The steam generator that comes with the lab society setup is only like $70. I always use distilled water. Steam from some facility source might not be a good idea.
How much are you trying to do? Steam stilling takes you down the wet material rabbit hole. It’s great for hemp but…proceed at your own risk with plant material you care about. I look forward to the day that hemp oils don’t suck, sorry they do.
Microwave can give you even worse smelling oils. Sorry, Milestone but your machine is crap for the price. Build your own, you can find specs online. The IDCO model looks cool but at 65k euro, ouch!
As far as the under vacuum option. I found the commercial units running too hot, giving low essential oil yields, off yellow or off green at scale, barely better than a well packed and well staffed atmospheric still. Unless you’re doing this at home you’re going to want to scale. When one of the largest cannabis terpene companies in California, with the largest market share of one of the best vape pens for tasting cannabis vape pens, passes on a technology, it’s for a reason. I’ll be talking about this in LA in July.
Regardless, I’m interested revisiting the tech, now that I have a gold standard of what cannabis essential oils can be. @Soxhlet , I want to build a small unit for R&D, and am looking for a competent engineer.
To anyone pursuing the essential oils from this amazing and challenging plant. There are more of us out there than you’d think.
Come to Oakland, bring your work, smell ours. I found a good chemist who is committed to getting pure essential oils tested (42-terpenes) at half the rate of the companies that test 35. For those who really want know, I have the contact for a lab in Boulder, CO that will do over 100 compounds, but have never used them.
2 Likes
you want to connect the hose you intend to use and direct it into a sink while blasting the steam out to blow the schmoo out. You need to wear a long sleeve shirt, lab coat, face shield, steam proof gloves and cuffs. steam is not to be underestimated and will burn the heck out of you if you arent carefull. remember always have your lab buddy to watch out for you, and assist you in case of emergency. I would run some traps before the apparatus to collect any liquid that might carry over. See if your steam smells palatable before you use it for that purpose. You can use portable electric steam generator for producing steam as an alternative.
2 Likes
We make just about anything you can dream up!
1 Like
california
1 Like
Yes - no reason to reinvent wheel @Defender. I will just use the setup as given. I went to order it today and it was sold out 
. I will have to wait until @LabSociety is open on Monday and try to figure it out.
@drjackhughes - Honestly - Im usually a “build to scale” kinda guy…However - The Miss of mine is not a herb like me and wants something she is willing to use - Lavenders oil and other random shit. Its for-sure a home project but sometimes i cant help myself.
So i will not go with any vacuum and about that speaking event? You got any details on it - i could be open and willing to see what you have to say.
@Soxhlet I have all the equipment necessary but i don’t think my cryo-gloves will pass the nimble test.
Will these work ?
But seriously guys - i did not expect the advice and help i received for a lil project! Very much appreciated. I will return the favor and keep you updated on my progress.
BM
3 Likes
It sounds like you should grab a small, atmospheric glass system and practice making essential oils with cheaper feedstock. Get good at packing the material, controlling temperature and duration. Keep a notebook.
1 Like
Has anyone tried freeze drying their biomass before steam distilling it?
1 Like
We run about 250 lbs a week through the big heart magic steam still. We use vacuum and are about to hook up nitrogen. Personally I like the unit and if you have good inputs the terps smell great. I’d be happy to share our sop with any interested parties.
6 Likes
I would like to see this SOP considering making some hemp terps…
I have an Ethos X MHD that I used to make fantastic terps from greenhouse hemp. Microwave hydrodistillation is much better than common steam distillation, IMO.
You can pass steam terps through alumina to remove the water soluble compounds. I would have terps go from smelling like grass clippings to something you would enjoy vaping.
I moved the Ethos to another location on ran a test method on it. There was a pipe clamp hiding behind the glass vessel and the circuit board blew an element. Milestone says replacing the board is $1200 but they only want to have a tech fly out to install it, for 5x the price.
2 Likes
I mean you did short the first board.
Oh for sure, I’m an idiot. Just explaining g why I’m not currently using it. MHD is fun. I’d strip about 2# of biomass in an hour.
2 Likes
Let’s see that SOP
1 Like
I remember the good ol days…
I got one coming for ya
1 Like
Yeah I’ve done it. Didn’t really make much difference yield wise for me.