Build Your Own Essential Oil Extractor Distiller

OK Essential oil's has been extracted for 1000 years. Its done pretty easily but does take a lot of time and plant material to produce a small quantity of oil.
  But Pure 100% essential is very expensive. And making it yourself is not very hard.
   Pretty much steam it forced through plant material, breaking apart the oil molecules from the rest of the plant material.
The steam/oil's  are then carried through a condenser, were the water and oil are separated though a change in temperature.
  Then collected in a vessel, the oil settles on the top of the water now called Hydrosol. Then the oil is siphoned off the top of the water.

Step 1: TOOLS AND PARTS NEEDED

PARTS:
Turkey deep fryer Pot  with lid basket and propane stand burner and a long cooking thermometer 
tank of propane.
10 ft of 3/4 in Copper coil Type L  
Two 5 gal plastic bucket with lids
5 Feet 3/4 in. Copper Type M Rigid Pipe
TWO 3/4 in. Copper 90-Degree C x C Elbow
ONE 3/4 in. Copper Pressure Tee
ONE 1/2 in. x 3/4 in. Copper Pressure Cup x FIPT Female Adapter
Five or Six C- clamps
Four 1/2 in rubber Gaskets
ONE 1 in long 1/2  wide in. Conduit Nipple
TWO 1/2 in. Rigid or IMC Conduit Locknuts
Some plastic tubing or thin hose
 ALL OF THIS CAN PURCHASED AT A HOME DEPOT


TOOLS
YOU BARE HANDS
a drill with a 1/2 hole bit
Soldering kit
# 16.92 oz. propane fuel tank
# 3 oz. lead-free solid-wire solder
# 1 oz. lead-free flux
some pliers
zip ties
Hot glue, or plumbers Caulk
garden hose
pipe cutter



SORRY THE PICTURES ARE NOT MORE DETAILED BUT I BUILT THIS BEFORE I TOOK THE PICTURES

Comments

[edx111]

http://www.heartmagic.com/33Ldistiller/33LiterEssentialDistiller.html

Am seriously looking at something along the lines of what is in the above link, and maybe I build something like it to extract the herbs I am continuing to plant

[bcpetersjr]

Is there a reason you used 3/4" coils? The only reason I ask is I am having a hard time finding that at home depot but I can find 1/2" and I was wondering if that would work.

[karo1039]

I would say that 1/2" would still work, the size difference shouldn't make any difference on such small tubing.

[Wrecksness]

Interesting. I have a home water distiller setup. Can it be used for extracting oil?

[CanfieldsFarm]

i am going to say no, i would think that using something just made for distilling water, would not be able to separate the oil, but i have never seen one of these machines so i don't know. You should try, let me know.

[plantbabe1]

amazing...I want to do this too...but do you have anything smaller & for a beginner. I have lots of plant material to use...but not sure how to make a smaller one...please direct me if you have a smaller scale.

[CanfieldsFarm]

yes i made another instructables about how to do this on your stove top,
but in the world of essential oil extraction this is a small distiller.
The amount of oil produced from plants is very little. Filling this may yield a once or two of oil.

[CanfieldsFarm]

yes i made another instructables about hoe to do this on your stove top,
but in the world of essential oil extraction this is a small distiller.
The amount of oil produced from plants is very little. Filling this may yield a once or two of oil.

[kz1]

Interesting instruct able. Really valuable info on the volume of raw material necessary to produce such a small amount! Thanks and congrats on a job well done.

[nmcmullen]

Really fantastic job, Mad! I'd love to have both the money and the place to have one of these! It looks amazing! Well done!!!!

[bricabracwizard]

I love your instructable. I know it takes a lot of plant material to make a small amount of oil. I have a friend who distills tea tree oil and his tank is enormous and he can only get just under one gallon of oil for three days work for low grade oil which does not make him much money.

But I've always wanted to know how to do this on a small scale, so thanks!

[CanfieldsFarm]

Soon i will make a lager one that will be 100% electric and use no ALOT less water
so stay tuned

[colincolin30]

The better method is to use an electric element.

If you get a leak with this still and you have an open flame it will explode.

Strongly suggest this heating method be changed.

[CanfieldsFarm]

Colincolin30 apparently did not even read this, if he had he would have realized that THIS IS NOT a Liquor still!
And essential oil IS NOT flammable. Nor would anything flammable "leak" out of this, causing anything to EXPLODE!
You could use a electric burner but would take twice as long.
If anything water would leak out and put out the flame on the burner, then you would be leaking propane so just for colincolin30 here is a warning

==========USE THIS IN A WELL VENTILATED ENVIRONMENT AND DO NOT LEAVE THIS GOING UNATTENDED! =====================

[colincolin30]

There is no need to be caustic! I was only offered some help .
Try and have a good day

[dwhole]

Wow! You must make a lot of scented things. Even though it's made for essential oils, you might want to be careful on the size of the unit. Depending where you live, there's a blurry line for what the authorities consider an alcohol still. Most home essential oil distillers are very small (tea kettle, or smaller), this one is a monster. Just be careful - if for any reason a law enforcement officer were to come into your home, and see this, you might have to do some explaining to the ATF or other authority. Liquor manufacturing (especially in the U.S.) can land you in a lot of trouble, even if you didn't make liquor, but possessed the equipment. Possession is 9/10 of the law... Just be careful, and check local laws.

[CanfieldsFarm]

yes i make soap, and i am not afraid since again this is NOT FOR MAKING LIQUOR!
REPEAT NOT FOR MAKING LIQUOR!
and i will be posting a smaller stove top essential oil maker .in another instructable.
But you also have to understand it TAKES ALOT of plant material to make essential oil one full pot makes about 2 fluid ounces of essential oil.

[dwhole]

Very cool though. I've only experimented with using an old coffee carafe as an extractor. I never realized how much material it takes to make essential oil. I wasn't trying to insinuate it for any illicit use, but some jurisdictions don't see it that way. Some areas require that you register your distiller, even though it's only for essential oils (or for example, alcohol fuel). It may seem innocent to those in the know, but if they seize your equipment and investigate, at the very least it will be a nuisance. It's the same how it may be a 'water pipe' to one person, but seen as drug paraphernalia to someone else. I'm just saying be careful to those who want to try this at such a scale. By the way, I really liked your compost barrel - I'm trying to source one through freecycle and make my own.