Biodiesel Class, Oct 1 and 2, Atascadero Ca

[Steve Spence]

Girl Mark's Biodiesel teaching schedule:

I'm teaching a couple of classes coming up: Atascadero, Ca, Oct 1 and
2, and Seattle, Wa, Oct 15 , and an equipment build in Seattle on the
16th.

I'll have an announcement for the Seattle classes posted later today,
but wanted to get the California one out of the way first:
*********************************
Biodiesel Homebrewing Workshop: October 1 and 2, 2005, 10am -5 pm
Four Elements Farm, Atascadero, CA cost: sliding scale $60-120 ,
optional handbook available: $15

Contact [email protected] to register.


Learn how to make your own clean burning diesel fuel alternative and
how to build the processing equipment to do so....

This is a comprehensive, hands-on workshop on making homebrew
biodiesel fuel out of waste restaurant fryer oil. There location is
beautiful Four Elements Farm- last year's workshop was a very fun
two-day event with good food throughout, and time for socializing
after Day 1. We're serving lunch both days.

We will make some processor equipment during a portion of Day 2, which
some students will be taking home. If you would like to build a
processor to take home, please see end of this message for more
details. We'll be looking at the instructor's mobile system, and
running a small batch. Most of the class focuses on the chemistry
behind biodiesel homebrewing and quality control, and we'll be doing a
lot of `lab' work making test batches and variations on different
formulas. This is a fast-paced class, and I recommend that you read
this website first: www.biodieselcommunity.org

To register:
Contact [email protected] or Caroline Duell 805.235.4521

FOOD: Vegetarian lunch will be provided both days. If there are any
food allergies, please let me know ahead of time. If you have a
garden or a farm, please feel free to bring excess harvest, and we
will incorporate it into the whole foods meals.

ACCOMODATIONS: Anyone coming from afar (or near) can find hotels near
by in Atascadero. If you are interested in camping, you are welcome
to stay on our farm. Please let us know in advance, and we will work
out details for sleeping and other meals (dinner and breakfasts).

WHAT TO BRING: Weather is completely unpredictable in October- likely
hot sunny days and cold nights, rain possible, so be prepared for
anything. If you have them, we can always use a few extra pipe
wrenches, large channel-lock pliers, or electrical wiring tools
(screwdrivers, pliers) would be nice to use on Day 2, thanks!

**** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** ****

NOTES FOR THOSE BUILDING A PROCESSOR TO TAKE HOME:

We can build equipment for a few people to take home- a biodiesel
processor from this processor web page:
www.biodieselcommunity.org/appleseedprocessor

Parts and cost:
Mark will be picking up the pump and plumbing parts for those who
pre-pay for equipment by Wednesday Sept 28. Students have to provide
their own electric water heater- it can be new or used. The plumbing
for a processor costs about $200, paid to the instructor in advance.
Please read the appleseed processor web page for more info about the
system.

Alternately, you could order an Appleseed processor parts kit (any
one) from www.biodieselwarehouse.com, www.b100supply.com, or
www.utahbiodieselsupply.com, but it's possible that these businesses
are back ordered at this time.

Please note: I do not want students to pick up their own parts at the
hardware store, because the equipment building portion of the seminar
is short and if someone buys the wrong items it can be time-consuming
to sort them out during the seminar.

If you would like to build a system, please do the following:
a. contact [email protected] by Wednesday Sept 28 (please note
this is NOT the same as the email for registering for the course-
please email caroline to sign up for the class in general)
b. Send Mark money for plumbing- $200: please use PayPal and my
paypal.com account: [email protected] . This buys you
processor parts. We will also build a wash tank but we may not have
metal barrels for students to take home- I'll let you know on
Wednesday the 28th.
c. Bring an electric water heater- this can be about $225 at hardware
stores, or can be free at the dump or from a plumber. Old ones are
fine, they don't' usually leak, and we'll be cleaning out the
limescale. Gas ones don't' work for this application…
d. If you can't carry a water heater in your vehicle, you have the
option to just build the plumbing assemblies/wire the pump, and to
finish the system at your home later. We'll have a few pipe vices to
work from.

Girl Mark

 

[GeekBoy]

Girl Mark's Biodiesel teaching schedule:

I'm teaching a couple of classes coming up: Atascadero, Ca, Oct 1 and
2, and Seattle, Wa, Oct 15 , and an equipment build in Seattle on the
16th.

I think it would be better held in Fresno as that is the center of Ca. The
state holds many classes and workshops there due to its central location to
all of Califorina.

 

[GeekBoy]

Girl Mark's Biodiesel teaching schedule:

Mark will be picking up the pump and plumbing parts for those who
pre-pay for equipment by Wednesday Sept 28. Students have to provide
their own electric water heater- it can be new or used. The plumbing
for a processor costs about $200, paid to the instructor in advance.
Please read the appleseed processor web page for more info about the
system.

Does the water have to be electric? Why not propane or natural gas? Seems
that would be more better suited for effeciency.

 

[Dave Hinz]

Does the water have to be electric? Why not propane or natural gas? Seems
that would be more better suited for effeciency.

How so? Electric water heaters convert 100% of the energy into what you
want, heat. I'm on time-of-use electrical billing, so it's cheaper for
me to heat water with off-peak-rate electricity than it is to heat with
propane. So, regardless of which definition for "efficiency" you're
using, electric is the right solution for me.

 

[Jim Baber]

Jim Baber agrees:

I think it would be better held in Fresno as that is the center of Ca. The
state holds many classes and workshops there due to its central locationto
all of Califorina.

I agree, and I live there. By the way, accommodations and food prices
here are the most reasonable in CA. Fuel costs today for Regular gas
seemed commonly available at $2.899 4 places within 2 miles of home.

Since it is a major agricultural area, you should be able to get a lot
of local interest from the farmers. Try contacting the people that put
on the Fresno Agricultural show and the Tulare Agricultural show
(largest in the world) for possible mailing lists. The farmers are among
the worst hit by the shortages and high prices of diesel.

 

[Paul]

Jim Baber agrees:

I think it would be better held in Fresno as that is the center of Ca. The
state holds many classes and workshops there due to its central location to
all of Califorina.

I agree, and I live there. By the way, accommodations and food prices
here are the most reasonable in CA. Fuel costs today for Regular gas
seemed commonly available at $2.899 4 places within 2 miles of home.

Since it is a major agricultural area, you should be able to get a lot
of local interest from the farmers. Try contacting the people that put
on the Fresno Agricultural show and the Tulare Agricultural show
(largest in the world) for possible mailing lists. The farmers are among
the worst hit by the shortages and high prices of diesel.
There is something about farmers growing the biodiesel to run their
own tractors that seems sooo right.

 

[GeekBoy]

How so? Electric water heaters convert 100% of the energy into what you
want, heat. I'm on time-of-use electrical billing, so it's cheaper for
me to heat water with off-peak-rate electricity than it is to heat with
propane. So, regardless of which definition for "efficiency" you're
using, electric is the right solution for me.

You use less gas than it takes electric to make the same heat.

Anyway what if you are in an area that has no electricity?

 

[GeekBoy]

Girl Mark's Biodiesel teaching schedule:

Wish we had more time than 1 week to plan ahead for such events

 

[Steve Spence]

Does the water have to be electric? Why not propane or natural gas? Seems
that would be more better suited for effeciency.

methanol fumes and flames are not good bed partners. efficiency does not
need to be considered as the heater only needs to run for less than an
hour most times to heat the oil, then gets shut off when you add the
methoxide and mix.