I have finally gotten my processor together and made a couple of small batches. But, I'm having problems finding a reliable source for my waste oil. Every Chinese place that I have tried already has someone picking up the oil, and more disturbingly they say they are getting paid for it. Is it common to have to pay for the waste oil? The one chicken place that was interested in letting me have the oil titrated very high (7.5)

Any advice

When I hunt for oil, I go out at night with about 30 small sample containers. I go to every restaurant, bar, bowling alley, theater, etc etc and collect small samples.

Take them home, titrate and pick the good ones.. Then make phone calls and ask if I can take some of their oil.. Usually they say yes.
Out of almost 150 places, I've had just two no's.

I avoid chicken places now because of high tallow content.

Murphy,
Update on the oil hunt, I took your advice and pulled about 15 samples, I was able to source oil from 4 of the 5 top places.
One is a chicken and fish fry place - I was able to convince the manager to just dump the oil from from the fish fyers into my barrel and it's pretty good stuff.

Thanks for your help!

As the temps are dropping up here in Michigan it's going to be a challenge to pump the oil of of my barrels.

I get my waste oil from a local Mexican restaurant. It is very good stuff, even if it is somewhat over cooked. The reason, I think, is that they don't cook any meat products in the oil. I got some oil from a friend who got it from another fast-food chain that does cook a lot of meat products in their oil. The oil I got contaminated all of the good oil I already had. If your oil titrates high, it needs more Lye (NaOH), or whatever catalyst you use.

The really sad occurrence is when your best contract using canolla goes out of business.

For those wishing to build a processor and begin making their own biodiesel, I can't emphasize enough that the very first step must be securing your feedstock source. Even if it means you might end up with several hundred gallons of wvo before you even begin construction of your reactor. (Not too difficult to get rid of it if your project plans fall through).

Establishing contacts, relationships, and a system of collection is a significant undertaking in and of itself.

I realize this might be too late for some, and I truly wish the best to those who put the cart before the horse, but I feel compelled to really get the word out to those just beginning to explore this great forum.