OK it is time for a WVO update
Here is the progress so far.
B4 the USVI trip I hand painted several 5x7 flyers/cards looking for members and ppl interested in the Anchorage Bio-fuels cooperative. Posted them, the hand painted bills, in all of the greenie places around Anchorage; the coffee shop next to REI, the Organic Oasis, Natural Pantry (Anchorage equivalent to a Whole Foods Store) and other tree hugger hangouts. The reply was dismal. Only four return calls.
The week B4 Christmas I sent out 90 letters to all of the hamburger joints, donut shops and Chinese buffets. Fifty bucks postage so far, including a self addressed survey post card. Basically it was a romp through the restaurant section of the yellow pages. The turnout was a bit better. I got about 14 returns, with an average of 15 -20 gallons of WVO available oil a week from each restaurant. Note I got also got seven, return to senders>, no donut shops nor Chinese buffet replies. Just for the record, yes I did create an MS Access database file populated with all 90 restaurant records and ALL four private ppl responses. Oh how punny, Yeah !! I geeked out.
A good indicator that I’m ready to go back to work is the fact that I sketched a system piping/process flow diagram of a small 50 gallon batch plant, complete with a materials list and cost estimate. Good thing I don’t have any drawing software on the laptop, else I would have created an AutoCAD file with a bill of materials. I stopped short of an electrical one-line diagram. I have a bunch of ckt bkrs and a small load center from an old ASTF grant project that I can steal/salvage parts from so, I need not get carried away with that. The final const for a good quality 50 gallon WVO-biodiesel batch plant is about a grand in Anchorage AK dollars. Here is what is next.
Make second contact. This is an easy one, since I only have less than twenty contacts to make. This is a one day task/completed by Monday 1/9/05.
I need more private members. Sigh, I think the next step is posting a newspaper add in the Anchorage Press, the local progressive rag. Point is I need more folks to use the bio-diesel. This will take place next week also. How about Tuesday, don’t want this to be like work or anything lol
I need a diesel vehicle. This is quite the exercise; I have the WVO sources but no diesel automobile. This is where living in Alaska is a disadvantage. If you want to buy a big ass Dodge Cummings Diesel that gets 8 gallons per mile there are a lot of those available (why bother). However, a 1985 diesel Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen diesel sedan or wagon, for about 3 grand, is nonexistent up here. I’m still looking but those animals are rare birds. Yeah there are lots in Cali, but it is another 2 grand to get the vehicle north. Hisssss nasty Baggins has my precious
I need to complete the 50 gallon batch plant. That is easy just spend the money and buy the stuff. The plan is to construct a 50 gallon batch plant, set-up in the carport, by March 1, 2006. Oh BTW that is also the date targeted for my return to work. The return to work is another blog entry for sure. Arrgh just typing that phrase makes me ill, double yuk.
Here is the progress so far.
B4 the USVI trip I hand painted several 5x7 flyers/cards looking for members and ppl interested in the Anchorage Bio-fuels cooperative. Posted them, the hand painted bills, in all of the greenie places around Anchorage; the coffee shop next to REI, the Organic Oasis, Natural Pantry (Anchorage equivalent to a Whole Foods Store) and other tree hugger hangouts. The reply was dismal. Only four return calls.
The week B4 Christmas I sent out 90 letters to all of the hamburger joints, donut shops and Chinese buffets. Fifty bucks postage so far, including a self addressed survey post card. Basically it was a romp through the restaurant section of the yellow pages. The turnout was a bit better. I got about 14 returns, with an average of 15 -20 gallons of WVO available oil a week from each restaurant. Note I got also got seven, return to senders>, no donut shops nor Chinese buffet replies. Just for the record, yes I did create an MS Access database file populated with all 90 restaurant records and ALL four private ppl responses. Oh how punny, Yeah !! I geeked out.
A good indicator that I’m ready to go back to work is the fact that I sketched a system piping/process flow diagram of a small 50 gallon batch plant, complete with a materials list and cost estimate. Good thing I don’t have any drawing software on the laptop, else I would have created an AutoCAD file with a bill of materials. I stopped short of an electrical one-line diagram. I have a bunch of ckt bkrs and a small load center from an old ASTF grant project that I can steal/salvage parts from so, I need not get carried away with that. The final const for a good quality 50 gallon WVO-biodiesel batch plant is about a grand in Anchorage AK dollars. Here is what is next.
Make second contact. This is an easy one, since I only have less than twenty contacts to make. This is a one day task/completed by Monday 1/9/05.
I need more private members. Sigh, I think the next step is posting a newspaper add in the Anchorage Press, the local progressive rag. Point is I need more folks to use the bio-diesel. This will take place next week also. How about Tuesday, don’t want this to be like work or anything lol
I need a diesel vehicle. This is quite the exercise; I have the WVO sources but no diesel automobile. This is where living in Alaska is a disadvantage. If you want to buy a big ass Dodge Cummings Diesel that gets 8 gallons per mile there are a lot of those available (why bother). However, a 1985 diesel Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen diesel sedan or wagon, for about 3 grand, is nonexistent up here. I’m still looking but those animals are rare birds. Yeah there are lots in Cali, but it is another 2 grand to get the vehicle north. Hisssss nasty Baggins has my precious
I need to complete the 50 gallon batch plant. That is easy just spend the money and buy the stuff. The plan is to construct a 50 gallon batch plant, set-up in the carport, by March 1, 2006. Oh BTW that is also the date targeted for my return to work. The return to work is another blog entry for sure. Arrgh just typing that phrase makes me ill, double yuk.
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