Where to buy- methanol & lye? (Houston)

wbhinton · #1 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 02:23 PM

I got a question for Houston area brewers.

Where is the cheapest/best place to purchase methanol and lye for brewing biodiesel?

I am just getting into the bio brewing game. Plan on making a 5 gal processor and possibly up grade to a 30-40 gal processor in the next year.

Thanks,

WB

fabmandelux · #2 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbhinton

I got a question for Houston area brewers.

Where is the cheapest/best place to purchase methanol and lye for brewing biodiesel?

I am just getting into the bio brewing game. Plan on making a 5 gal processor and possibly up grade to a 30-40 gal processor in the next year.

Thanks,

WB

I'm not in Houston, but try here; http://www.yellowbook.com/?A=1&Q=ind...=Houston%2c+TX

FABMANDELUX.

furball69 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 12:03 AM

You might be able to find bulk 'LYE' in 50lb bags, it's chemical name is Sodium Hydroxide. The pure food grade is probably the one you want but it's also an ingredient in soaps and cleaners.

kennedyford · #4 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 10:27 AM

Your gonna hate using the lye, go for the potassium hydroxide, koh it is a much more pleasant byproduct to get rid of envirornmentally

kennedyford · #5 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 10:30 AM

http://www.hillbrothers.com/

wbhinton · #6 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 10:51 AM

Thanks for the links, I think I am lined out on lye. But methanol seems to be a challenge.

I have located HEET at walmart for the first few trial batches.

I found a spot in Houston for methanol, hiperfuels.com They want $52/5gal of methanol...

I ran my numbers and thats around $2.11/gal of bio using wvo.

I saw the wholesale price for methanol somewhere aroun $1.50/gal...

Where should I get methanol... surely I could find/ship some for less than $10/gal

kennedyford · #7 (**permalink**) 07-28-2006, 01:30 PM

www.hillbrothers.com or check your local phone book. There is plenty out there and your chemical costs should be down around 74 cents a gallon in chems.

sgrol · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 09:17 PM

I see drums of methanol at wellsites all the time. They use it to keep the gas from freezing up. Should be able to get it from any oil field chemical supplier.

monsterbaby · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:35 PM

Try looking in your phone book for race fuel distributors, methonal is used in a lot of race cars and you can usually get it there. I buy mine from the same place I buy my race gas, it has gone up lately but still only $2.80/gal

PSDLOVER · #10 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 07:05 PM

Chris Powers at Houston Bio will hook you up with Meoh for $3/gal or b100 for 2.68/gal. Great place. I get all my fuel there. Go to

their website.