| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Maxwell Smart |
Essential Oil Distillation KitAnybody know where I can buy a desktop size essential oil distillation kit in the UK? Google shows lots in the US but none here.Either a kit or a shop which will sell parts at reasonable prices. Something like this 
or this 
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| cassy |
LILI?
Fisher are supposed to be good for lab equipment but haven't used them myself. Sorry I can't be more help - I'll be interested in the other replies you get! |
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| tahir |
Nick should be able to sort you out (I reckon) he's on hols though | ||||||
| Maxwell Smart |
Thanks. Oddly I was trying the LILI website earlier and couldn't get to it via google or entering the URL but I could via your link... but oh rip-off britain - the same kit is half the price in the US. | ||||||
| cassy |
Is it too nosy to ask what you're hoping to use it for? 
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| jema |
I'm a bit curious as to how well it would work, I have tried similar without great success  and I'm on the look out for the bits and pieces I figure would help.
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| Maxwell Smart |
playing with unusual fragrances of course! was taken by a girl who made a fragrance out of pea and mint soup... |
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| Maxwell Smart |
different kit for different types of base materials from which you are trying to extract oils. but the truth is on a personal level it is very difficult to extract more than a millilitre or two. |
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| jema |
Indeed, I got a mm or two, but promptly lost it again 
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| cassy |
Cool! I'm still trying to figure out which bits of kit I need to extract essential oils from Bog Myrtle. There are lots of midges and I'm fed up looking like the incredible hulk when I rub the leaves on. I know there is a preparation you can buy, but I fancied having a go at creating my own recipe and I have no shortage of Bog Myrtle. What we really want is one of these. 
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| Jamanda |
At the re-encatment place I have been known to frequent, they have a copy of a 17th century essential oils still. It's basically a pot, with smaller pot inside. The larger pot has a lid, with a point on the inside above the smaller so anything dripping down falls into the small pot. The dilute mixture goes into the big pot and the whole things sits on a tripod type affair with a candle under it.
Apparently it works. Shall I get photos? |
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| sally_in_wales |
would love to see this, I have a basic pottery alembic based on medieval styles, got a glass one too but havent used it yet. Great fro floral waters I find, but not practical for proper oil extraction. Which site is it Jamanda? |
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| Jamanda |
Not a site - a place Torrington 1646 | ||||||
| cab |
Re: Essential Oil Distillation Kit
You're looking at a heating block and assorted bits of quick fit glassware including a condenser, together with tubing to connect to the dispenser, and of course to your tap. So... Lots of lab supply places could do it. Whats your budget? |
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| Maxwell Smart |
Re: Essential Oil Distillation Kit
Sorry no idea method what you need for Bog Myrtle but with all these things it is a bit of trial and error to find the best way to extract the oils. It also depends on the season as well.
They are pretty basic. There are some really nice antiques ones kicking about in France - particularly around Grasse. Check out some of the units made by Salleron in Paris. Occasionally they come up on fleabay too.
No idea what something like this would cost... I quite like the setup in my pea and mint soup link. I tried looking at Fisher but the big problem is I don't know what the individual parts are called or how the fittings/sizes work. Was wondering if I can get away with using a single burner msr stove - seems much the same as a bunsen burner to me. Although the warmer in the link above is nice as it means a constant and even heat distribution but I couldn't find any for sale. |
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| cab |
If you've been looking at Fisher, give their customer services a ring and find out who a good local rep would be. If you give the rep or their tech help people the picture then it oughtn't be hard to get a cost list... But Fisher aren't cheap unless you can get discounts out of them, some of the educational supply places might be better. | ||||||
| KatP |
Prices in Fishers catalogue not that different from other equipment catalogues we have in school. (Am chemistry teacher)
Toyed with this idea myself, but after costing out decided couldn't afford. Maybe later. Sadly they won't let me borrow any from school cos wenever have enough condensers. If I remember correctly, £26 ish was reckoned pretty cheap for one. You will need at least: round bottomed flasks, condenser, side-arm connector (with thermometer if you want to know temp collected at - stopper if not). As for the numbers, if you get all bits wit the same numbers, they will fit. The bigger the numbers, the bigger the diameter of the joints. For small amounts, smaller kit would be better - but is not necessarily cheaper sadly. Fisher website a pain. If you like I can have a look through catalogues at work tomorrow and get you a list of things with prices. Of course, you may have sorted this out by now already! Essential oils are also very heat sensitive in many cases so better to heat using a water bath than direct heat source like a heating mantle. The only time I've actually done an oil extraction was star anise in uni lab, and we used a water bath with a rotary flask, serious bit of kit though. |