[SuperCloud]

Hello everyone, this is my first post but I am not sure it belongs here to tell the truth. High school seemed appropriate because steam distillation seems to be a fairly basic part of Chemestry. My question though is more about what to get to distill herbs rather than what goes on scientiffically. I really don't know much about chemestry but I have been reading up on how to extract the oil from herbs and I somewhat know what I need in the glassware. I just find myself confused on who to buy it from and what version to buy. I'm finding that there are so many different ways and equipment to do the same thing. Also it seams that most people use glass and others prefer copper stills. And then there are others that say that stainless steel is the best but for me I think I will go with glass.

I know that I will need a heating element, round bottomed flask, a condenser, and then a separator. I would prefer to go with a bunsen burner rather than a hot plate. Also I would like to have a longer curlycue condesner (please excuse my ignorence in the termenology) for more of an asthetic purpose but I have no idea if thats going to affect the outcome of the product. After that I have no idea of where to go or what specific type of glasswear to get.

Any help would be appriciated! Thanks!

[Arkcon]

Well, it will be hard for a novice at home to get all the parts separately, at a good price.  You might as well just buy a kit from the appropriate hobbyist source.  I'm thinking, while glass is what I'd like to use for chemistry, you might find a stainless steel rig cheaper, to start with.  Also, you seem to have forgotten the extractor part, a straight tube you will pack with organic material, that the steal will extract your active from.  This extractor tube will have some sort of stainless steel mesh bucket or tray to hold your material, or will be a glass container  But that gets even more pricy.

[vmelkon]

longer curlycue condesner (please excuse my ignorence in the termenology) for more of an asthetic purpose

That's called a graham condensor.
The ones that I have are 30 cm in length.
The advantage of a graham condensor is that there is more contact surface (the inner tubing is thinner and very long, approx 3 times longer, meaning about 90 cm length).
Also, it is better to have this pointing straight down to avoid liquid accumulation in the inner tubing.

[SuperCloud]

Well, it will be hard for a novice at home to get all the parts separately, at a good price.  You might as well just buy a kit from the appropriate hobbyist source.

Oh ok but we aren't talking about a thousand or more are we? I have a couple hundred to drop. I am just wiry of "kits". My main profession is a meteorologist, irrelevant I know, but I love photography. When you say kit in that world your talking about something that usually can just barley even do its job. Also in that world you gain a real respect for glass. Now I know the importance to see through glass in this chemistry application is next to nil but I worry that the cheaper stuff will be less susceptible to heat, as in cracking, as well as its durability. Do I have any need to worry?

So I guess what I am looking for is is any maker better than the other, what do I need to look for in the different sizes/versions, how does one bunsen differ from the next, could I use one of those mini burners that the dentists use, is there any websites that specialty in this equipment, and is there any particular method that excels in what I want to do that I can research?

oh and thanks vmelkon, knowing that its called a graham condenser will help a lot when I search to buy it!

[billnotgatez]

@SuperCloud

My main profession is a meteorologist, irrelevant I know, but I love photography.

Your sure have me confused.
Your question has to do with essential oils?

I did a quick look and found lots of places selling essential oils, but my go to place for soap making does not do essential oils making. Still looking.

[billnotgatez]

I can see why doing GOOGLE would take a while
I finally used the words
steam distillation kit

Now I can not endorse any of these links.
They all had pretty pictures that might let you decide what equipment to get.

http://www.heartmagic.com/EssentialDistiller.html
http://www.floragenics.com/
http://www.nhrorganicoils.com/products.php?category_id=782

Also EBAY and Amazon have systems.
I sort of trust Amazon more than EBAY

But,
I cans see why you are hesitant with some of the sites and kits on the net.
Sort of like, sorting out what is snake oil and what is not.
I have to admit that some of the pictures of the setups are a thing of beauty.
In any case, if I were doing this I would get a kit, but I would research the source before purchasing.
I also would probably buy a book like
Make your own Essential Oils and Skin-care Products  by Daniel Coaten
or borrow it from the library