One of the key components of this little adventure is the chemical Methanol. It is used to bond with the vegetable oil to make the Diesel. Methanol is not very nice as a day to day chemical but not that bad as industrial chemicals go... However, finding someone to sell it to me has been a little tricky. Even more difficult is getting someone to deliver it to me! I can collect from a few places in the West Midlands and Manchester but there not really on my way. I could get 1000liters delivered but its a little more than I need at the moment. (1000 liters would make about 5,000 liters of of diesel).
I could buy it form a motor sport outlet but then I'd have to pay fuel tax as its classed as "road fuel".
I will keep looking!
Thursday 8 March 2007
Where's all the Methanol?
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Hi,
Like you I'm keen to try making bio diesel, but in small quantites at first - and have come across exactly the same problem, namely how do you get hold of methanol and soldium hydroxide without either driving to Manchester, or paying 70 odd quid to have it freighted. I came across your bio diesel map, and have tried contacting a local company (Cambridge bio diesel) - looking at their website they seem to be only interested in selling their bio diesel to members, but they must buy in significant quantities of aforementioned chemicals. I'm hoping they'll be able to sell some on to me. Or if not, let me know where they get their chemicals from. Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on. Cheers, Tim
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