A new INOX still!

Last year I thought about a new to build still,  with a bigger capacity for making more essential oil.    I  purchased a pan of 150 liters. The pan should be the basis of the distillation kettle

 designsketch  (steam) distillation boiler and cooling bucket, capacity 75 liters plant material

That was the beginning of a project that is now successfully completed.

First I thought about the design and sought examples of stills. The examples below are professional stainless steel (INOX) stills.

 

English model:

 French model: http://www.alambic-inox.com/materiel/alambic.html

After I had made the design I contacted an experienced stainless steel welder .
That was quite a quest. I ended up with Roy Lemmen and make an appointment.http://lassersmetaalbewerking.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

Roy has extensive experience in boilers and was enthusiastic about this assignment.
 Here are some pictures taken in his workshop

steamholes in the lid

top welded on the lid  

'gooseneck'

The difficult part was the cool bucket. The spiral in the bucket to be mounted was made by a specialist found by Roy. The delivery of the spiral has taken quite some time, but the results are worth it.

distilling kettle top with lid and thermometer socket 1 / 2



  mid-grid in the distilling kettle

The distilling kettle is diveded in two parts by a grid. In the lower part the water boiling will generate the steam. The upper half (75 liters) is for the plant parts.

cool bucket

The cooling bucket has an input and an out-let for the cooling water wich can be closed with a crane.

 

The spiral runs from  1 / 2 inch thread and can be linked on the still. All parts are maded of high grade INOX.

cooling coil in the bucket

.Now it needs testing with a water distillation!