(Quote from original thread here)

I picked up a number of 25L plastic drums for free this afternoon from the local shopping centre in the delivery dock area. Many were empty detergent / floorwax and cleaning product containers. They were all had tap fittings in the bottom which could make them very convienient for decanting small amounts of liquid such as Methanol or fitting a line to them. Some of the drums were just sitting round the dock and some were in the dumpster but there were plenty to be had.

Also there were literally piles of the empty 20 Tins the oil originally comes in. These could be handy for storing finished product in easy to handle qtys, Putting in the car for refueling during a long trip or for heating the WVO in over a fire as I do. I guess the tins are what most people get their WVO in anyway but for those that don't, you now know where to get some!

Brilliant!

Can you tell me which shopping centre, as I am in need of some of these 25L plastic containters at the moment? I was about to buy some this week.

Cheers

__________________
Robert.
Site Admin.

The shopping centre I went to was Bankstown Square. I Imagine any large shopping centre would have them as they all would use detergent and floor wax etc. There is an amount of luck to finding what you want as it depends when the cleaning services people have been through and tidyied up. Also the larger centres have several docks so you may need to find the right one that services the right shops. Probably a fruit and veg place would use a lot less detergent than the food outlets so try to find out what dock serves which shops. generally all the food places are pretty much in one area served by the one loading dock.

I have occasionanly found oil at shopping centres as well but not often. Despite the fact there must be maybe a couple of hundred litres a day being thrown out from all the different food vendors, They have special places with those commercial tanks for it to be put into. Now and then you will find some where the shop keepers have been too lazy to carry it to the oil tanks but I have been lucky to find 20L per week.

I have noticed that where once the oil was just put in tins in these bays that all the shpping centres now have the special tanks. I'm thinking this may be because of some enviromental or council laws these days. Probably some requirement to have one if you use more than a certain limit of oil per week. I am of the understanding that once oil is placed in these tanks it becomes the property of the oil collectors and to remove it is technically stealing. I doubt you would get charged if caught but the shopping centre gestapo neanderthals called security would probably carry on and waste more of your time making themselves look important than it was worth.

For 205L drums, go around the factory areas and find some truck mechanics. They buy oil in 205 rather than 5L lots and generally have more drums taking up space in their yards than they want. Trucks use a lot of oil so a 205L drum may not go too far. Last time I got some, the guy was so happy to get rid of a couple he sent the apprentice out to put them in my trailer to save me getting dirty!

I was looking at Tonys post and how he used the 25L plastic drums as in boot fuel tanks. I do not know the situation with Diesel or Bio but I do know it is illegal to put petrol in non approved plastic containers. Metal is OK and so is approved plastic. If diesel is also supposed to be put in approved plastic containers, perhaps to avoid any problems with the highway gestapo or registration checks, the metal drums may be a better move. Not as easy to see the fuel level like with the plastic drums though. I am also wondering if Bio makes these plastic drums go brittle faster than normal? Someone in the know may be able to find out the actual regulations concerning diesel/ Bio tanks in vehicles and wether plastic is OK or metal is specified.

Hi David,

I believe that biodiesel is OK in plastic but I am completely unqualified to say this. Perhaps in Australia, we have not yet got a standard that covers biodiesel and says that it must be in an approved container?

Perhaps this subject might get some attention from some more knowlegable in this area if you put it in another post. It's a good question, worthy of its own thread.

Cheers,

__________________
Robert.
Site Admin.

Alfalfa House Food Co-op in Enmore regularly discards 20 L plastic containers (ex vinegars and cleaning liquids) and 20 L metal drums (ex edible oils), both with tap outlets and bung/taps. Call first and we can lay a few aside. 02 95193374. (They go to Reverse Garbage in Marrickville but theyre free if you get in first and intercept them.)

Does anyone know of a methanol retailer in the Newcastle area? I had to pay $60 for 20 litres from BP, there has to be cheaper.
Otherwise can someone give me the name of manufacturer or distributor to see if they have an outlet in Newcastle/ Hunter Valley area.
Any other suggestions welcome.

thanks bj4408