Rank: New forum user 
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I am looking in to creating biodiesel out cooking oil and using methanol as part of the process, what I really need to know is the maximum amount of methanol you can store at your premises, what size and type of containers are best to use and what is the highest quantitiy you can use/store before you have to inform the authorities and be licensed.
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Rank: Super forum user
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unless I am mistaken the origional diesel engins did not work on biodiesel they worked on veg oil without additives [as my older 3ltr Mercedies does today - its perfectly legal and runs like a dream] and not biodiesel so why not just get old cooking oil and legally sell it on / or use it privately instead of going into biodiesel?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Because the vegetable oil is usually recovered oil (waste).
It is far too thick to use in a diesel engine without being thinned.
In many cases the recovered oil is a mixture of various oils as well.
So, you need to "convert" it using a process called transesterification.
So methanol is used with either sodium of potassium hydroxide as a "catalyst"....the end product, if the titration was right, is a usable oil with the right viscosity.
The problem being that methanol is not only flammable but toxic.
As to how much can be stored....not much. You not only have problems with the council but MAJOR problems with your domestic insurance....you will not be using methanol in litre containers but in hundred-litre containers.
And that brings you to the 2500 litre limit for non-taxable production of biofuels, and that is only for personal use.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thanks for the info JM. However I think that there are other considerations noting the age of your vehicle as the newer the engin is the more [usless?] gadgets there are that actually stop the use of pure heavy fat oils
I have noted that in cars [usually after J/K reg] only bio-d seems to work but according to mechanics I know it is all to do with the new engin management systems and nothing to do with the basic diesel engin design itself
Environmental considerations: As I know it; it is proven that ordinary heavy oil [old/new cooking fat etc] dos not increase pollution any more than bio-d or similar does in a like for like situation
The one big consideration is cost; as the ones who control do not want people to drive for free so engins are engineered these days to run on costly fuels as against free cooking oil!
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Rank: Forum user
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You don't need hundreds of litres, max 200ml be litre of oil but you will use much less. There are dispensing companies who will sell the amount you need, I buy about 5litres and use it straight away. I can't find the list of suppliers I think its somewhere on the journey to forever website.
Word of warning, some of the kit on ebay is quite frankly scarey, steer clear unless you know about flammable atmospheres and electrical equipment. I presume you do.
Bob is right check you vehicle you intend to use it in, in the first place otherwise its all for nothing. Its the electrics which causes problems and some fuel filters. He is also right that engines did run on pure veg oil and I have seen it done today to get an old cavalier to an auction! However since Mr Diesel went to meet some american fuel companies he met an dodgy end in the channel and the development of the engine went the way of fossil fuels after that. Good luck
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Rank: Super forum user
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quite frankly, making the fuel oil in one litre quantities is a waste of time.
So if you make it in one hundred litre quantities you will need between 15 and 20 litres of meth.
Since 100 litres is nigh-on 20 gallons (ish) [pedantmodeon] you can see that you will soon need that 100 litres of meth. And it's cheaper that size anyway.
Never mind the conspiracy theory about bio....quite simply the viscosity is the key, and the cleanliness as well. Badly cleaned recently-made bio will damage the injection system. Too-thick (higher viscosity) fuel will cause other problems....such as the amount being injected being lower than needed. Not only that but thicker oil puts the system under greater stress.....
And my van runs on 20% vegetable oil, which comes (when mixed with pump-fuel) within the viscosity range of commercial diesel.
The emissions are lower (MOT test smoke test) by 30%
Every litre of "bio" costs me 63p.
The engine has run on that for over 4 years now. No problems. Yet.
And storing methanol is something I just won't do.
Apart from the toxicity...when it does burn it is not a "visible" flame...so I'll know it when the smoke and pain from my burning flesh tells me.
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Rank: Forum user
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Yes , I don't suggest making in 1 litre batches, I make around 25 litre batches of oil and use around 5l of meth, biggest I make is 50 litre and hence 7lish of meth which is pumped out, so no need for decanting and pouring.
Don't get me started on cleaning and drying and the waste thats involved, I know its supposed to make soap but it doesn't look good! Cleaning and drying takes forever and the more I think about it the more likely the processor is going to end up on freecycle.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Quite!
Filtration and keeping it warm for the process then separating the mess from the stuff you need....
All to costly and time-consuming.
Not to mention disposing of the waste in a legal fashion.....or even in a non-legal fashion.
With places now wanting you to BUY their waste oil, and the cost of the meth and the s/hy, I decided it was costing more to make than to run on 20% svo.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I know many companies who will not hold it on site due to the risks that methanol creates.
I would suggest that the DSEAR Regs would be the ones you need to adress and the handling / storage / movement risks would steer me away from using this stuff.
Regards
David
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Agree
I tried making some once using old used cooking oil from a pub (they thought we were insane :) ) with a friend who was doing a PhD on renewable fuel sources.
We had a proper licence and everything!
What did we make using our mad chemistry skills - a mess!!! oh and tiny amount of something that may have been fuel.
Starting with clean oil was more successful but cost wise it was calculated diluting pure oil with diesel was the way forward, it also saved a lot of mess and us blowing up my mates garage :)
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