Engineering News

Take the time to determine the return on investment for initial cost, cost of materials and energy to run the still etc. and it might not look nearly as attractive. The nosy feds may drop by any time to be sure you aren't selling moonshine on the side.

If I had a still like this, I would be tempted to to be in a continual stupor from drinking myself senseless. Then I wouldnt care if I even had a car...

Stan...

I would NEVER sell moonshine on the side...

Now sitting or standing up... that is a different matter.

Bill

Those units are going to be on the visiting list of the Revenue Men, that's for sure.

Kind Regards....

I would be more interested if it would make about 50-60 gallons per week instead of 35. Then I could sell the extra to help off set the purchase price and the cost to make the fuel. It would take just over 2 years for me to break even with the cost of the machine with gas at $4.00. That of course does not include the cost of making the fuel. I agree with sparkstation. I wonder if there will be a meter on the pump to keep track of the number of gallons dispensed for excise, state, and local taxes. Many people forget that it is these taxes that maintain the roadways. At least that is what we are told. Now that I think about it, I can imagine a phone line connected to it. At the end of the "sale" a receipt will print out stating that $ X.XX dollars have just been removed from your checking account for the taxes. With all of that said, I can see a market for this. If I had the cash to spare I would buy one if it checked out to be as advertised.

I am curious what type of routine maintenance would need to be done.

Does it produce extremely dry ethanol with almost 0% water? It costs $7000 for the machine, then you have to figure in the costs of materials, ingredients, power and maintenance, perhaps even security to protect it from the boozehounds who would steal it or the finished product. Then you would have to pay the alcohol excise taxes and the fuel taxes and be licensed by the ATF or some such governmental authority. When all these costs are added up I wonder if there is any saving over just buying E85 at the corner service station. Just what is the cost of an amount of ethanol with the energy equivalent to a gallon of gasoline, once everything is figured in?

There are those who would pay anything to produce their own "green" fuel, since they have more money than sense.