Warhorse Increases Manufacturing With Recycling, Re-Purposing, and Kind Friends

THE WARHORSE gets a new soap pot!

Warhorse Solutions' glycerin, natural soaps are dark--Appalachian Amber we call it. Since we use the refined glycerin byproduct from our biofuel process, the oils are dark as the temperatures are hot, hot. We do not dilute our soaps with water and then thicken them. We don't dye it with Titanium Dioxide, and we don't use sulfate detergents for artificial suds. We use A LOT of glycerin and soap. Sulfates can dry and irritate the skin. The high glycerin content keeps the skin moist AND effectively cleans. It appears that many people embrace our dark amber soaps, so we are increasing our production capacity--in other words, I need a bigger soap tank.

Since our little company is growing, it was time to get off the Red Oak firewood and onto biodiesel and a bigger soap cooker. I'm a bit tired of dodging smoke from the fire, shifting my stirring position depending on the wind, and my boat paddle is tired. So, after badgering Carl that I needed a more efficient process, he started "studying," reading about biodiesel burners. Expensive to buy a manufactured one. So, as Carl usually does, he talks to Bob Russell, to Steve, Larry, and Tony Hyder, and to Casey Thompson, a Hyder son-in-law. After a few trips down to the Dark Corner, Carl had a plan. What's great about having friends who can make anything, who have a wealth of knowledge, and who embrace hard work, they can help you get things done--they're all blue collar engineers, got the knowledge and the hands to make it happen, much like my husband Carl.






Be Kind Solutions' new soap burner is made from a recycled oil furnace burner. Carl got a used one from John Foy at All Seasons Heating and Air. BINGO! John put a new burner nozzle on it and a few other parts. John was kind enough to just charge us for the parts--$25.00. Thanks John.


Carl built a firebox using firebricks and fire clay and bolted on the recycled furnace. BINGO! I owe him $187.00 for the bricks--got to sell some soap. With some copper tubing and wiring, I've got a more efficient method of refining my glycerin and making WARHORSE Cleaning Soap, Paws to Palms Pet & People Soap, WARHORSE Leather Gel, and be kind's body washes. Now, I can use our biodiesel in the furnace burner--a sustainable and "green" biodiesel burner. The firebricks contain the heat, and the thermostat keeps my temps where I need them. It burns about 3 quarts of biofuel an hour and puts out lots of BTUs. Very efficient. Thank you, Carl.

Next step is getting a bigger soap tank. Shopped for used ones on Craig's List, Ebay, and equipment manufacturers. Family friend Rick Pate of Green Creek and Chemway let the dogs out to sniff one up for me. Found one with 4,000 gallon capacity--not there yet. Whew! Pretty expensive, even the small ones. We knew there had to be a steel tank somewhere that we could recycle and re-purpose.

Bob Russell--my biodiesel mentor, our diesel mechanic mentor, our organic blueberry and raspberry supplier--suggested we check out the Russel Diesel Shop collection of "dead" tractor trailers long since put to rest. We drove our '81 Chevy Luv Diesel on over and found several steel tanks that might work. BINGO!

We loaded up our recycled and re-purposed steel 160 gallon diesel fuel gas tank, which came off a diesel dump truck. Our good friends The Dark Corner Hyder brothers gave us their suggestions on the best way to make my new soap cooker. Carl "studied" on it for a while, and today he took it over into the Dark Corners for some welding and remodeling. Casey, Dink Hyder's son-in-law, who's getting pretty close to living off the grid, is handier than Carl is with a welder.


Casey and Mindy are very industrious. They installed and use a wood burner that heats their house and water. Pipes are buried and carry temperature controlled heat into their house. It doesn't burn much wood, as it is choked way down.










Mindy and Casey don't sit down much, as their two daughters keep them busy. Plus, they are on the lookout for sustainable ways to live. They have just started a new batch of dibs so they can continue getting their fresh eggs.






And, Carl and I passed along the biodiesel lifestyle
to Casey. He has just built his own processor
and made several "perfect" batches. Just like us
he and Mindy realize making biofuel is a lifestyle--getting dirty, being outside in cold weather, and ALWAYS
tweaking the system. Like the rest of the Hyders, these two industrious people built their own home. Add the chickens, cutting firewood, making biofuel, bear hunting--plus Mindy is a RN at Spartanburg Regional and Casey works with Hyder Farms--no body is just chillin' in this household.








Casey gets to work on the WARHORSE soap cooker.

























As you can see, once Casey got finished with the basics, he got a little creative and put the WARHORSE on my soap cooker--permanently. Mindy drew him on with chalk and BINGO! I owe Casey and his wife Mindy A LOT of my WARHORSE and glycerin body soaps. I'll be making a Dark Corner delivery soon! Thanks to both of you. Sit down and rest a spell. You deserve it. Casey really likes WARHORSE's Blue Musk Glycerin Body Wash

Once Carl brought the WARHORSE soap cooker home, he still had to weld a motor on top with an agitator to keep the glycerin and soaps moving during the refining and cooking stages.



As soon as Carl got the WARHORSE out of the back of the truck, I checked it out and decided to remove the last bit of gum from the inside.









I really like the new tank--my labor should go down, and my capacity increase. The ball lever valve on the bottom will be soooo much easier than hand bailing out the soap. Whew, one thing down and another to tackle. "Hey Carl, I think I need a bigger distiller." I better give it a rest.