Have just read the previous posts on prices people are paying in Brisbane for methanol - gee.

I am located in the Mount Isa area of Central North-Queensland and have become interested in having a go at making some biodiesel here. Collecting supplier information here has revealed a few challenges.

Methanol from the BP suppler in Cloncurry has an indicated price of $880 for a 44gal drum. They will confirm quote next week.

Potassium Hydroxide - no supplier found to date.

Can anyone indicate the name of anyone that I can contact re. testing the finished product.

Guess it is going to be a long slow process just getting the materials together - but if it was easy everyone would be doing it. The distances here are vast - eg 3 days drive to Brisbane - so there would be a demand for biodesel at a price.

Will update this as I get further along.

Anyone reading this from Central/North Queensland is also welcome to reply and we can talk about getting together.

Dave

Mate with prices like that it might be worth your while driving to brissy buying a 1000 litre cube of meth for about 1000 bucks, buying a few bags of KOH for 79 bucks each and any other plumbing bits. (Plus fuel down and back)

1000 litres of meth would make between 5000-6000 litres of bd. thats gotta last you a while. And you could make a distiller and recover even more from the glycerine.

food for thought.

__________________
Joe Morgan
Brisbane Biodiesel Site Admin
http://www.brisbanebiodiesel.com

Searching tips using Google - SVO Dual tank systems
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Dave as Joe said don't do it. A 44 of methanol can be bought for $204 in Brisbane, getting it freighted to you will cost something but not $880. In fact I bought 8 drums from down south and the freight was about $20 per drum from Melbourne to Brisbane.

KOH can be bought an shipped too, just read in Brisbane supplies.

regards,
Matt

Hello Dave

Try caltex. Make sure they know it is not their super duper racing methanol you are chasing, you just want methanol.
Is there any motorcycle, go kart or car racing in Mt Isa? They all will probably be using methanol in some of their races. Paint Manufacturers?

Tilly

Have now found that BP Methanol sounds the way to go at $235 a drum and hopefully the fuel merchant here can arrange transport.

Now for my next problem = does anyone know where I can get biodesel tested Getting the sample to them is going to be an interesting challenge too.