As you embark upon your journey to petroluem independence you must take an adaquate amount of time to plan your next course of action.  It has been said that 1 minute of planning elminates 5 minutes of doing, and in this case alot of money.

What size machine to you need?

Often times for the homebrewer a large part of this question is how much space do I have because many times you are limited to a garage and the wife will not be to happy if you turn the garage into a chemical factory that dims the lights in the house when you run it.  As a homebrewer you also must take into consideration how much feedstock your resturants will be provideing you.  You must also take into consideration how much you will use as you will be limited in selling your fuel.

For the Agriculturalists space is often times not a concern but the feedstock is.  If you are producing your own feedstock you must take into consideration how much oil you can produce yearly or seasonally depending on if you want your machine to run all year or just for a certain time  You must also take into consideration seed storage and crushing infrastructure.  If you plan to only make enough fuel to consume yourself then you should plan based on how much you will consume but if you plan to meet spec and sell your fuel then you should plan to produce as much as possible or as much is profitable. 

What caliber equipment do your need?

The homebrewer normally does not require high caliber equipment as his fuel will never be tested for ASTM spec or be sold.  The homebrewer should however include safety features such as temperature control and the proper pressure release valves.  Material compatability must also be taken into consideration while still keeping in mind what you have at hand to work with. 

Often the agriculturalists demand a high quality processor that can meet ASTM spec easily with multiple feedstocks and that is semi or completely automated.  Keep in mind what you can build locally and give plenty of research to the most economical types of equipment.

What is your budget?

The budget should always be in the back of your mind as you look at your options.  Do not plan an elborate processor if you can not afford it. 

What safety features will you include?

The homebrewer should include automatic temperature control and the proper venting for tanks.  As well as pressure releases and make proper electrical connections.  Be sure to use the right kind of pumps and plumbing, always use an explosion proof pump for methanol and methoxide.  Also keep in mind the fire hazard this project poses.

What materials will you use?

You should use whatever materails are under budget and readily available.  For example the homebrewer may choose to use a water heater as a production tank and black steel as plumbing.  Really anything goes as long as it is safe and the fuel will not be sold.  If you plan to sell the fuel and meet ASTM spec then you need to graduate on up conical bottom stainless mix tanks,all the proper instruments and explosion proof pumps

What exactly will you need and what will it costs?

Use the internet and a spread sheet program to figure up what this project will cost you and whether you can handle the build.  It is crucial that you organize all your materials so that you don't make 50 trips back to the hardware store.  You should also have the processor throughly drawn out and thought through before you put the first peice together.