Home Distiller

I'm not sure where to post this, so I'll stick it here I guess.

I am wanting to buy a still from a company that I've seen mentioned here several times. However, I also read somewhere that the government could possibly go into a business and confiscate their records of who and where they have shipped their products, i guess if it were deemed they were supporting something illegal. I would like to buy a still, but I'm wondering if I should try to find someone else to buy it for me so that my address isn't on said company's records.

I remember back in the late 80's maybe early 90's, reading that magazine, High Times, I remember there were articles about the feds going into businesses that sold growing lights and materials for that "hobby" (lol) and they were going to peoples places and busting them. So, I am a little aprehensive about ordering a still because of the way the gov has waged it's internal wars.

Oh by the way, I'm not fluent in metallurgy and would seriously prefer to just buy one, rather than to make one, because I'm sure I'll screw a big expensive copper sheet up one way or another.

I would prefer to just order the damn thing right now, but now I'm thinking maybe I need to start digging around to see if I can pull up any old friends which would be another pain my rear.
Do you think it's safe for me to order?

Thanks for the help yall. Hope everyone is doing well.
Bulletproof.

Correct... Still sales records must be presented upon request... However, having a still sent to someone else isn't smart either because, legally, they can't lie so they would just state that you have the still and where you can be found... Their not being honest could get them in more trouble than you might potentially end up in... Is that really the kind of person you want to be...???

Several members here are capable and willing to custom build and they aren't required to keep records...

LOL. Great response. "Is that the kind of person you want to be?" I read that out loud to my co-workers here at work and everyone is cracking up.

You are right. I would never have anyone take one for something that's my resonsibility. By the way, is having a still and a bunch of whiskey sitting around a felony or a misdemeanor? I would never sell any of what I make because It's gonna be all mine.. Except for xmas gifts.

Bulletproof wrote: I remember back in the late 80's maybe early 90's, reading that magazine, High Times, I remember there were articles about the feds going into businesses that sold growing lights and materials for that "hobby" (lol) and they were going to peoples places and busting them. So, I am a little aprehensive about ordering a still because of the way the gov has waged it's internal wars.

I am kind of an expert on those cases. I was on one of the grand juries that issued several of the indictments. The primary target in the cases I was involved with was a garden center that sold stuff that "could" be used to grow. The Feds targeted the advertisers in High Times, got warrants and seized the company's records. Everything the company sold (grow lights, etc.) was legal and they had no direct evidence that the company was giving advice on how to grow pot, as opposed to growing anything else so making a conspiracy case was difficult.

So, they used the seized records and busted some of the customers who were growing. Then they pleaded those cases out in return for the customers "testimony" to the effect that the company had specifically advised them how to grow pot. Then they had their conspiracy case.

For the record, I voted against issuing the indictment and was actually quite a pain in the ass to the prosecutor because I kept asking embarrassing questions of the witnesses they kept trotting before us. Even though they indicted the company, the case never went to trial and the company is much bigger now than it was then.

Sorry about the hijack.

Braz wrote:

Bulletproof wrote: I remember back in the late 80's maybe early 90's, reading that magazine, High Times, I remember there were articles about the feds going into businesses that sold growing lights and materials for that "hobby" (lol) and they were going to peoples places and busting them. So, I am a little aprehensive about ordering a still because of the way the gov has waged it's internal wars.

I am kind of an expert on those cases. I was on one of the grand juries that issued several of the indictments. The primary target in the cases I was involved with was a garden center that sold stuff that "could" be used to grow. The Feds targeted the advertisers in High Times, got warrants and seized the company's records. Everything the company sold (grow lights, etc.) was legal and they had no direct evidence that the company was giving advice on how to grow pot, as opposed to growing anything else so making a conspiracy case was difficult.

So, they used the seized records and busted some of the customers who were growing. Then they pleaded those cases out in return for the customers "testimony" to the effect that the company had specifically advised them how to grow pot. Then they had their conspiracy case.

For the record, I voted against issuing the indictment and was actually quite a pain in the ass to the prosecutor because I kept asking embarrassing questions of the witnesses they kept trotting before us. Even though they indicted the company, the case never went to trial and the company is much bigger now than it was then.

Sorry about the hijack.

Braz, I don't think it was a hijack just shows ways people can still try to prosecute! I have made and sold several coils for members and in most cases they end up with my email address since there has to be some exchange at some point. In most cases they ask me questions about their wash etc. Rather than making comments here I am giving them direct advise via email.

Bulletproof wrote:By the way, is having a still and a bunch of whiskey sitting around a felony or a misdemeanor? I would never sell any of what I make because It's gonna be all mine.. Except for xmas gifts.

It can be either or both, depending on who is filing charges, whether it looks like a for profit venture, how well you cooperate, and other variables... You could do time on the first offense or get get fines and probation even after multiple convictions... Think of the risks as being like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute on your back - there's always that remote chance...

Here's a suggestion:

Buy a "pot/kettle" and tri-clamp with gasket and/or heating element/controller from the place of your choice. OR, get a used keg and fix it up. That's not a still, and could in fact be used for beer making. Then go to homedepot and get your copper tube/fittings and pay cash for it. If you have to order a few odds and ends...no big deal. For the attachment to the kettle, you have a couple choices....you can make one, easy flange, or you can buy just the ferrule and solder it to the bottom of your copper tube using Harris Stay-clean flux, or you can buy one ready to solder on from hillbillystills.com, or you can get a threaded 2" female for the bottom of the tube and buy a stainless NPT threaded ferrule from the same place you get your kettle from.

The basic idea is..if you live in a state where beer/wine making is legal, that is the perfect cover. I also make beer..just use kits, etc. cause it's easy. So, the rack of gear I have on my wall is nothing but large kettles, fermenters, screens, siphons, bins of grain, jars/jugs, hydrometers, etc. None of it looks out of place. Neither would a large kettle or a keg. The only thing you need to keep out of sight are your still heads and/or condensers. Anybody gets nosy, just hand them a homemade beer — I always keep some around. Find your local brew supply shop...but never tell them what you do. Buy kits from them now and again..and you can get most of your supplies hydrometers, fermenters, etc., grain bags, grain/malt and even flaked corn from them instead of buying it from a still producer. Pay cash when you can. Even if you had to order this stuff online...you'd be ordering it from a brewshop for making beer as far as anybody else would be concerned. You can get most everything you need as far as extraneous supplies from a good brewshop. Even your alchometer.

+1 Usge, definately the way to do it....

Whatever path you take Bulletproof, keep a low profile and as Usge says, homebrew/wine is a perfect cover...

I totally understand your paranoia! But what it comes down to is that you can't hide. I am sure the feds could hunt down every U.S. contributor to this site if they wanted to. I finally recently gave in and bought a commercially produced still head for my beer keg. I used a friend's credit card then had the order sent to a different address than the card holder. It was a major pain in the butt, but the feds would have work to find me. I used the help of people who enjoy screwing with the Government by the way (they wouldn't mind the knock on the door). However, I am under no illusion that they can't find me if they want to. The most disconcerting thing about the transaction was the fact the still had a SERIAL NUMBER ON IT!

SB

I just want to add a couple more thoughts. First of all I am not a metal fabricator. If 2" copper were not so expensive I would have gone that route. I have built many stills over the years. All have had something amatuerish about them. I also finally have a still that doesn't require flour paste! Also the biggest expense in still building is tools! Just some food for thought.

SB

If your looking to spend about 2k on a top of the line copper pot still PM me. I know a fabricator that could arrange what your looking for and he's good. You also wont have to wait 8 months.

I am going to be the arse that dredges this thread back from the dead as the OP really never got much of an answer. I have a "friend" that is interested in purchasing a still from Brewhaus or Mile Hi for a conversation piece in his home. Do any of you fine folks have "friends" that have had experiences with either of these companies? I see it appears anything over one gallon is were the line is drawn. I only have to assume from the lack of arrest reports that at present the ATF just isn't interested in this? Any comments would be apreciated.