[Clay Henry]

Originally Posted by ProGunProgressive

CHenry makes some good points about vegi-oil conversions, the thing that attracts me most about them is not having to worry much about the free fatty acid content of the WVO.

But he overstates the dangers and difficulties of making your own bio.

Yes methanol and methoxide are dangerous, but he makes it sound like if you get a whiff of it you'll drop dead (I dunno if he's selling something, but I've noticed that people selling competing technologies tend to overstate the biodiesel threats--not an attack, just an observation). He's overstating the danger quite a bit. If you use proper precautions with lye or KOH and methanol (ventilation, gloves, etc) your risk is fairly minimal and easily contained. People have been powering race cars for decades with methanol. Lye has been in your home for more than decades (you call it drain cleaner). It ain't plutonium folks, the idea that, as he put it, "one mistake WILL KILL you", is a bit melodramatic. Just use common sense, safety gear, and work in a well ventilated area, and the rest takes care of itself.

Sure you should keep it away from kids, just as you keep the liquor cabinet, the gun collection, and the dirty movies away from kids. And no you shouldn't get a load on while doing it, but having a beer or two while you work isn't all that hazardous.

Also, the time committment isn't all that bad. Collecting the oil is the worst part, and you have to do that anyway if you're running WVO. Once you get a system down, it's not too bad. But it's not for everyone either. I have the luxury of working from home, which helps. Once your processor is wired and running well, it'll calm down effort wise.

The other nice thing about bio is yes, you can go application to application. I sold some spare bio to another diesel enthusiast. Can't do that with veggie.

Ideally, the best solution cost and environmentally would be to do both. Use the bio to get the truck up to temp for the WVO.

I didn't over state anything. I stated fact about Meth I dare not get involved with it as I am accident prone myself. Accident prone people should avoid work involving deadly elements. And it IS deadly. So are airplanes and I don't ride those unless i have to either. I know, I have a better chance at getting killed in traffic on the road than in a plane wreck, but if my PSD fails, i will not drop 30,000 feet out of the sky!

Quoted directly from "Journey to Forever"
"Wear proper protective gloves, apron, and eye protection and do not inhale any vapours. Methanol can cause blindness and death, and you don't even have to drink it, it's absorbed through the skin. Sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns and death. Together these two chemicals form sodium methoxide. This is an extremely caustic chemical.
These are dangerous chemicals -- treat them as such! Gloves should be chemical-proof with cuffs that can be pulled up over long sleeves -- no shorts or sandals. Always have running water handy when working with them. The workspace must be thoroughly ventilated. No children or pets allowed.

Organic vapor cartridge respirators are more or less useless against methanol vapors. Professional advice is not to use organic vapor cartridges for longer than a few hours maximum, or not to use them at all. Only a supplied-air system will do (SCBA -- Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus).

The best advice is not to expose yourself to the fumes in the first place. The main danger is when the methanol is hot -- when it's cold or at "room temperature" it fumes very little if at all and it's easily avoided, just keep it at arm's length whenever you open the container. Don't use "open" reactors -- biodiesel processors should be closed to the atmosphere, with no fumes escaping. All methanol containers should be kept tightly closed anyway to prevent water absorption from the air.

We transfer methanol from its container to the methoxide mixing container by pumping it, with no exposure. This is easily arranged, and an ordinary small aquarium air-pump will do. The methoxide is mixed like this -- Methoxide the easy way, which also happens to be the safe way. The mixture gets quite hot at first, but the container is kept closed and no fumes escape. When mixed, the methoxide is again pumped into the (closed) biodiesel processor with the aquarium air-pump -- there's no exposure to fumes, and it's added slowly, which is optimal for the process and also for safety. See Adding the methoxide."

With my WVO, I can sniff it, I can drink it, and if i feel like itm i can bath nekid in it....and not worry about any of these dangers.....Point made. It's simply not for me. It may be for you though.