Re: My first sucessful distillation!

[Guest guest]

>

> I'm addicted already. The pressure cooker bought from the antique

store

> was fitted with a copper condenser today,and after a good cleaning

put

> to work. My first distillation is a combination of calendula and

> rosemary. As I sit typing, I've got EO pooling on top of the

hydrosol.

> It SMELLS so nice!! I can't wait to start growing the rest of my

herbs

> and aromatics this summer! Go ahead...let them ban EO's...I'll have

no

> problem boot-legging it. Muhahahaha!!

> iel

>

How cool is that!!

Do you have a pic of your setup? I've got a pressure cooker that is

also broken and knew I could do something with it other than throwing

it out. Do you mind sharing your distillation design?

Kathy

[Guest guest]

iel wrote:

>

> I'm addicted already. The pressure cooker bought from the antique store

> was fitted with a copper condenser today,and after a good cleaning put

> to work. My first distillation is a combination of calendula and

> rosemary. As I sit typing, I've got EO pooling on top of the hydrosol.

> It SMELLS so nice!! I can't wait to start growing the rest of my herbs

> and aromatics this summer! Go ahead...let them ban EO's...I'll have no

> problem boot-legging it. Muhahahaha!!

> iel

>

iel.....

EXCELLENT!!!!

Because NP and AT are what they are.....

They cannot be stopped....

'Tis after all, natural.....

The Hedge Witches and Wizards will always be out there.....

Tincturing, macerating....and distilling.....

The natural essence(s) prevail....that's why the syn folks keep on

emulating them...

I know this....once I was exposed to natural essences, back when.....

Don't want to settle for anything else.....

So....one can buy laundry soap that supposedly has natural essences in

it....

So one cannot go to bed and stay in bed angry with each other....

Yeah....I can be fooled..the industrial chemists are *really* good...and

they offer that aspect of consistency......which for the industrial and

commercial perfumery folks is necessary to what they do....

Heck....I'm lecturing to the choir.....<G>....

--

W. Bourbonais

L'Hermite Aromatique

BTW.....Liked the MUAHAHAHAHA......<G>.....

[Guest guest]

On Apr 15, 2007, at 4:03 PM, Bourbonais wrote:

> The Hedge Witches and Wizards will always be out there.....

>

> Tincturing, macerating....and distilling.....

I like this. Recently a lady friend said, " Oh, Adam, you have to have

a social life. You can't just become some mad chemist who never goes

out. " They'll call me mad until my sorcery begins to work its

magic... (muahahahaha...sorry, couldn't resist).

[Guest guest]

>

> > The Hedge Witches and Wizards will always be out there.....

> >

> > Tincturing, macerating....and distilling.....

>

Adam replied:

> I like this. Recently a lady friend said, " Oh, Adam, you have to

> have a social life. You can't just become some mad chemist who

> never goes out. " They'll call me mad until my sorcery begins to

> work its magic... (muahahahaha...sorry, couldn't resist).

>

Andrine added:

But that's what sorcery is all about! We have to lurk in the dark

and make our concoctions (and what's wrong with that?). And when

it's time to go out and be among folk, we do that for a while and

then it's back to our blending....

And I think we ALL love the muahahahahaha! (Cause it strikes a chord

with us.) I know every time I read it here, it tickles me pink. So,

everyone keep using it -- it's our blending refrain.... : )

On with the fun!

Andrine

[Guest guest]

> How cool is that!!

> Do you have a pic of your setup? I've got a pressure cooker that is

> also broken and knew I could do something with it other than throwing

> it out. Do you mind sharing your distillation design?

> Kathy

Hi Kathy!

I uploaded a photo to the 'perfumery equipment' photo album. This

conversion involved a little tool work. The pressure cooker was missing

its petcock (pressure control valve) when I bought it. Perfect location

to add the fitting for a copper condenser. The existing hole had to be

re-tapped to accomadate a 1/4 " X 1/4 " brass compression fitting to

attach the copper tubbing. (A larger hole had to be drilled and

threaded for the new fitting.)The fitting cost me $1.99 at Home Depot.

Once the compression fitting was installed I bought 10 feet of 1/4 "

copper tubing (about $8.00 at Home Depot) and used a large jar of

peanut butter to wrap the tubing into loose coils. The pressure cooker

came with all the stuff in the picture minus the new fitting and coil.

All in all I spent about $30 for the whole set up. I hadn't planned on

getting a still for a while because I though it was going to cost me

$$$$. However, when I saw the pressure cooker at the antique shop I got

this idea in my head. And it seems to work just fine. When using this

set up I also have a large bowl of ice water that I set some of the

copper coils into-to cool the distillate off. Otherwise you get a jet

of steam from the end of the condenser that evaporates any essential

oils from the distillate. I'm quite happy. The pot while hold a few

gallons of water, so its perfect for a few pounds of material. I think

I will still keep saving my $ to get a smaller glass " lab-type " set up

for smaller projects.

iel

[Guest guest]

" I uploaded a photo to the 'perfumery equipment' photo album. This

conversion involved a little tool work. The pressure cooker was

missing its petcock (pressure control valve) when I bought it.

Perfect location to add the fitting for a copper condenser. The

existing hole had to be re-tapped to accomadate a 1/4 " X 1/4 " brass

compression fitting to attach the copper tubbing. (A larger hole had

to be drilled and threaded for the new fitting.)The fitting cost me

$1.99 at Home Depot. Once the compression fitting was installed I

bought 10 feet of 1/4 " copper tubing (about $8.00 at Home Depot) and

used a large jar of peanut butter to wrap the tubing into loose

coils. "

Way cool, iel, you, Antonin with his gadgets, and the guy who

made the coffee maker still, win the wizard hat award.

. . . .*

.

.

Debbie *

* *

*___*

[Guest guest]

trying the wizard hat again

. . . .*

.

.

*

* *

*___*

[Guest guest]

>

> I'm addicted already. The pressure cooker bought from the antique store

> was fitted with a copper condenser today,and after a good cleaning put

> to work. My first distillation is a combination of calendula and

> rosemary. As I sit typing, I've got EO pooling on top of the hydrosol.

> It SMELLS so nice!! I can't wait to start growing the rest of my herbs

> and aromatics this summer! Go ahead...let them ban EO's...I'll have no

> problem boot-legging it. Muhahahaha!!

> iel

>

VERY COOL! I saw the photo, fair play iel!!! My husband is, as

we speak rigging up the table top distillation unit, it cam today. We

have to get a mantle for it but right at this moment he is trying out

the camping gas stove as an option for heating! I am dubious and

getting ready to leave the room, ha ha!

I am going to show him your set up:) see what he says.

I think he is going to try distilling alcohol, but I want to try

something else.

Actually, I just got a bag of finely powdered parsnip root today, I

want to tincture some, but I was wondering, can I distill the

essential oil from it? It is quite strong.

Ruth

http://www.whitewitch.ie

[Guest guest]

iel wrote:

> Hi Kathy!

> I uploaded a photo to the 'perfumery equipment' photo album. This

> conversion involved a little tool work. The pressure cooker was

missing

> its petcock (pressure control valve) when I bought it. Perfect

location

> to add the fitting for a copper condenser. ***SNIP TO SAVE BW***

> iel

>

iel,

I love it. OMG I can't wait to fix mine up. After seeing your pic I

had an idea to hold the ice. What do you think about using a large

#2 or #3 plastic barrel size container, or even an old Christmas

popcorn tin. Maybe drill a hole the size of the tubing in a rubber

stopper, drill a stopper size hole in the bottom of the barrel. Then

do the same with the lid which could be unscrewed or lifted off to

load the ice. Dunno just thinkin about how the ice might be more

efficient. In our science lab we have a water distiller, it has

about a 6-8 " diameter condenser, which is what got me thinking.

Something for me to try anyway. Thanks so much for sharing your idea

and setup. I am psyched up to try this.

Kathy