawful in Australia to possess a still of 5 litres capacity (could be 'less than' 5 litres, not sure) but you are not allowed to use it (at all) for producing alcohol (except for properly licensed, and taxed, commercial operations).

[ozshots]

Just had a look at this still on the Russian Alcohome site, the glass jar (which would not be recommended for a boiler) is ony 7.5 litres which means you can only distill a wash around 4 litres (allowing for headroom) and it has a plastic tube for the takeoff, so it will need modifications. Using the jug type heating coil with no control will mean it would be hard to handle. Is it worth going to the trouble of importing something like this
You would be better off with a Bokabob or similar


OD

Yep, I've started a new topic about this Russian-build column here:

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=22396

It is designed for merely 3 litre glass jar.
Heat control should be an easy mod I recon.

[blanikdog]

I believe it is lawful in Australia to possess a still of 5 litres capacity (could be 'less than' 5 litres, not sure) but you are not allowed to use it (at all) for producing alcohol (except for properly licensed, and taxed, commercial operations).

That's how I understood it was too, Baker. Weird law, guess it was meant for essential oils. As I said before, this is an interesting thread. Why anyone would try to pull a shifty on customs officers to save a cuppla hundred bucks and take the risk of a holliday at Barwon Prison - or any other prison for that matter is quite beyond me.

Customs officers seemed to be reasonably intelligent when I've been through the gates, but ...

[ozshots]

I wonder how many people get behind bars in Australia for alcohol distilling (not for sale?)
Let me guess - none. Maybe someone after being caught for the 10th time??

I don't thing reflux still is a top priority for customs. Worse comes to worse, they'll confiscate it.

Another story is I'm no longer sure if I even want that column....

[Prairiepiss]

I just think the money and time could be used to make a much better still. And your worries would be a lot less. I don't know about down there. But that would look like a bomb in an X-ray. So not only would you need to worry about customs. Now your dealing with security. Around here they are strip searching babies.

[blanikdog]

awwww Go on ozshots. I want to see just how dumb the customs folk are.

[Hackers]

Move to New Zealand, you can distill what you want for personal use and you can bring stills into the country too. Having said that we tend to export a lot of stills to the USA too. They get exported as water purifiers and associated equipment. Talking to the vendors none has ever been confiscated by USA customs - go figure

[Tutu]

Old thread I know

I bought my still primarily for distilling large quantities of water as well as oil extractions although I intend to use alcohol I distill for the extractions but we can gloss over that point. I will of course distill some booze for drinking lol but primary importance is 0ppm water which I cannot guarantee purchased distilled water will be due to plastic leeching from the containers they ship in.

The main use for me is for blending nutrients for hydroponics, mixing certain other plant related products that need a non salt solution and also for flushing hydroponic nutrients or curing overfeeding of plants.

Since distilled water has 0ppm osmosis works the other way round when you give a plant distilled water it leeches salts (The nutrients) from the roots to equalise the osmatic pressure so can be very useful in certain situations especially with plants.

Drinking distilled water is a bad thing IMHO as it also performs this same osmatic equalization in your stomach and leeches salts from you anti isotonic if you like.

[Ian Jay]

I am on the fence about the danger of drinking distilled water, like many others.

BTW, have you read this paper? Its from 1984, but reasonably researched and supported.
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_hea ... alized.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow