English version
French version
PTF continues to make trails internationally – from Germany, to Singapore, Mexico and now France/Asia/Africa.
Q. First let me briefly explain the operation we have so far: we have
converted a 50-gal steel drum to serve as the processor. We shaped the
bottom, drilled a 2″ hole and connected 1-1/2″ PVC to a valve to drain the
glycerine/biodiesel. We drilled a hole in the side of the tank, very near
the bottom, and installed [...]
Q. I just visited your website and I was impressed with your urban homestead. For years I’ve been wanting to learn how to produce biodiesel. How do I go about setting up an appointment to attend one of your biodiesel workshops? Are there any fees for your time? I’ve read about how to make it [...]
Q. It’s Denise here with a question regarding your oil lamps.
Somewhere on your site I saw that you use bio fuel for your lamps. Are these your typical oil lamps? And the bio fuel is used rather than the toxic stuff from the stores? How bright does it burn? I have some olive oil lamps [...]
Q. I live in New Zealand and am investigating making biodiesel from used vegetable oil. One of the problems I have is disposing of the waste product which will be filtered out of the oil as it is illegal to dispose of it in a land fill site, I was wondering how you deal [...]
Q. My wife and I visited your homestead maybe a year ago to see your biodiesel processor. I have been studying the use of vegetable oil and biodiesel for some time and was impressed with your biodiesel setup. I have been able to finally afford a Volkswagen TDI and would like to run [...]
Q. Very cool website and content! Could you comment further on you BioD heater? Many sources say kerosene heaters smoke and soot on BioD. How is it that yours does not ? Is that antique heater different than the modern ones ? Did you upgrade the wick ?
Alex
A. Using [...]
Q. I drive a 1999 Jeep Wrangler. It’s a straight 4 engine that runs off low
octane gasoline. It’d be great to improve its emissions. So I’m really
curious as to whether biodiesel would run in it?
A. Converting a gasoline engine vehicle to a diesel engine can be done but it
may be costly. It can be [...]
Q. This is a great site and I have throughly enjoyed it. The process seems very workable for me. One question though, how long can you hold used kitchen oils before processing them using your systems? What is the shelf life of used grease?
Thanks
Jerry
Houston, Tx
A. If using the oil for eating oils [...]
Q. My name is Saeid who talked to you on the phone on Monday(11:26).
Like I said on the phone I am doing engineering in Mcmaster University and we have project which is about biodiesel. I was searching on the internet and I saw your website; and I was wondering if you can help me out [...]
Q. I live in Long Beach, and I have 2 diesel cars. I desperately want to convert to bio-diesel, but I am not sure what the best way is to go. I was told that you all have bio-diesel, so I thought I would ask. Is getting a processing machine best, or [...]
Q. Greetings from Tropical Ho Chi Minh City!!
My name is Soren Kirchner and I am a Professor in Vietnam. My students and I are interested in setting up a Coop but we need to learn the following:
1) What equipment do we need to be able to produce 500 [...]
Q. Do you have a recipe to make a liter test batch of biodiesel.
A. The “recipe” that we use to make 1 liter of biodiesel is as follows:
220ml metanol mixed with
4 grams of red devil lye for virgin oil
Plus add results of titration – for us, usually an additional .5 – 1.5 [...]
Q. I just found your website – very interesting! My husband was just telling me about this kind of fuel a few evenings ago. We have an old (1989) Suburban – and he was considering trying to convert the engine (gasoline) to one that can run on the biodeisel feul. (We are [...]
Q. I have been researching bio fuels to use in my 7.3 liter diesel 1999 Ford F250. I have seen articles on biodiesel and waste vegetable oil (WVO). According to what I’ve seen, WVO is filtered and stored in a separate tank in the vehicle. The WVO is heated and supply to the [...]
Q. Could you please help me to find a site on how to turn beef and pork fat to diesel or at least furnace fuel. We run a meat processing plant and produce about 4000 lbs. a week of waste. Thank you Kurt
A. It is easy to make biodiesel for diesel engines using vegetable [...]
Q. Hi, My name is Carlee and I am 16 years old and I am about to get my drivers license on September 6th. I will be buying my car by myself and as you know gas is extremely expensive… it just hit $1.50 a gallon here in Virginia. I am all for staying on [...]
Q. I do not have a diesel engine in my vehicles, but I was wondering if BioDiesel could be substituted for #2 Fuel oil used in home heating furnaces? I have a garage that I want to heat. If this works well, I want to use it to heat my house. Can you help me [...]
Q. I noticed a few things on your site that were a little confusing and I was hoping you could help me understand them.
In a couple places on the biodiesel page there is the mention of a percentage of reduction of harmful emissions using biodiesel as opposed to fossil fuels. The first time, it reads:
Boasting [...]
Q. Hi, I really enjoy your web site. We found out about your web site from your friend Sascha Reese ( he taught my son Alex last year). I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. I want to buy a diesel car and run it on [...]
Q. I am a farmer in southern Illinois, and am interested in the possibility of making my own biodiesel from soybeans that I raise. I am wondering where to find design ideas to build a soybean press to extract oil from the soybeans, and if I can successfully remove the oil, can I then use [...]
Q. On your site you show a processor using an electric water heater. I looked for the plans for this type of processor and did not see them. Are the plans for this type available?
Joe
Freelance Missions
Guatemala
A. Here is a couple of links for plans:
http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/appleseedprocessor/
http://www.veggieavenger.com/avengerboard/viewforum.php?f=25
http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/groupee/forums/a/frm/f/919605551 (click on “find” and type in plans)
Also, [...]
Q. I was wondering if you could send me the website that tells me how to make biodiesel. Thank you! Noah
A. Here are two informative, tutorial websites detailing how to make a small “kitchen” batch of biodiesel.
http://www.kitchen-biodiesel.com/
http://www.localb100.com/cbt/makingasmallbatch/
Remember that you are dealing with chemicals and it’s important that you follow the safety tips!
1. First, how do you prepare to brew biodiesel?
Our homemade biodiesel processor was made from a combination of recycled materials and local hardware store goods. The same can be accomplished by anyone with a concern for the environment and a vision for sustainability. By running our car on home-brewed biodiesel made with discarded vegetable oil [...]
Q.I have a question regarding bio-diesel. Can it be used to fuel my home furnace? There were a few times when I ran out of heating oil and had to use diesel fuel. I do not own a diesel vehicle but I do have an oil furnace that if I can use the bio-deisel I [...]
Q. What’s the difference between SVO and biodiesel?
A. Here’s a brief overview on biodiesel vs SVO:
Biodiesel vs Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) http://www.wnbiodiesel.com/technology.html
Vegetable oil seems to be the perfect replacement for petro based diesel, except for the fact that it has too high a viscosity for use in most existing diesel engines as a straight replacement [...]
Q. I work for a Major Oil Company and I have opened my eyes, but I am not sure I am on the right track. Maybe you could help me understand. But this much I know I work in a heavily regulated and extremely dangerous and unhealthful business. We blow $16 million on a well [...]
Q. I’m Gary. Just wanted to say that myself and my 2 teenage boys have just bought a processor to make biodiesel. (I got it from b100supply.com)
Question. I have very hard water at home. Would you recommend me purchasing a ‘Whole House’ water filter and attach it to the end of my hose and use [...]
Q. Your website is wonderful it has so much of information on biodiesel, I’m a Sri Lankan and I was wondering could you convert coconut oil to run on biodiesel ? Is the process the same or are there slight modifications to the process. Introducing the concept of biodiesel to a country like ours would [...]
Q. I have just returned from a medical mission to Ghana West Africa. The orphanage I worked with currently has 64 children and will in January add 40 more. What I am looking for is what I need to generate coconut fuel to replace the diesel fuel.This could cut costs for running the home and [...]
Q. First of all, I would like to say how impressed I was looking at your step-by-step teaching on biodiesel in your website. Thank you.
I am currently in Indonesia and looking to implement a fully automated biodiesel line from coconut oil. Can you tell me where can I find the detail method for [...]
Q. Do you believe biodiesel is the solution to our oil crisis?
A. We are not advocates who believe that biodiesel is THE answer to our ceaseless consumption of petroleum. Just because we have a car that runs on biodiesel doesn’t mean that we drive more than before. (In fact, we are trying to drive [...]
Q. Where can I find more information about Biodiesel?
A. Plans and equipment used are from homebrew biodiesel advocate Maria “Mark” Alovert from the Bay Area. She and others have put together resources and an online tutorial at:
http://www.localb100.com/
www.biodieselcommunity.org
The official site of the National Biodiesel Board has in-depth information about biodiesel: http://www.biodiesel.org/
