socalbiofuels.org

Yes, you can make biodiesel yourself!

The chemical reaction to change veggie oils into Biodiesel is very simple. The equipment you need to brew a batch of 40-60 gallons of biodiesel consists of not much more than an electric water heater, a pump and some pipe. The reaction does require the use of flammable and caustic chemicals, as well as a bit of plumbing know-how, not to mention the willingness to forge ahead into some pretty greasy situations- a rewarding hobby it is, but it's not for everyone.

The homebrewing community is, in many ways, the most dynamic aspect of biodiesel on the web, and there are many resources at the homebrewers disposal. The best thing about it is its peer reviewed, open source culture. There is no need for us to write any more about it as all the info you could ever want is already out there on the web.

The Mother of All Biodiesel Homebrewing Sites can be found Here:

biodieselcommunity.org

Other Sources of Homebrew Info:

The biodieselbasics yahoo group
Girl Mark's book- the Biodiesel Homebrew Guide, a.k.a. the Homebrewing Bible
Biodieselnow and the biodiesel infopop forum both have excellent ongoing discussions about the biodiesel making process.
Utah Biodiesel Supply's weblinks page is an encyclopedic catalog of links.

Homebrewing supplies resources list:

The ubiquitous $35 Clearwater Pump comes from Harbor Frieght. They also sell 3/4" ball valves for cheap. Harbor Frieght has retail stores all over Southern California. You can find locations nearest you on their website.

US Plastics is the place to get plastic fittings, HDPE carboys, and, well, anything else made of plastic you might need.

Utah Biodiesel Supply and B100 Supply are the best places to get any specialized Biodiesel Homebrewing equipment. The owners of both are committed homebrewers.

You can get digital scales from ebay for cheap.

Plastic and steel 55 Gallon drums and electric hot water heaters can be gotten for very cheap or even for free if you look around. Craigslist and The Recycler are good places to start.

Brain Tan sells KOH online.

As for methanol, you can get it at Automobile Performance/Racing Equipment shops in Southern California.

Everyone is always wondering what on earth they can do with their glycerine. If you use KOH as your catalyst, you can compost the glycerine in sawdust, leaves or other organic material. Journey To Forever has a good deal to say about uses for glycerine. Permaculture.com has a good glycerine soap recipe.

A Socal Appleseed Processor