The process takes a while, I found various parts of the process on a few different sites, and may have unknowingly created a sort of hybrid process. I have found the extraction process the easiest using dried peppers, it circumvents the dehydration problem quite nicely. Powderize the peppers in a Cuisenart (sp?), and at the same time mix a tad of Everclear (or 200 proof if you can get it) and let it run for at least 5 minutes. Add a little water and then the neat part, drop a couple small pieces of dry ice into it. This shocks the water molecules, and retards the capsaicinoid bonding to the sugar crystals, albeit not 100%, hence my glass ceiling. Immediately strain the mixture through cheesecloth. I then perform the standard pressing a couple times, and repeat the process. A double distillation is then needed with a bit more Everclear (BE CAREFUL WITH THIS STEP). Using micro-strainers and a small amount of citric acid, you will get a pretty good batch. Like I said, I'm still perfecting it, but seem to be coming along nicely so far. The capsaicinoid/sugar bond is a difficult little monster to break, as they both dissolve in the alocohol, hence the use of a bit of water to dissolve the sugar, but not the capsaicinoids, and the shocking with dry ice. It sounds labor intensive, but it beats tens of thousands of dollars on lab equipment, at least for now.