You can make your own biodiesel with these three ingredients; methanol, sodium
hydroxide (lye/ caustic soda like for cleaning drains, found next to Drano), and
vegetable oil. Everything you can get at the grocery store. Except for maybe the
methanol, but you can get it at the auto parts store. Gas line antifreeze is
usually pure methanol.
One version of the recipe calls for unused vegetable oil only, another said you
can use either. So go with the fresh unused vegetable oil.
Work outdoors for plenty of ventilation and wear rubber gloves and eye protection.
In a glass container with an air tight lid, add one cup of methanol and then half
a teaspoon of lye, put the lid on and swirl or stir until the lye is completely
dissolved. Do NOT mix the methanol and lye in a plastic bottle as the lye attacks
some types of plastic, (but after it’s mixed it’s ok to pour into plastic as the next
step calls for). Next heat four cups of vegetable oil to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).
Use a funnel to pour the heated oil into a DRY 2 liter plastic bottle then add the
methanol/lye mixture, tightly close the lid and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
After about 10 minutes a dark layer of glycerin starts to form beneath the lighter
layer of cloudy biodiesel. Over the next couple of days the biodiesel becomes clearer
as all the glycerin settles. And waa-la! You’ve made your own fuel!
Now for the CAUTIONS:
BE CAREFUL!! Wear your protection, watch the children and the pets, don’t breathe it,
eat it, drink it, blah, blah, blah, and safety blah blah or skull and cross-bones blah.
