totse.com | Steaming the Essentials?

Captain Kirk · #1 2008-08-10, 06:21

OK, I know, I'm a new arrival but I need some help here.

I have done my due dilligence on this matter and still can't seem to find any useful info.

I'm trying to find doc's on a good method for steam distilling essential oils from plant material. I.E. root bark. I have come across alot of sites/places that give a very brief rundown of the process. I am familiar with doing steam distillations, but have never had any expeirence trying to extract essentials from plant matter.

I have a proper 24/40 setup, but alot of the info I've come across is for "homebrew" type 55 gal drums and crazy shit.

Just looking for some kind of write-up on extracting "essential oils" from plants, leaves, roots, root barks and the like. I would love to be able to make my own valerian extract, kava, or camphorated linament.

Obviously, any help on a write-up will be appreciated..

-Captain Kirk

DiamondX · #2 2008-08-10, 10:35

Check vogels organic chem lab survival guide

stateofhack · #3 2008-08-10, 22:53

Depends what size your thinking but your going to want bigger then 24/40 if you want to start from plant material...

Von Bass · #4 2008-08-11, 11:09

I would imagine in order to do an essential oil extraction and yield a decent amount, it would be necessary to have something on a much larger scale than a 24/40 set up. Making a crude, but comparatively huge set up for a simple steam distillation, running this on the substrate bark or plant matter, and then re distilling the essential oil into finer fractions or simply a purer essential oil may be your best bet.

Depends how big your flasks are

stateofhack · #5 2008-08-11, 11:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Von Bass View Post

I would imagine in order to do an essential oil extraction and yield a decent amount, it would be necessary to have something on a much larger scale than a 24/40 set up. Making a crude, but comparatively huge set up for a simple steam distillation, running this on the substrate bark or plant matter, and then re distilling the essential oil into finer fractions or simply a purer essential oil may be your best bet.

Depends how big your flasks are

Indeed

Nothing a keg and some welding can't handle.

Could you please inform me (if it doesn't bother you) what your planning to steam distill? I ask this because you can make extract some oil using multiple batches and a 24/40 set up, but some plants are just too low yielding and are only worth it in +10 KG.

Good luck!

ps: check this out:

http://www.heartmagic.com/EssentialDistiller.html

and i know your going to hate me but: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_distillation

Has some good info!

Von Bass · #6 2008-08-11, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by stateofhack View Post

Could you please inform me (if it doesn't bother you) what your planning to steam distill?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Kirk View Post

I'm trying to find doc's on a good method for steam distilling essential oils from plant material. I.E. root bark.

I think I could make a guess as one possible root bark s/he's thinking of...

Either way, a lot of alkaloids, as you mentioned in the bottom half of your original post, don't need to be steam distilled, if you're wanting smallish amounts, solvent extractions can work, although it can be a bitch to clean up from there.

Got a bloody huge soxhlet setup?

Captain Kirk · #7 2008-08-11, 16:40

I was planning on using a 2 liter 2 neck RBF to hold the plant material. And I realise yeilds will be small with the amount I'm running per batch, but this is fine cause I plan on doing around 20 runs over a 6-8 month period so as not to raise concerns over why I'm ordering so much root bark in one shot. I'm hoping for about 1oz per pound of material. Eventually running 30-40 pounds.

I'd love to McGuyver some keg setup and do it in one run, but ordering 40lbs of material would surely raise some flags.

Is it really as easy as dumping the whole mass of bark into the reaction vessel and steam it?

Edit: Well after going back and looking at the price, it seems I did my math wrong. I thought it said $10 per lb, apparently its $40 per lb. This is gonna make it a little cost prohibitive. Unless, of course, its magic S. Albidum and contains about 5-6 oz per pound.

stateofhack · #8 2008-08-14, 00:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Kirk View Post

I was planning on using a 2 liter 2 neck RBF to hold the plant material. And I realise yeilds will be small with the amount I'm running per batch, but this is fine cause I plan on doing around 20 runs over a 6-8 month period so as not to raise concerns over why I'm ordering so much root bark in one shot. I'm hoping for about 1oz per pound of material. Eventually running 30-40 pounds.

I'd love to McGuyver some keg setup and do it in one run, but ordering 40lbs of material would surely raise some flags.

Is it really as easy as dumping the whole mass of bark into the reaction vessel and steam it?

Edit: Well after going back and looking at the price, it seems I did my math wrong. I thought it said $10 per lb, apparently its $40 per lb. This is gonna make it a little cost prohibitive. Unless, of course, its magic S. Albidum and contains about 5-6 oz per pound.

Assuming i am correct, someone is trying to distill root bark sass

Now let me tell you: not worth it.

Why?

-you need fresh bark
-in large quantities

I will dig up the post from the hive i have about it, i believe there was only 1 person who pulled this off with decent yeilds.

Captain Kirk · #9 2008-08-14, 04:15

Thanks for the input. Yeah, thats pretty much what I had in mind. I would still like to see the post from the hive.

This shit is killin me. I've scoured the web, looked everywhere, for over a year. I've come to the conclusion I may never get my hands on any sass or brown camphor.

Maybe it's time to throw in the safrole towel.

DiamondX · #10 2008-08-14, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Kirk View Post

Thanks for the input. Yeah, thats pretty much what I had in mind. I would still like to see the post from the hive.

This shit is killin me. I've scoured the web, looked everywhere, for over a year. I've come to the conclusion I may never get my hands on any sass or brown camphor.

Maybe it's time to throw in the safrole towel.

Try some MDMA analogues, like 2DDMA or something. Check THIKAL. Its made with mint essential oil or something OTC, but the same method as MDMA.