Letter Re: Home Brew Biodiesel Versus Vegetable Oil

Greetings James!
I just completed your book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”. Thank you for putting so much effort into this resource. I would like to make one point: You talk about [several] alternative fuels [including] Vegetable oil and Biodiesel. As a point of clarification, Biodiesel is significantly different than Vegetable oil.
Biodiesel is created by putting vegetable oil through a conversion process where by the glycerin is removed. This process creates a much cleaner fuel, burns more completely in the vehicle and does not require a separate fuel system to preheat the fuel to 170 degrees, as does Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO).

I have been making Biodiesel from used vegetable oil for six years now and have used my homemade fuel in my 1997 Ford F250 for over 70,000 miles.
We carry a very large 110 gallon auxiliary tank in the back and have a travel range of just under 2,000 miles, unless we are pulling the camper [trailer].

I digress. Making biodiesel in a survival situation would be difficult at best. It takes methanol, lye, water and heat–lots of heat.

Running straight vegetable oil in a survival situation would be easier [with a two tank system], as you pointed out in the book. Find it, filter it and put it in the tank, as long as the outside temps are good and warm.

Thanks for your work. I also enjoyed reading “Patriots”. Take care and God Speed! Rick H. of Omaha Biodiesel