Thread: distilling essential oils

I've been thinking about trying to distill my own EOs, I read a bit about it and it seems pretty easy, getting and setting up the equipment seems like the hardest part (price wise) any body else ever tried distilling EOs? And have any advise or where to find inexpensive equipment? Thanks
-dan-

Just something to think about.

Carol Coy Industry Specialist National Revenue Center-Cincinnati, OH Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms e-mail: [email protected]

What all this basically comes down to is ... 1. Americans can own a still, but it must be no larger than 1 gallon, and may only be used for water purification or the extraction of essential oils from plants. 2.Dealers/manufacturers of stills in the United States must surrender any address or other info on any customer who buys a still to the BATF, when they request it.(no warrant is required.)

What this means is that anyone who buys a still in America can at any time expect a knock at the door and a man with a badge demanding to see what is being done with the still they bought. How this affects the companies seen advertising 5 gallon stills for use as a water purifier, was not listed, nor is there any info on solar stills. It is probably VERY illegal to import a still too.

But they are very simple to make

They can check all they want, I did find a 1 litter still for like 400 dollars, guess I'll probably have to learn to make one

I remember reading somewhere(may have even been here) about using a large Fry Daddy for distilling oil. If I remember right, you put distilled water and the product you want the oil from in the bottom, use the basket to hold the bowl you are collecting the oil in, suspended over the water and put the lid on upside down and full of ice so that when the steam hits it, it cools and the oil runs down the lid and into the bowl.

Originally Posted by Theseus

I remember reading somewhere(may have even been here) about using a large Fry Daddy for distilling oil. If I remember right, you put distilled water and the product you want the oil from in the bottom, use the basket to hold the bowl you are collecting the oil in, suspended over the water and put the lid on upside down and full of ice so that when the steam hits it, it cools and the oil runs down the lid and into the bowl.

Forget about this. This is for making things such as rose water and lavender water, not for distlling EO. My bad.

i can tell you how to make one with a old stock pot or pressure canner and come copper pipe and a wee bit of tubing. iv never distilled oils with it but it would work.

choice of materials may be important.. i would think copper would want to be cleaned before each use.. i have the feeling that most folks making EO distillations use glass..

i.e. go ahead, but dont invest a lot in a setup without learning more just in case..

Originally Posted by sinnfein

I've been thinking about trying to distill my own EOs, I read a bit about it and it seems pretty easy, getting and setting up the equipment seems like the hardest part (price wise) any body else ever tried distilling EOs? And have any advise or where to find inexpensive equipment? Thanks
-dan-

I'd like to try a batch of what you make with CORN .

Let us know which you tried and how it works out!