The Rabid Biodiesel Nut

Selling Biodiesel. Is it worth it?

2008-05-18T23:01:00.003-06:00

I get asked all the time what it'd take to sell Biodiesel.

My canned answer is "It ain't worth it!".

But, some are persistent and continue to want to know why I feel the way I do.

Well, let's start from the top...

When I first got into this glorious fuel, I had big dreams of making and selling Biodiesel to people and getting stinking rich (me and every other person that gets into it probably thinks the same thing....)

Well, I spent literally MONTHS researching the possibility of selling bio and in my quest to do so figured I'd be much happier teaching people how to make it themselves and selling them the supplies to do it instead.

Here's why...
1) Competition.
Everyone AND THEIR DOG wants to sell Biodiesel. As soon as someone discovers they can make the stuff, out come the dollar signs in their eyes and they start wanting to sell the stuff.

For about every 100 people that think it, 1 of them does. And, the ones that do have to fork out a lot of time, money and investment.

Let's put it this way. The competition is stiff and getting stiffer each day

2) Going Legal is a nightmare!
If you're going to sell Biodiesel and do it legally (which is the ONLY way I propose you should do it), then my friend, you are up for one heck of a big surprise.

Here's a few reasons why.
A- Permitting....
So, ya think you wanna make Biodiesel in a residence eh? Well, I bet your zoning and health department don't want you doing that. The water department would also want to talk to you and, oh yeah, how ya gonna measure out the biodiesel to sell it accurately? In comes the Standard & Weights folks.

How ya gonna tax it? The feds & the state ALWAYS want their fair share of what you sell and Biodiesel is no different.

How bout certifying you're making ASTM Bio? That ain't cheap!

Oh yeah, what about registering your fuel with the EPA? You know, because IT'S THE LAW!!! Yep. That's painful too. Why? Because to do so you'll be forced to join the National Biodiesel Board because they were the ones that did all the Health & Human Testing on the stuff and hold the proprietary information on it...and because I bet you ain't got the millions of dollars that it cost them to do the testing yourself.

Now, how about selling it & distributing it? Did you know that your trucks have to be certified? Do you have a DOT Drivers license? Whip out that Drug Screen Test! It's mandatory folks! So is a DOT physical!

And the list goes on and on and on....

For a view of what Piedmont Biofuels had to do, check out their nightmare...
http://energy.biofuels.coop/2007/01/05/the-permits/

Now, once you have all THAT done, how will you market the fuel? How will you distribute it? How will you ensure that you have enough feedstock and that the feedstock you get will always be consistent?

How will you dispose of all that glycerin? What about storing all that lye and methanol? I bet the fire marshal will have a few things to say about that....

And the list just goes on and on and on.....

So, if you think you're really up to the task and really want to give it a go, more power to you! But remember, I warned you!

...ok, seriously, if you do want to go legal and want to sell the stuff, I highly recommend a book on how to do it.

It's called Building a Successful Biodiesel Business and is published by the absolute authorities in Biodiesel in the United States.

Here's the link to it:
http://www.biodieselbasics.com

I highly recommend it.

So, if you're still seeing those dollar signs in your eyes, go for it! Just be sure to give me a ring when you need equipment! I'd be happy to hook you up!

-Graydon

Ready to learn? Lights, Camera, Action!

2008-05-04T16:14:00.005-06:00

Recently we were asked by Parleys Diesel Performance to do some instructional videos on the Basics of Biodiesel. We, not wanting to pass up a golden opportunity, jumped on it and the video's below were born!

We tried our best to make the videos well planned out, instructional, and easy to understand. We think they came off really well (and so do many of our customers!).

So, sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the fun of watching how easy Biodiesel can be to make....

The first one has now had well over 8,000 views and counting!

Welcome To Our Biodiesel Tutorial Videos Page!

Here you can learn about Biodiesel, what it is, how it's made, how it effects engines & performance, how you
make your own, and even a little history about this great fuel! So, grab some popcorn, a pen and a notepad,
and sit back & get ready to learn about Biodiesel!

We'd like to thank the great folks at Parleys Diesel Performance
for partnering up with us to put these great Biodiesel tutorial videos together!

Introduction To Biodiesel (06:20)

This video gives a basic introduction to organic oils and how they can be run in diesel engines.
We'll discuss some of the cool history behind the diesel engine, why they can run on organic oils,
how different oils can effect a diesel engine, and then we'll discuss the big difference between
Biodiesel and Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO).

9 Reasons Why We Think You Should Consider Biodiesel

Excellent Biodiesel Handling Guide Published by the US National Renewable Energy Lab

How Biodiesel Is Made - The Theory (08:03)

In this video we discuss how Biodiesel is chemically produced. We use simple drawings and diagrams
to keep it easy & simple to understand. Don't worry, we promise, there's no chemistry degree needed.
We think you'll find it really educational! We also discuss some of it's chemical properties
including some of the great benefits Biodiesel has over petro diesel.

How Biodiesel Is Made - Dealing With Used Oils (05:24)

Here we take things a step further and talk more about what goes on when
Biodiesel is being produced, including how to make it from used oils that
commonly contain things called Free Fatty Acids (FFA's). Yep. We keep this
one simple too so that it's easy to understand.

Click Here To Learn More On How To Get Started Making Biodiesel From Used Oils

How Biodiesel Is Made - The Basic Recipe (07:52)

Now that the theory & chemistry is out of the way it's time to talk about how it's made in a production setting.
Using a basic diagram, we'll walk you through how it's produced from start to finish. From filtering the oil
to drying the finished Biodiesel, we discuss it all! We then give you the basic recipe for making Biodiesel.

Link To The Graphic Used In The Video

Making A Small Batch - Part 1 (06:28)

Here we talk about how to get ready to make a small batch of Biodiesel from
new oil. We'll show you how to weigh out the chemicals, how to make something called
Methoxide, and discuss proper safety precaustions when preparing to make your first
batch.

Making A Small Batch - Part 2 (07:47)

While our methoxide dissolves we go over everything you'll need to make a mini batch.
We talk about where to find the ingredients needed including the chemicals needed, the
best kind of oils to use (hint: Chinese restaurants rock!), and discuss some safety issues
related to storing chemicals and methanol. We then dump the methoxide in and watch the magic happen!

Titrating Oil - Building A Titration Kit (04:11)

In this video we show how to build a basic titration kit that will be used to titrate oil with.
Titration is nothing nore than a method used to find out what the acid level is in the oil that will be used
to produce Biodiesel. It's necessary to know this because it will indicate how much catalyst
will be used to make Biodiesel.

Our Titration Supplies

Full Titration Kit |
Titration Scale |
Titration Beakers |
Titration Cups

Labeled Titration Syringes |
Magnetic Stirrer |
Oil Collection Test Kit

Titrating Oil - The Chemistry (05:04)

This video explains the chemistry behind how a titration works. We explain what a titration will indicate and why
it's important to perform them on used oil. Don't worry, like the other video's we keep this one simple. No chemistry degree needed.

Titrating Oil - Preparing Titration Solution (04:31)

This video shows how to prepare the titration solution that will be used to do the actual titration with. It's important
that this be done accurately because it will impact the titration readings. To make it, add 1 gram of catalyst (either
Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) or Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) to 1 liter of water.

Titrating Oil - The Actual Titration (10:54)

This is where it all comes together. We do 3 complete titrations from start to finish. We measure everything
out, explain how to mix everything, do the actual titrations, and then explain what the results mean.

The Basic Titration Method

1- Add 1 mL of Oil to 10 mL of Isopropyl Alcohol

2- Add a couple drops of indicator solution (Phenolphthalein is what we used)

3- Start adding measured amounts of Titration Solution

4- Watch for the color change to stay for 30 seconds

5- Record how much titration solution was used

Titration Solution Used = Number Of Grams Of Catalyst To Use Per Liter Of Oil

If there were 4mL used, then 7.5 + 4 = 11.5 grams X 100 liters of oil = 1150 grams of KOH

Click Here To See A Complete Titration Kit

Making A Large Batch - Shop Intro & Filtering Oil (08:30)

This video highlights how you can set up a basic small scale Biodiesel production facility.
We introduce you to some of the basic components you'll need to produce Biodiesel. In particular, we show how to
filter oil, how to transfer oil around in a shop, how we store and transfer methanol, introduce the catalyst and more.
We also discuss a bit about which diesels can handle Biodiesel.

How We Collect Oil With A Lift-Gate | Pictures Of Our Lift Gate

How We Filter Oil With A Lift-Gate | Oil Filters (We Use The 400 Micron Ones)

Learn More About Starting To Produce Biodiesel Here |

Check Out Our Customers Biodiesel, Production Equipment, And More Here!

Making A Large Batch - Loading Oil, Catalyst, & Methanol (05:35)

Using a BioPro 380, we introduce how easy Biodiesel can be made. We show how to load the machine with oil using an inexpensive sump pump,
how to add the methanol, how to measure out the catalyst & get ready to start the batch. There are several different styles and kinds
of Biodiesel production equipment available on the market, this one just happens to be our personal favorite.

Pictures Of Our Sump Pump | See The Methanol Pump We Recommend

We stock Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), Potassium Hydroxide (KOH), and
Sulfuric Acid.

Making A Large Batch - Starting The Batch (02:24)

Using the same BioPro 380, we show how to start the machine and get a batch running. This one's pretty small because it really
doesn't take much to get it going. Reach around back, turn the machine on, and push the start button. We then load it with sulfuric
acid (to give us higher yields) and then we let the machine take care of the rest.

Video On Making A Batch In A BioPro 190 Start To Finish (High Res) | (Low Res)

Making A Large Batch - Transferring Finished Fuel (06:19)

This video wraps up our videos on making a large batch of Biodiesel. Using a BioPro 190, we transfer
finished fuel from the machine into our storage barrels. We also give a basic overview of the BioPro machines, discuss the
differences in the machines, and then wrap it up.

BioPro 150 (40 Gal Unit) | BioPro 190 (50 Gal Unit) | BioPro 380 (100 Gal Unit)

Click Here To Locate A BioPro Dealer Near You

Testing For Conversion (4:15)

In this video we show you how to test your finished Biodiesel to see how well it converted.
It involves using 3 mL of biodiesel and 27 mL of Biodiesel. It's really simple to do and works extremely well.
As an added bonus, the person in the video just happens to be the chemist that helped design the BioPro processors.
Sorry for the noise in the background. The wind was blowing that day.

Link To Kit Used In This Video

Biodiesel Flammability (02:29)

One of the great properties of Biodiesel is its high flash point (the temperature at which it will burn).
In this clip we illustrate this by attempting to light a small amount of Biodiesel on fire (Hint: TRY being the key word).
However, once under pressure and atomized (ie. through a diesel fuel injector) Biodiesel burns great as we also illustrate.

Biodiesel Performance (08:51)

In this clip we discuss how Biodiesel performs against Petro Diesel. We talk about using it
in a modified diesel engine with chips and other performance parts installed (Hint: Yep! It'll work with those too!).
We also discuss tips for running Biodiesel in higher performance diesel engines,
talk a bit about running it in colder weather, using additives, and also touch on the importance
of changing fuel filters.

Link to Diesel Power Magazine Biodiesel Article mentioned in the video.

Read More On Using Biodiesel | Real World Biodiesel Experiences

More videos coming!

We have several more videos in the wings so be sure to mark this page & come back often!

We'll be covering everything from collecting oil, to titrating it, to producing Biodiesel on a large scale
and much much more! Our goal is to help you see that making Biodiesel can be simple, easy to understand, and
most of all, fun to do!

We also have a whole series on Biodiesel that we did for ExpertVillage.

Click here to see the series

Additional Instructional Videos

Methanol Safety Methanex, one of the largest distributors of Methanol in the United States
has put together a great instructional video on methanol safety for Biodieselers. There are two file types; A high resolution version at 73.4 MB and a low resolution
version at 41.1 MB. Both are in Windows Media (WMV) format. Look for the link
on the right labeled Methanol Safety - For Biodiesel Producers .

Thanks for stopping by & come on back soon!

My How Time Flies!

2008-05-04T15:29:00.004-06:00

Looks like it's time for another blog post...

We've been incredibly busy the last 6 months what with fuel prices shooting through the roof.

So, here's a few of the fun things we've done.

Lot's & lots of new products!
Introducing the BioPro 150!

This new item is like the BioPro 190, only smaller.
It allows you to make 40 gallons of Bio in the same 48 hours as the 190 but costs less.
It's not as automated as the 190 is (for instance, you have to drain the wash water manually after each wash) but it still does a great job.

More on that here:
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biopro150.php

The Portable Magnetic Stirrer

This sucker can really hum! It allows you to mix up contents really fast and does an amazing job!
Check out the video on it:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hUeeJmKk2_g
More on this cool, new toy here..
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/magneticstirrer.php

Amberlite

http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/amberlite.php

Chemical Resistant Beaker Set

This cool little set of beakers is great for lab work with Biodiesel.
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/beakers.php

New and improved water test kit!

Sandy Brae Labs recently updated their Water Test Kit to make it better for Biodiesel. It now has a complete 1 piece cup (instead of 2 pieces). Makes it much more Biodiesel resistant.
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biodieselwatertestkit.php

Chemical Resistant Sampling Cups

We picked up these really cool new cups that are ideal for sampling oil, Biodiesel, wash water, or anything else you may need to do around the shop.

They even have a handy temp gauge on the side!
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/samplingcups.php

Oil Collection Sampling Kits

These things are cool! Similar to a Go/No Go Test Kit for the BioPro's, these ones are set at a lower titration value (5 on a KOH scale) and can easily be used out in the field to test oil. We're really impressed with them!

http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/oilcollectiontestkit.php

We promise to be a little more diligent in keeping up on our posts, but this should help to get things going again.

Enjoy!
-Graydon

We've Gone Full Time!

2007-11-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well, we did it! We finally bit the bullet & took Utah Biodiesel Supply full time.

It actually happened a while ago, but I've just been so darn busy I haven't had a chance to blog about it.

For those who are new to us, lemme give you a bit of history....

Around 2003 a nutty guy named Graydon Blair (that'd be me) started researching Biodiesel. (You can read more about that here)

Well, around 2005 I got so excited about it that I decided to start up a business called Utah Biodiesel Supply and the rest is, as you say, history.....well, ok, history is still being written so sit back & I'll share a bit about it.

Around April 2005 I took a trip out to California for summer vacation with the wife & daughter. While on the trip (in a cramped Honda Accord with a TV sitting in the back seat to keep our daughter happy) my wife & I listened to a CD about millionaires.

There's a book called "The Millionaire Next Door". I'd read it but wanted to learn more and since we were going to be hauling across the barren desert in a Honda, my wife picked up some "books on CD". One called The Millionaire Mind. It's basically a continuation of that book where the author delves deeper into the subject.

...ok, now a big more history....
To give you some background, I hail from Utah (yes, I'm mormon too! Go figure!) and have quite the entrepreneur spirit in me. At a very young age I became an "independent contractor" ...well, ok, so I was a paper boy, but they still sold me a product & I had to turn around & sell it...albeit they were newspapers....I still had to collect the money from folks, had to perfect some marketing (to get more people to sign up), and had to deliver the product in a timely manner (folks don't like it when their newspapers don't get delivered...especially if they get soggy wet in the rain sitting out in the driveway...I can still throw a rolled up newspaper from across the street & hit the porch perfectly...it's an "aquired artform" from my youth).

anyway, so I did a paper route when I was a kid, also had sold a bunch of newspaper subscriptions & earned my way to Disney land with said paper, and then when I was about 14 my dad decided he was going to teach his sons a little bit about business & bought us an Aerator.

If you don't know what those are, it's basically this big machine that is powered by an engine that punches holes in your lawn that look like a dog pooped all over your lawn. It basically pulls up little "soil cores" from your lawn & allows your lawn to "breathe" better. It really works, trust me.

Anyway, so once we got said aerator, it was our job to find people that wanted their lawn aerated & do it. He left all of that up to us. He had just bought the machine.

Well, I gotta tell ya, that crazy machine lit a fire in me that's never really gone out. I enjoyed providing a service to someone and I enjoyed seeing the green stuff land in my hand even more...especially when it was something I did myself.

So, after that I then got "a real job" at a restaurant and eventually became a waiter. If you think about it, waiter's also are "independent contractors". Follow me on this one....

They're basically paid really lousy by restaurants to deliver your food to your table, keep you happy, and make sure you have a pleasant experience while "dining out". If they do a good job, you leave them a tip.

Well, let's just say I became a REALLY good waiter! I LOVED IT!! I'm kind of a ham as it is (kinda comes naturally to me) so being a waiter was a shoe in. I enjoy delivering a product (good service) and perfecting the way I do it and in return I was paid well for my services.

So, then I left for a full time mission for my church (remember, I'm MORMON....and no, I don't have 5 wives...one's enough to keep any man busy). Off to Oregon I went to knock on doors & share the message of my faith with complete strangers.

Lemme tell ya, if you think door to door sales is hard, try knocking on complete strangers doors in a place you've never been to before and telling them about your beliefs in God. It is, shall we say, an "experience"....one that I utterly loved, but one that also honed my "marketing skills" a bit more as well.

So, now we have a paper route, an aerating business, being a waiter, and now a mission for my church under my belt.

Then I came home & started college.

I started out wanting to be an Engineer...well, let's just say I suck at math. Calculus & me didn't get along so well....so, I decided to change my major.

Lucky for me, I picked a really good one for my skill set.

I entered the John B. Goddard School of Business at Weber State University in little old Ogden, Utah. Yep. A business major was now in my future!

And, since I kind of liked computers, my major was actually in...get this....Information Systems & Technology (I know, kind of corny to have in a business school, but it works...well, ok, it works REALLY well!).

So, here's a kid already accustomed to "marketing" "product placement" "accounting"(remember, I had to COLLECT the money from my clients) and basically a bunch of other things that you learn about in Business & now I was getting a real degree in the stuff.

I absolutely LOVED college! Not because of the social life, but because of what I was learning. I know, call me weird, but I loved economics, marketing, and all those business related classes.

Wow...ok, we've really gone off the beaten path here...let's see if we can bring this puppy back....

So, I got a degree in Business w/ an emphasis on computers. Kind of timely too as the internet was all the rage around that time (I even had stock in Cisco & AOL at one time...but that's another story).

So I finished college & got a "real job" at the place I did an internship at....a place called Iomega (yep, those guy's that made Zip drives).

Did that for about 5 years & then took a job at a place called Intermountain Healthcare.

About 2 years into it I learned about Biodiesel & took that trip across the desert.

OK, bringing us back to our story....

So this kid that's done a lot of small business background, has a business degree, and is listening to a tape about Millionaires is traveling across the desert.

Having a strong desire to own my own business & wondering what it should be, I kept hearing over & over from that crazy CD about Millionaires that if you want to be successful in life, you need to find something you really enjoy & then exercise some business smarts with it.

Well....let's see....what do I like? Hmmm....there's this thing called Biodiesel!

And, after that trip, a little ole place called Utah Biodiesel Supply popped up on the internet.

April of 2005 was when we officially got the business license & went for it.

From the basement in my house I started this crazy thing and, well, almost 3 years later, we're one of the largest online stores for Biodiesel Homebrewing supplies around.

We have a huge selection of Biodiesel goodies and are pretty well known around the globe as one of the places to go if you want to learn about Biodiesel or buy biodiesel supplies.

And....because I'm absolutely passionate about it and have the business background, it's been a really good fit.

I'm having the time of my life! It ain't all easy and I'm definitely not "stinkin' rich", but I'm enjoying every day & loving it.

Like they say, find something you enjoy doing, create a business out of it, and you'll never "work" a day in your life because it'll all be "fun".

Yep. That's pretty much it.

So, now REALLY swinging it back around to where we started from. Right around June of this year I took the big plunge & left the day job & am now doing this gig full time...and absolutely loving it!

So, if you ever want to get ahold of us, just pick up the ole phone & give us a call.
Instead of having to answer phone calls between breaks at "Work", we can now do it all the time.

I actually even set it up like a "real" job too....

We run the business Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.
We close it on the weekends (well, ok, I TRY not to do any business on the weekends I should say....ok, the real answer is...I don't pick up the phone on the weekends) and I now have a bit of a "real life" in the evenings with my family again.

Tuesday & Friday nights we pack up all the orders that come in and they ship out the day after they're packed.

It's a heck of a lot of fun!

And....I still get to meet a ton of cool people. I still participate on the Biodiesel forums. I still make Biodiesel. And I'm still enjoying it.

So, if you're absolutely sick & tired of your "day job" (I really wasn't though...I really did enjoy my job, I just liked Biodiesel more), find something you enjoy & try to make a business out of it...you may just find yourself doing something you enjoy the rest of your life!

Well, ok, that was probably way more information than you probably wanted to ever know about us....but, hope you enjoyed the read.

And....if you're ever after some really cool Biodiesel supplies, there's this place called Utah Biodiesel Supply that sells some kick-butt supplies at their online store
http://www.utahbio.com (Yep. I'm still the consummate saleman...it's in the blood).

Because I was doing the books the other day I had to count all the individual products I carried. We now sell over 250 unique items on our site. Man, that's a lot of stuff to keep track of! But, we're doing it & loving it!

So, stop on by, you're guaranteed to always find some cool or nifty gizmo that can hopefully help you out with all of your Biodiesel adventures.....

Have a great one!
Graydon
The Biodiesel Nut With The Business Degree...

BioPro 190 Hits Full ASTM

2007-11-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since I posted so its time....

One of the most exciting things that happened recently was the fact that a really good friend, Lyle Rudensey's BioPro, just screamed past the ASTM Tests for Biodiesel.
Check out his blog entry on it:

Lyle, who runs BioLyles Biodiesel Workshop, is an avid Biodiesel nut like myself & has been for quite some time (we both got into it around the same time..I think within a couple months of each other and we both went nuts over it).

Sometime last summer Lyle bought a BioPro 190 based on some tests he saw of the fuel that was tested in one. Once he got it, he became so impressed that he decided to become a dealer.

Well, he & I, being kind of nutty like we are, decided to team up to get some of the fuel tested. I paid for a Total & Free Glycerin Test & he sent it in.

Guess what? It screamed right past it!
It passed with flying colors!
- Monoglycerides - 0.084%
- Diglycerides - 0.027%
- Triglycerides - 0.007%
- Free Glycerin - 0.004% (Maximum Allowed - 0.02%)
- Total Glycerin - 0.122% (Maximum Allowed - 0.24%)

So, that was all nice & good, but then the State of Washington took an interest in what he was doing & offered to test his fuel with the full round of ASTM Testing.

And, guess what? It screamed past that too!
Check it out!

Now, most people that haven't been around Biodiesel (and especially home brewing) for a while will say, "So what! Big deal! So it passed some stupid test".

Noooo......it didn't just pass "some stupid test" it passed THE test!

In the US, the Federal Government has mandated that if you're going to sell Biodiesel commercially then it has to meet a strict standard battery of tests. If it passes then the government will let you sell it and you can claim that you indeed have "Biodiesel".

So why is that a big deal? Well, it's big because most homebrewers can't hit it. In fact, there's very few folks out there making Biodiesel in home-made processors that have hit the standard. Most fail this or that or some other thing, but few ever hit it.

Over a year ago I ran across this group though called AGR Energy that had created a personal biodiesel processor that they claimed COULD hit the mighty ASTM. So, after looking into the whole thing for a while I learned that, yep, it was legit. So I bought one!

One thing led to another & the next thing you know I now am a dealer for the things and not only that, I set up all the dealers for the company as well.

I liked the thing THAT MUCH!

"Bid Deal" you say, "so it can pass a stupid test & you're impressed with it. Why the big wup?"

Well, because not only can this thing pass an ASTM test, but it's incredibly easy to use and it's built like a tank.

Mix that with the fact that it can make good fuel and you now have a machine that practically anyone can use to make Biodiesel that's good enough to sell. Now THAT's something!!!!

So, now you can see why it's such an awesome thing to see these things scream past ASTM. Note: It didn't just "Barely" make it. It SCREAMED past it!

That means the fuel quality of bio coming out of one of these things is just incredible!!!

We now have a machine that anyone can use, that produces biodiesel, that allows you to make fuel good enough to sell.

So why is that such a big deal?
Well, have you seen diesel prices lately?

Don't know about you, but that trend sure looks like it's headed on it's way up!

Not only can we make incredible fuel in a BioPro, but we can do it for under a $1.00 a gallon. Now THAT's something to get excited about!

So, there you have it. Why I'm so excited to see Lyle's BioPro scream past the ASTM tests.

Congratulations Lyle! My hats off to you!

If you'd like to learn more about the BioPro's, go here:
Link to the BioPro's:

-Graydon
Still as rabid as ever about Biodiesel.

I hate washing machines....and other ramblings

2007-07-21T07:57:00.000-06:00

Today's first post is a little "non-biodiesel" related "rant".

I'm now doing my business full time (Utah Biodiesel Supply) and I've been trying to help out around the house (keeps the Mrs. happy). As part of my "duties", I've been helping to do the laundry.

My first task was to get the laundry room organized so I could walk in, sort clothes, & start a batch of wash.

A trip to Wallys World (Yes, the dreaded Wal-Mart to some of you...is that shiver running up your spine yet?) netted me 4 laundry baskets. Two Blue, One Tan, and one white.

Blue#1 - Towels
Blue#2 - Dark Clothes
Tan - Light Clothes
White - White Clothes (duh!)

So, the past couple of weeks, when I've been in town (I was in Denver last week at the Biodiesel Conference (http://www.collectivebiodiesel.org) I've been helping do the laundry & keep on top of it with these super-cool laundry baskets.

Enter this morning (Damn washing machine!)
So I get up early (even went to BED early), got showered & dressed & decided to help the wife out by starting a batch of laundry.

So I walk in, sort out a bunch of laundry, put the whites in the washer & get it started, push the knob, turn the knob and "SNAP!" the knob falls off! CURSES!!!

So, here I sit with a load of laundry that's started and the knob to the washer in my hand. UGH!!! Not ANOTHER problem! (This week has been sheer hell!).

So, I think to myself, "Oh great, NOW what do I do?"

Tried the super glue....funny, super glue never works, I think it's the greatest hoax known to man....

OK, now what? So I jump online out to Sears website cause my washer is a Sears Lady Kenmore Heavy Duty 90 Series (I'm good, huh!)

See how to get the model # off the stupid thing, go back over to it and write it down, go online to Sears Parts website (man that thing is cool!) and start looking for my part.

Can't find it so I call the parts line & they walk me through finding it (I had a digit off when I was writing it down) and we determine what the part is.

$21.99 for that stupid knob!
$17.99 to expedite the stupid thing!
Add on tax & whoala! My "helping with the laundry" just turned into $40.00 that I really didn't want to spend!

Here's the diagram to my washer.

I had to buy Part #13.

$21.99 for that stupid knob!!!

So, for now we get to use a pair of pliers to start the stupid washing machine and I'm contemplating if I still like helping with the laundry. Seems every time I help something happens. When I first started helping the dryer started going "Thump, Thump, thump" Turns out the drum inside the dryer has a hole in it from wearing itself out.

A little Duct tape fixed that sucker! Ha! I won! I beat those stupid appliances....at least for now.

I'm sure in the not-so-distant future I'll be spending a crap load of hard earned mula on a new washer & dryer set. For now the duct tape, pliers, and a $41.00 part will have to do.

-Graydon
The Rabid Biodiesel Nut

AGR Energy - Quite the crew!

2007-03-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to go & visit a place I've been eagerly awaiting to see for many months now. It was the headquarters for AGR Energy.

Now, you may ask who AGR Energy is? Well, they're none other than the inventors and manufacturer of the BioPro Biodiesel Processors! That's who!

These guys are cool too! During my tenure involved in Biodiesel I have yet to meet a group smarter, more polite, more ingenious, and more talented than this group of guys.

They've come up with what I believe to be the Mercedes of personal Biodiesel processors. If you've read my blog you've heard me rave about how cool their products are (the BioPro 190) as well as how great they've been to work with as well.

Well, now that I've been to their place, seen what they do, and watched them in action, I'm even a bigger fan!

These guy's have figured out so many of the problems that home brewers run into and solved them so well that it's downright astounding! I was like a kid in a candy factory!

Galen, their mechanical engineer (and the G in AGR), walked me through how the machines are built and how they were engineered. He'd be showing me something and a big "Aha!" would go off in my head thinking, "So THAT's how you can solve that problem!" A lot of the things they showed me I can't share publicly with you all here (or else I'd have to kill you), but some I can.

One of the neat things that really impressed me is their use of the vent fan. It's mounted way up on top of the machine just over the oil tank inlet. This puppy is HEAVY!!!! They didn't go for anything chincy here at all! Nope. The thing is The Real McCoy! And MAN can it put out some serious air!

Well, not only is it perfect for helping to get rid of fumes under the hood, but the thing acts as a venturi to draw out the moisture from the biodiesel when it's drying. Man, how cool is that?

Other things included an ingenious way for the machine to identify when it had discharged all the water and hit Biodiesel and things like how to keep the elements from burning out because of oil contamination.

I'm tellin' ya, these guy's are downright incredible!

So, how incredible? Well, lets talk about some of the cool advances.

How about a machine that regularly will pass the 3/27 methanol test?
How about a machine that's as easy to use as a dishwasher?
How about a machine that only requires you to push buttons to make Biodiesel?
How's dem apples?

It's true! The things just plain & simply rock!

Here's a link to a couple photo galleries I put together from my "trip" to AGR.

This link is to a photo gallery of how to use the processor.
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biopro/biopro190/usingtheprocessor/
Check it out! It's pretty darn easy!

This one's to some pictures I took of the biodiesel passing the 3/27 test.
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biopro/BioProqualitytestkit/

And this one....this one is to their new toy...the big, bad BioPro 380!
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biopro/biopro380/BioPro380gallery/

This is the REAL reason I went! The thing is incredible! Instead of producing a measly 50 gallons every 48 hours, this puppy produces 100 gallons every 48 hours. Yep! It doubled it!

Now, that may not sound like much to you, and you may have seen some of the poly processors out there, but lemme tell ya, that 48 hours includes the following:
1- Processing (Acid AND Base method)
2- Washing (it washes 3 times)
3- Drying (an agitated heated drying With that cool fan!)

So, not only does it just make the bio, but it also washes and dries the stuff so that it's ready to use right from the tank.

The thing is just downright incredible!

I'm telling you the thing rocks!

Here's Galen with it:

And here's some of the Biodiesel it produced:

Pretty cool lookin' stuff, huh!

Wanna see why it makes such good bio?

It's all in that propeller.

Here's what it looks like when it's mixing:

Yep. It really can mix!

The thing is just incredible!

One of the other cool things it solved was how to mix the methoxide properly.

Yep, that oughta do it. Even the methoxide tank has an impeller in it!

I was so dang impressed by what I saw that it was astounding! I was sold on BioPro's before I got there but once I saw the new toy I had perma-grin on my face for the rest of the trip.

Amazing, simply amazing stuff!

I loved it!

Anyway, there's a lot more that'll be coming from these guy's. You can bet that's for sure!

I just figured I'd show you what I saw on my trip.

I also had a chance to have some great food (and introduce the BioPro crew) with Girl Mark and some of her class participants. The thing was great!

Well, more later....I just thought I'd share some of "what I've been up to" lately...

-Graydon

Biodiesel Toys Galore -- And Cool ones this time!

2007-02-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been busier than a squirrel collecting nuts before the winter....

Since it's been WAY TOO COLD outside, we've been concentrating on collecting a whole bevy of neat new toy's to help playing with Biodiesel all that much more fun....

So, without further adeiu...

Biodiesel Testing Equipment
In October, I had the opportunity to go to the premier Biodiesel workshop of them all. It's the one that Iowa State University puts on twice a year.

Take some of the most influential Biodiesel researchers in the United States, throw them all into the same room, throw in some incredible material for them to teach from; much of which has been the reference guide of all of the biodiesel home brewers out there for years as well as the commercial Biodiesel production shops, and you've got an idea what this conference is all about.

It's not cheap (runs $1,000 a head), but it's a week long and it's the most intensive and comprehensive Biodiesel workshop on the face of the planet! I absolutely loved the thing!

I absolutely loved it and I got to meet some of my Biodiesel hero's...

The guy on the far left is Dr. Jon Van Gerpen. The mans a genius when it comes to Biodiesel!

But, I digress...we're talking about Biodiesel Testing Equipment and what's some Workshop that Graydons so excited about got to do with that, right? Well, actually, A LOT!

While I was there we made several batches of biodiesel. We intentionally screwed up several batches of biodiesel.

Then we tested the crap out of them!

Here's a preview of some of the neat equipment we ran across...
Water Titrator

This thing would measure water content with extreme accuracy. What a cool toy!

A really cool Gas Chromatograph....Rick of B100 Supply sells these puppies too so I thought I'd get a picture by one.

Hot Plates & Lab Equipment

Really, really cool Gas Chromatographs...

Separatory Funnels (I really drooled over those...)

Screamin' Accurate scales (man I wanted one of those!!!)

Here's some of the soap we made...

And then we took the biodiesel we made and walked into the next room and that's when the REAL drool started....

As we shuffled into the room and took a seat we saw some interesting equipment on a table sitting up at the front. Dave Clements walked up & introduced some people from a neat company that claimed to have some really cool equipment to show off.

They told us that with little to no effort they could measure Total & Free Glycerin and the Free Fatty Acid content of any oil with great ease...

I thought, "Yeah, right...the only way they can do that is with a.....oh my gosh....with an ENZYME!!!!" We'd just learned about using enzymes to make Biodiesel and how good they are but how they don't really work economically.

Well, I was right.

Right before my eyes they sampled some biodiesel, stuck it in some test tubes, mixed it (with this REALLY COOL vibrator), and then stuck it in this machine, pulled it out & then the results printed out. THAT WAS IT!!!

We were able to measure total glycerin without a GC!!! And there was no interpretation to do! It was that easy! It just spit out the objective results!!!

I HAD to have one (or figure out how I could get one so I could sell it).

Well, one thing led to another and I was able to procure distribution rights and I'm now proud to say that I carry the thing. It's just incredible!!!

Here's what it looks like:

More info on it here:
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/saftest.php

....NEXT!!!!

Ok, on to the next piece of equipment...

So, while I was there I also met this really cool group of people that have a Biodiesel plant in New Mexico. Over the next month or so we arranged to go out & see them at their factory & while I was there I again had the chance to see some more really cool toys.

It was here that I saw Amberlite and saw & heard first hand just how cool the stuff was. Man, talk about some incredible stuff! Makes Magnesol look so.....last year!

But, that wasn't the neatest thing. While there he pulled out this thing that can only be called a jar w/ a gauge on it.

I asked him what it was & he said, "Wanna see?" Well, do dogs like to chase cats? Heck ya I wanted to see!

So, he pulls out this little packet of powder, pulls out a sample of oil & say's, with this [oil] and this [packet of powder], you can test the water content of oil or biodiesel...."NO WAY", I thought....I'd just seen this expensive piece of equipment back in Iowa that did the same thing, how in the world can something that small do the same thing?

Well, guess what...IT CAN!!! and it can do it with extreme precision (clear down to .005% water content).

It's called a Water Test Kit and it was designed by Mobil 1 a while back to measure the water content of any oil. Mobil 1 had certified it and used it on a regular basis. Well, a company called Sandy Brae Laboratories bought the rights to it and now sells the thing.....well....as you can guess, it didn't take long for me to get a hold of them too!

Behold, the water test kit!

The thing is just super cool!

More info here...
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biodieselwatertestkit.php

...NEXT...

Biodiesel Glycerin Based Soap

As many of you know, I'm a HUGE fan of Piedmont Biofuels. Well, a long time ago they bought some soap that me & Jack Jones made & they said they really liked it....well, I'd quit selling the soap because I ran out & they said they'd explore making it.

Well, about 4 months ago I received a nifty package that had Soap Kettle, Inc on it & contained some samples of soap in it with a letter from a soap maker that wondered if I'd be interested in selling her soap.

For those that have been in Biodiesel for a long time you quickly realize that it's a very small world in Biodieselville and this was no exception.

Turns out this soap maker was making soap from glycerin that she'd received from Piedmont Biofuels that they'd asked her to make because they'd bought my soap so long ago and wanted to be able to show people that it could be done. Small world, eh?

So, after we got through the pleasantries and the "Holy Cow, You're Graydon Blair?" and the "You mean you're making the soap from Piedmont's Glycerin?" we got down to business and started putting together a plan to get me some soap to test the market with.

So, now I've got soap that's made from a soap maker that makes soap from glycerin made from Piedmont Biofuels biodiesel that came about because they bought some soap from me. Man, those Piedmont guys....they somehow fit into the picture of all things Biodiesel in one way or another....

Yep. I guess somehow I'm part of that small world. I consider it a great honor.

Now on to some cool things....

As many who've known me long will remember, I'm a big advocate of teaching others about Biodiesel. I give a lot of stuff away, I teach a lot of people, I put on workshops, I present a lot of presentations in schools, and I'll talk to pretty much anyone that will listen to me about Biodiesel and why I think the whole world should be into it.

Well, I had a chance to do just that the other day.

I sit on the board of Utah Clean Cities. Occasionally Beverly Miller, who runs the Clean Cities program in Utah, will give me a call & tell me about some cool event that is requesting a Biodiesel expert.

This day was no different and I was thrilled!

Turns out something called a Utah Debate conference was being held and the topic this year was "Should Utah create an alternative energy policy?" I was asked to put together a booth for Biodiesel for it.

So, imagine a lunch room in a local middle school with the lunch tables organized in a big U. Imagine that you have to fill a whole table with Biodiesel stuff and then imagine that about 600 elementary age kids will be filling the room throughout a 3 hour period and it's your job to convince them that Biodiesel is the way to go!

Well, it went off extremely well! Normally when I do these things I make about 20 or 30 copies of handouts and end up only giving out 10. So, for this one I figured it'd be the same. I made 20 copies of a really nice handout for these kids fully expecting I'd have some left over, printed up a bunch of other things to fill the table with & laid everything out.

I got everything laid out & ready and waited for the kids to come hoping they'd be somewhat interested in Biodiesel. Well, they DEFINITELY were interested! In fact, within one hour all of my handouts were gone and the kids were starting to take my single page handouts.

It was HUGELY successful! I had a chance to talk to lot's & lot's of kids and introduce them to Biodiesel for the first time. It was so fun watching their faces light up as I told them about how cool it was to make the fuel (I had LOTS of samples there to show off) and how good it is for the environment.

I think my booth was one of the more popular there as they just kept coming and coming. Question after question was answered and more kids kept leaving the booth with big smiles on their faces. I LOVED IT!!!

By the end of the 3 hours my voice was hoarse, my feet were tired, and I was absolutely thrilled to have been a part of it.

I even get to have some information published on their "debate" website so that even more kids will have a chance to be introduced to Biodiesel. It give ya a nice, warm fuzzy feeling inside when you know you've had a chance to influence that many of the future generations for good.

Here's hoping at least a few of them keep pushing for Biodiesel and asking for it at their local gas stations and maybe even try to make some one day. As they say, it takes a village to raise a kid, hopefully I got to be a small part of that to a lot of kids.

So, that's my thrilling adventure for the past few months. I celebrated my 4th year playing with Biodiesel last December and I'm still thrilled as ever to be a part of it. It's just so cool that you can take garbage from a restaraunt, filter it a bit, add some chemicals and turn it into fuel! It's just utterly amazing! It still excites me to talk about it and I still enjoy telling newbies how it can be made.

I know, I probably need my head examined, but if this is insanity, I like it!

Well, have fun folks & keep brewing!

Graydon
That Rabid Biodiesel Nut from Utah

A Piece of Biodiesel History (for me anyway)

2006-12-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

I was going through my old emails today (man I get a lot of email!) and ran across one that'd I sent myself with a list of forums to include on my website.

It was really old too..June of 2005 old...yep, that old.

Anyway, back to the story.

So I started going through the forums & posting them to my site (they're in the Helpful Web Links section) when I ran across Frybrids Forum http://www.frybrid.com/forum/

Frybrid is a company that sells a conversion kit that you can put on a vehicle and it'll run straight veggie oil.

Well, while I was there, I saw this:

I clicked on it & noticed that it was the SAME EXACT CAR I'd read about nearly 4 years ago! Not only was it the one that I read about, but it was the one that got me into Biodiesel.

Here's what it looked like when I read about it:

It was a bonified veggie oil-burning, uglier than sin Diesel Chevette.

Here's the two articles that I'd read all those years ago late at night one night.
Article #1:
http://www.dieselchevettes.com/greasel.htm

Article #2
http://www.dieselchevettes.com/3500_miles_in_this.htm

Boy, I can still remember the night I read the articles and a light went on in my head that's never dulled since.

So here's the short version of how the Rabid Biodiesel Nut went from a normal, diesel lovin' guy to a Rabid Biodiesel Addict.

My dad, who is massively into diesels, and especially Isuzu diesels, had just picked up a Chevette Diesel. You see the engine in it was made by Isuzu.

The car looked like crap (and I mean REALLY looked like crap) and I'd had it over to my place cleaning it up a bit. Stunk to high heaven inside too, but the stupid thing ran.

So anyway, back to the story....

So he's bought this ugly chevette diesel and since we were going to try to get it road worthy, I decided to start researching it & ran across the article above.

I thought, use Veggie Oil in a diesel? No way! That's just ludicrous! (I remember thinking that too!) Well, then I read how this guy had driven all across the US pulling a trailer full of WVO behind his Chevette and the magic happened.

"Dude, I can think of a TON of restaraunts that'd give me their grease!"

But then the brick wall....turns out to run a diesel on WVO you've gotta do a conversion to the vehicle.

Now, for those that know me, you know I also drive an Isuzu Diesel Pickup...thing looks like...well, about as bad as that Chevette.

And, seeing as I hadn't spent more than $500 for the thing, I wasn't too keen on investing a bunch of dough into it. I figured, heck, if I get in a wreck then I'm out all that investment.

....and that's when I stumbled onto Biodiesel.

Through doing some searches I ran across Biodiesel Now (http://www.biodieselnow.com) and started reading everything I could. I spent many a late night hooked to the thing, reading like crazy! I'd become a mad man! Obsession had set in....well, ok, maybe not quite yet, but it was getting there....

so as I went through the forum I started poking around & noticed that there was a guy in Salt Lake City (remember, I live in Utah) that was making & using this Biodiesel stuff. I thought, Hot Damn! I've gotta get ahold of this guy!

I think that was the winter of 2002. The Olympics were going on & everything.

So anyway, I got ahold of him & started emailing him & pestering him with questions about the legitimacy of it. Yep. It was legit!

So after the winter I got up the guts to actually try some in my truck. I drove up to his place & he let me put some in my truck & I headed home.

That wasn't my first time, but that's how I'd fill the thing up.

Anyway, half-way home the truck started to get quieter & I thought, EUREKA! This stuff is for real!

And...well....as they say...the rest is history.

I'm now a hopeless Biodiesel Addict, complete with my Biodiesel T-Shirt on while I write this blog post.

-Graydon
The Rabid Biodiesel Nut

Thanksgiving....yum!

2006-11-24T00:23:00.000-07:00

Well, today is Thanksgiving and I just noticed that it's been a REALLY long time since I posted a blog.

That would be because I'm busier than crap doing Biodiesel related stuff....

So....here's what I've been up to:

1) BioPro 190's
As I've posted before, I'm still very involved in selling and promoting BioPro 190's. I own one and absolutely love it! I'm completing Batch #3 in the last week and it's going like a banshee!

Recently I even had Galen Bowen stop by for a visit. He's the inventor of the thing and we had a great time talking Biodiesel and discussing the BioPro's and what new things they could do on them going forward. Lot's of fun.

You just can't beat Push Button Biodiesel. Of course, there's still adding methanol, catalyst, & oil to the machine, but man it's cool!

2) Consulting

I've been involved in a project recently that's taken me to lot's of cool places in Biodiesel ville. I recently attended John Van Gerpen's week long Biodiesel Production Workshop. I absolutely loved it! Learned a lot too!

I also had the chance to visit a commercial Biodiesel factory along my exploits. Needless to say I was like a kid in a candy factory.

Can't say much more about it, but suffice it to say I had a ball

3) BETE Fog Nozzle stopped by for a visit

Early last Summer I started testing on a new product called the MistPro (I named it MistPro, it's real name is a PJ-24 but that sounded dumb so I branded it MistPro--sounds much cooler). Anyway, the product is a replacement for some of my misting nozzles I've used in the past.

They've worked so well and I've sold so many of them that the folks from BETE fog nozzle (which is the company I get them from) decided that they wanted to come see what in the world we've been up to and how their products are being used.

It was a TON of fun!
There's more info on their visit here:
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/photos/events/betevisit2006/

Let's see, what else have I been up to...

Oh yeah, this weekend I got a hair brained idea to throw a Thanksgiving/Black Friday sale and see if I couldn't team up with some people to do it. Well, I got ahold of Rick at B100 Supply and George at Needasticker and they were game for it.

So, all three of us teamed up and this weekend we're throwing one heck of a kick-butt sale. More info on that on my website (http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com).

I got the hair-brained idea while I was driving home the other night while listening to ad's about huge Thanksgiving sales that were going to go on this week.

Time will tell how successful (or unsuccessful) the fun was. I figured it'd give us Biodiesel nuts something fun to do while our significant others trudged through malls & stores in search of cheap loot.

There's also been a bunch of other stuff going on, but I won't bore you with the gory details. I'm still very much a Biodiesel Addict and am loving being a part of all of this. It's really come a long way in the 3 years I've been involved in it.

Anyway, that's my Thanksgiving spheal.

Hope that Turkey settles well for you!
-Graydon

The BioPro 190 --Man, this is cool!

2006-08-26T18:50:00.000-06:00

During my time playing with biodiesel in the last three years I've seen a lot of equipment, lot's of "interesting" creations, and talked about everything imaginable under the sun.

As part of my adventure in Biodiesel I've also run across a lot of very cool people, Jack Jones being way up there on my list (he's the one that introduced me to Biodiesel in the first place).

Biodiesel in general has alway's amazed me at how easy it is to make (relatively) and how well it works in diesels. I still get this big grin on my face every time I fill up my Isuzu w/ Biodiesel and drive down the highway & realize how quiet the engine runs on Bio. It also runs sooo much better with Bio as well. Just amazing!

One of the big stumbling blocks though for a lot of people is the "intimidation factor" that comes with making biodiesel sometimes. There's also a fairly steep learning curve during the first few batches. Titration can just be an all out nightmare for some people to get a grasp on (some people I've decided just will never get it no matter how much I "dumb it down").

There's also a really big time committment that goes with making bio. Collecting oil, dragging it home, filtering it, de-watering it, putting it in the processor, mixing the methanol, metering it in, running the pumps, praying you've got the right valves closed and the other ones open (I can't tell you how many times I've missed a valve and put oil all over the floor). And just on & on & on....

It also is incredibly messy. Especially when you're transferring stuff around.

Enter the BioPro 190 machine.

Today we did a demo with an Appleseed processor (the big kahuna 100 Gallon processor that I built) and then afterwards I did a demo with the BioPro.

The difference between the two is amazing!

With the big kahuna you go through all the normal steps about collecting, titrating, and all of that but then peoples eyes glaze over when you talk about all the valves you have to turn (and the 100 gallon thing I built admitedly wins the price for the most ball valves on a processor--we're working on cutting out a bunch of them).

Anyway, needless to say, it's a lot of work to run one. Not hard work, but still work.

Well, then after the 3 hour demo I wandered home & got the BioPro ready to show.

The difference in the demo's are incredibly amazing. Lot's less time.

Here's how the BioPro works.
1- Pump 50 gallons of filtered, dewatered oil into the processor.
--It's got this huge opening on the top so you can dump it in, pump it in, whatever you'd like
2- Pour in a pre-determined amount of catalyst into the Catalyst tube.
3- Pour 4 gallons of methanol in one tank opening
4- Pour 6 gallons into the catalyst opening.
5- Push the big green button
6- Pour 190 mL of Sulfuric Acid down the acid tube
7- Put the lid on & watch.

And, well, that's it folks.....
Then you get to hear it whirr, hum, & mix.
Instead of metering in methoxide or any of that stuff, you just walk away from it.

It was just amazing how different it is to use over the 100 gallon processor. It's so much less intimidating. It's damn expensive but man is it amazing!

In fact, I had one guy put in the oil, methanol, & catalyst & I had his boy push the big green button & I said, "Well, that's all folks...that's it. Come back in 24 hours & we'll drain the glycerin off & then start the wash cycle".

Washing is a dream too!
You drain off the glycerin from the bottom, and then--get this--you just push the Blue Button. The wash starts up & you come back in another 24 hours.

No transferring liquid from a processor to a wash tank, no turning on water & praying it doesn't leak, none of that. Just press the blue button & come back in 24 hours.

DAMN THIS THING IS COOL!!!!

So, as I write this, instead of watching the methoxide go in the BioPro is just a churnin' away on the oil.

You know, I've alway's loved Appleseed Processors & still do. There really isn't anything out there for the money that you can get yourself into that quick & be up & running making fuel. They're simple. They're easy to operate (somewhat time consuming at times), and they work.

However, the BioPro is just an amazing peice of machinery! It's just as easy to operate, and in some way's even easier, and it just takes it so much less time to use it.

There's only one ball valve to worry about (the one at the bottom) and the rest of the stuff is just straight forward. While, they're not the best option for everyone, they do an amazing job for those they fit.

So, while I still love the Appleseeds and alway's will, the BioPro has gained a big spot in my heart too. Man their cool! To watch em work is just sheerly amazing!

And, hey, c'mon, it's Stainless Steel! That's just cool!

Someone called it the Stainless Steel Trash can once. I got a kick out of that...Takes Trash & Turns it into fuel!

Someone else called it Robbie The Robot, & I liked that too. All the nifty lights & switches. It really does look cool!

I've been thrilled with it. It's like a new kid to me too. If you've ever seen a new dad with his new baby, you never ask about the baby. You'll be there for a good hour hearing about the kid & how cool it is. Well, the BioPro's the same way to me.

Ask me about what I think about it & you'll be there a while. It's my new "baby" & damn am I proud of it!

Anyway, that's the report from me today.....

-Graydon
The Rabid Biodiesel Nut
& Daddy Of A New BioPro

From 0 to 13 stations in 3 years

2006-08-13T21:24:00.000-06:00

Milestones
Last week was kind of a milestone week for me.

I took the time to put together a new page that listed all of the stations in Utah that sell Biodiesel and was amazed & delighted to see Utah go from having 0 stations pumping biodiesel three years ago to having 13!

You can see the stations here:
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/buyingbiodiesel.php

Three years ago when I got into biodiesel it was alway's kind of my dream to be able to fill up on biodiesel at a gas station. Now, you might think that's wierd because my business caters to homebrewers, but I've alway's believed that Homebrewing is just a small portion of what it's going to take to get Biodiesel becoming ubiquitous as a viable alternative to diesel in the mainstream.

You see, we use so much blasted petroleum that even if we planted crops all the way across the nation & crushed all of the seeds from them and made biodiesel out of them, it still wouldn't come close to our demand for diesel fuel in the US.

But, it's a start!
If we can just get diesel owner's aware that there really is something else out there that's just as good as diesel and that benefits the domestic community, get's us off of our oil addiction, and helps out the environment, then I'm all for it.

Getting Biodiesel pumping at our local gas stations is a big part of that process.

As of right now there's still not a really close place for me to fill up on biodiesel except via homebrewing. That's not bad, because I brew, but sometimes it'd be nice to just be able to fill up on biodiesel at the station.

Anyway, this is a step toward that so I'm happy.
-Graydon
The Rabid Biodiesel Nut

The Biodiesel Conference Report

2006-07-20T22:18:00.000-06:00

We just completed what I believe to be one of the most successful homebrewering Biodiesel Conferences to date.

A few months back myself and some other folks (who did a heck of a lot more than I did) decided it'd be fun to put together a Biodiesel Conference geared around the issues surrounding biodiesel homebrewing. We wanted to focus on more than just the "Here's how biodiesel is made, now go home & make some". No sirree, this conference was going to be different!

From the very start we focused heavily on topics that would be of interest to seasoned biodieselers as well as be of interest to those just getting started.

So, we dug in, threw some things together, and last weekend we had ourselves one of the coolest biodiesel conferences ever held (that I've been to anyway).

The conference was held at The Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado.

The sessions were held in Coolbaugh Hall on campus.

We held breakout sessions in several different rooms (I think we had 4 rooms going at once) and discussed a wide variety of topics & subjects held near & dear to the heart of biodieseler's.

Somehow I got wrangled into presenting about 4 times. Not that I minded. It just meant that folks saw a lot of me.

I did a fun session on Biodiesel 101 where I team taught with Rick Harrison who presented information on his cool new software program & then I taught everyone the basics of biodiesel and together we made a small batch of bio.

I came up with a really cheesy, but highly effective analogy of how a Triglyceride (chemical name for an organic oil) is like a big cement wall with 3 busses hooked to it w/ chains. The busses represented Fatty Acid Chains and the Cement Wall represented the Glycerol portion. Lye or KOH was the bolt cutters and Methanol was a traffic cop or some lame thing like that.

Anyway, it seemed to work and it kept their interest.

On the analogy of things. Fatty Acid Chains are very much like busses. Some are longer than others and some can hold more people than other busses and some are full of people while others have hardly any while other busses are a mixed bag. You now have the beginnings of understanding how Saturation and chain length works on the Fatty Acid chains. Anyway, cheesy, yes.

I also presented on the issue of collecting waste veggie oil and how the permitting is starting to cause problems (in Utah we have that fun pain in the butt Renderer that follows us all over searching for our barrels & turning us into the health department every chance they get....fun I tell ya!).

I then presented on the Biodiesel Community website as well w/ Girl Mark. We team taught (well, ok, more like led the discussion) about what we should do with the online site to expand it some more.

The funnest part of the conference...
1- Sitting on an ACTUAL DIESEL MOTORCYCLE!!!

2- Meeting all the cool people I've been interacting with over the years I've been involved with Biodiesel. One of my favorite's was meeting Lyle (BioLyle) Rudensey from the Seattle area. I've had nothing but utmost respect for him so it was kind of like meeting one of my mentors in Biodiesel.

Here's some of the cool people I got to meet while there:
Lyle (BioLyle) Rudensey

Matt Stieman

Bob Armantrout - Of Rocky Mountain Biodiesel --My new hero!!!

This guy was fascinating to meet. I sat on his every word during his Gas Chromatography presentation. I was spellbound!

See? The guy's famous!

Steve Fugate - of The Ester Machine

Guy Percella of EZ Biodiesel

Yes, I really did wear that dorky hat all day long.

Rick Harrison - The Software Guy

Girl Mark (although I've met her now several times, she's still cool to interact with)

Gretchen from Biofuels Oasis

Jennifer Radtke from Biofuels Oasis (she's gonna kill me for this picture)

Maud Essen & Terry - The Methanol Recovery Goddesess

Chris from Peidmont and Full Circle Farms

Danny Lesa from SSI Energy (The BioPro Guys)

(he's on the left)

John Bush - The Chemistry God!!! (left) & John Musser (right) The Ultimate Know All guy when it came to Colorado School of Mines

Chris, Frankie, & Jon Del Bueno

And then of course there were all the cool processors that came....
The Ester Machine:

http://www.ffbiofuels.com

The Dynadroit Diesel machine

http://www.dynadroitdiesel.com

An Amazing Trailer Mounted rig

There were two "get together parties" at the conference.
One Friday Night, which I missed as my boy celebrated his first Birthday (can't miss that now) and then one Sat. Evening, which I was able to attend.

Here's where the Sat. party was at.

Lot's of...uhm....ethanol inhalation going on....

I, of course, could be seen drinking the Skye Blue Hippie Soda that I found in the fridge. MMmmmm.....organic soda!

Here's the ride I got to take from the airport to the conference & back:

Can you say "Sewing Machine!"...I swear, my Vanagon feels faster than this thing. It was GUTLESS!

Here's a ride someone drove from Arizona in...

NICE!!!

Three letters....SDL!!!

Of course, there were LOTS of these there...

But my personal favorite...

An Enfield Diesel Motorcycle.
These are the guy's that brought it there:
http://www.motorearth.com

DAMN THAT THING WAS COOL!!!!

And, out of coincidence, there was actually even another Mormon there. It was kind of cool!

Overall though the conference was a complete success.

By far my favorite session was the Gas Chromatography section.
Particularly interesting was the slide of a fuel meister that completely & utterly failed the Free & Bound Glycerin tests. It was great to see! I clapped....everyone looked....they wondered why....I didn't care.

I also enjoyed the quality session and the methanol recovery sessions.

We really did have a lot of fun and I met a ton of people.

Thanks to all my great customers that came up to me & said hello too. It was wonderful putting faces with names. Now when I send you a widget to some far off place I'll smile as I apply your shipping label as I'll remember who you are.

I thoroughly enjoyed putting the conference together, participating, and being "That booming voice telling everyone that it was now time to go to the next workshop"....

That and the hippie soda. It was pretty good stuff.

I met a ton of people, got a ton of great idea's for product, got to talk about my new BioPro toy, and in general had a heck of a fun time.

I highly recommend it! Here's hoping we do another one next year!

-Graydon
The Rabid Biodiesel Nut