As you can see by my profile, I'm in Kings Langley. I know so far of another user in Parramatta and another out in Richmond. It would be good if we could share resources in making, purchasing and using biodiesel (or collecting used cooking oil).

Please post here if you are nearby and would like to help, or need help.

Cheers,

__________________
Robert Fyvie
Site Admin
Sydney Biodiesel Users' Group and Australian Biofuel Users


......................................................
2007 Mazda 6 Diesel ..................................2000 Peugeot 306..........................2001 Landrover (retired)
2L Turbo charged (Common Rail) ...................XTdt 1.9L Turbo ............................Freelander TD4 (Common Rail)
on B100.................................................. ...on B100.......................................on B100

I'm south of Liverpool, near the Holsworthy army camp. I'm willing to help any newbies to get started.

Hi all.
This is my first post on this forum. I am very keen to know what is needed to set myself up to produce biodiesel for my own use.I live on acres not far from geewizztoo and have access to used oil from a fish and chip shop.
Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers Ian

Welcome, Ian.

It would help if you put your location in your profile (maybe your vehicle type too), so we can know how nearby you are.

Good to hear you already have a source of oil sorted, there are some who are finding that step still difficult, so you are off to a good start already.

There are a few good links and pointers that have been posted up already in this forum, as well as some "first timers guides" that are on their way soon (Joe, you going to post them?).

If you do manage to get hold of any members directly, or privately and they help you to get underway, I just ask that you share your experiences in this forum (in the appropriate area) publicly, so that we all may benefit.

Cheers,

__________________
Robert Fyvie
Site Admin
Sydney Biodiesel Users' Group and Australian Biofuel Users


......................................................
2007 Mazda 6 Diesel ..................................2000 Peugeot 306..........................2001 Landrover (retired)
2L Turbo charged (Common Rail) ...................XTdt 1.9L Turbo ............................Freelander TD4 (Common Rail)
on B100.................................................. ...on B100.......................................on B100

Robert, have made changes you asked for.
I have been doing some research since my last post and i am sure i could offer my fabrication abilities in exchange for useful guidance. Perhaps someone is about to upgrade their system and i could make parts in duplicate to suit both parties.
cheers Ian

Ian, what size batches are you intending to make? Have you made any test batches form your source of supply? Just a word of caution, you need to check the quality of oil from a fish & chip shop. I had a great source form a local f & c shop, but it turned out to be useless as the stuff was so burned out it wouldn't make BioD reliably. I tried many methods for two weeks, but mostly all I made was glop. A simple titration will soon tell you if it's usable.

If you need help with titration, materials or suggestions about equipment I'm fairly local and can help. If you're intending to make reasonably large quantities we may be able to share bulk materials, ie methanol & KOH?

Cheers

Hi All,
We live in Epping. Does this count as Western Sydney? I know where Parramatta is anyway but we mostly do our toing and froing between Epping and the CBD. Well, we would love to get some help in getting started in bio-diesel. We saw the lovely Phil at the permaculture work shop at Lindfield last month and have been doing a bit of research with some of the info he gave us. We want to make our own but are willing also to go into a bulk buying pool if one is happening. We are very new at all this and not particularly mechanical (but willing to learn) and would be most grateful for any guidance from other users. Our vehicle is a LandRover Discovery TD5 (1996 I think)

Cheers,
Magda

Hi Magda,

"Western Sydney" is wherever we want it to be really, we're just moving around zones to meet whichever users seem to pop up. I reckon Epping would qualify as you are off the M2.
There are loads of people all around Sydney who have been making/using biodiesel for years, but most of them are in hiding and you will have to spend years of talking to people before you will find the "in crowd". That is precisely why we got this forum running - so that ordinary people could get more access to biodiesel. Many of the older crowd who've been doing it for years don't really spend time searching the net for local connections, so it may be a while before we see some of them help out in here (well, there are a few already). So, in the mean time, we seem to be doing a pretty good job of just making our own little scene. We're not focussing too much on the "making" side, although there are many who are doing this quite well, but as the first steps, we are doing quite well at the using side. Our little purchasing collective has now collected our second batch of drums of commercially produced biodiesel, which avoids all the silly tax issues that home brewed biodiesel presently has. Once we've got the using side a bit more steady, then I'm sure that we will look a bit closer at the making side.

I've just added your account login to now have access to our hidden purchasing area. You should now see a sub forum in local community areas/sydney biodiesel users/sydney biodiesel purchasing group/.
As you will see in there, we've made 2 "runs" to get drums, one from Waterway Fuels in Rozelle and the other from Australian Biodiesel Industries in Rutherford. The Rozelle run was a lot more expensive, as they are a marine supplier and they have also tanked the stuff down to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore, their supplier (the only other commercial plant in NSW - Australian Biodiesel Group) is also a bit more expensive.

If you are interested in getting a small amount to use now (we'll probably be doing our next run in January or even February), then I'd be happy to on-sell you some of mine at the same price that I bought it for (I've still got a bit too much for my own use). I'd also be happy to tell you a bit about your car, based on my recent experiences in my Landrover TD4. Private message me if you do want to do this.

Cheers,

__________________
Robert Fyvie
Site Admin
Sydney Biodiesel Users' Group and Australian Biofuel Users


......................................................
2007 Mazda 6 Diesel ..................................2000 Peugeot 306..........................2001 Landrover (retired)
2L Turbo charged (Common Rail) ...................XTdt 1.9L Turbo ............................Freelander TD4 (Common Rail)
on B100.................................................. ...on B100.......................................on B100

Hello Robert,

New to biodiesel although I read Joshua Tickell's book some time ago and new to forums. I would love to try some biodiesel in either my Volkswagen TDi van or an old mercedes station wagon.

Would like to learn more about some of the minor maintemance issues involved in making the conversion ( fuel filters etc.) Do you know of any diesel mechanics who support the use of biodiesel and who are prepared to servoce biodiesel using vehicles?

I live in Elanora Heights , travel to the pacific hwy at gordon regularly and would love to get in on the next pick up.

Cheers,

Stewart

Hi Stewart, I guess you'd be "Northern Beaches", but we'll set up an area for you when we find more nearby you. For now, welcome to the forums and watch out for news of our next pickup. This will probably be late January or early Feb, but if enough people want some sooner, we'll organise it. As I said to Magda, I've got some spare if you were desperate to get some biodiesel before then. Private message me if so, otherwise, we'll probably see you next time we do a fuel run.

Re mechanics - most of them in Oz will probably tell you lies based on ignorance. However, I did hear from one of our members (biofuelbaby) that he went to a Merc mechanic who was ex-German and was familiar with biodiesel. He of course saw no problem with it. Perhaps he might be able to recommend him to you. I'm sure that others may have advice on recommended mechanics as well (if so, please post it into a new thread).


Cheers,

__________________
Robert Fyvie
Site Admin
Sydney Biodiesel Users' Group and Australian Biofuel Users


......................................................
2007 Mazda 6 Diesel ..................................2000 Peugeot 306..........................2001 Landrover (retired)
2L Turbo charged (Common Rail) ...................XTdt 1.9L Turbo ............................Freelander TD4 (Common Rail)
on B100.................................................. ...on B100.......................................on B100