Essential oil build

[Alzahra888]

Trying to piece together a boiler with attachable basket for making essential oil.

I drilled a hole in the bottom of a small keg using a circular saw, then welded a triclamp spool on top of the hole so it would attach above the boiler and serve as a basket through which steam will pass. The spoolcontains an ss scrubber to keep things like lavender from falling out of the basket and into the boiler.

I havent tried using it yet but will give it a go in the coming days.

[Tōtōchtin]

Unless you're dedicating that to certain oils I would make sure you can get into the keg to clean it well between oil runs.
T.

[Alzahra888]

That’s a good point. I do not have a manway. I have used this small keg for infusing neutral with juniper etc where i just used a water vac to suck out the plant matter. Now for essential oil, i suppose your comment makes me ask if that would be enough. I would want to reuse the boiler keg again for gin. As for the basket it will ideally be used for many different oils but nothing else.

[Alzahra888]

As for the condenser, it would be not so ideal to have to rerun a vinegar clean when needed for spirits.

[Tōtōchtin]

You could run some old feints thru to wash out the oils. A Liebig type of condenser would be easier to clean.
T

[Alzahra888]

Damn that sounds like good advice. I’ll switch it out. Danke Tōtōtchtin.

[NZChris]

I don’t like the balancing act. Are you going to add some support around the outside?

Personally, I would choose a vessel with a removable lid to make it possible to pack branches into it. Keep an eye on scrapyards for something. I’ve got two and have seen more.

[Alzahra888]

Good points, thanks. Have been looking but might try this in the meanwhile. Might not.