Sellout. complete and total sellout. this guy doesnt understand our goal does he? im not sure if he is just trying too hard or if he honestly doesnt realize the best way to spread knowledge is open source. investment or no, he has the design, he needs to source the original, then if he wants his money back, he needs to step up R&D and make more COMMERCIALLY viable variants that would be overkill or useless for any farmboy like myself.
(Disclaimer: This is completely and totally MY opinion, if you don't like it , keep in mind it is mine alone and should not interfere with yours in any way.) --- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuel@sustainablelists.org> Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2006 11:56 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Small oil press > Hi all > > The designer and manufacturer of the Piteba oil press, Edwin Blaak in > the Netherlands, wrote to me offlist a week ago, in response to the > discussion at the list. I guess somebody pointed him at the messages > in archives. > > I wrote back and said I didn't much agree with him, but I didn't want > to discuss it offlist, so I invited him to join the list and we could > discuss it all there, where we'd have a much better discussion. > > I was hoping we might persuade him to open-source the plans for his oil > press. > > But I haven't heard from him again. > > Since he's replying to a list discussion here, I don't see why I > shouldn't forward his response to the list and we can discuss it > anyway if we want to. If Edwin reads it at the list archives he can > change his mind and join if he has anything to add, or contact me. > > He doesn't tell us much we don't know, and I think he hasn't > addressed the issue of why he hasn't put the plans online. Getting > back his investment is one thing, but he doesn't say how he thinks > the poor communities he talks of benefiting are to lay their hands on > a Piteba oil press if it's to cost 100 Euros. Designs of Appropriate > Technology solutions to help empower poor communities should be free > online. He could still sell the presses too if he wanted to, eg > Joseph Jenkins provides the full text of his Humanure Handbook free > online at the same website he sells the hard-copy version. Or have a > staggered price, depending who's buying. Some people concentrate on > selling to big development agencies who can afford the price and can > put the gear to use in poor communities. There are lots of ways. > > In fact poor rural communities have traditional ways of extracting > oil from seeds, they didn't have to wait for the industrial > revolution. > > The idea of an oilseed press as part of a development platform > including a diesel motor and power generation is not exactly a new > one. For instance, in a different thread at the same time > Pannirselvam mentioned this: > > "we have already made the small press , thanks to Keith JTF , so > simple to make , now processing coconut , getting good resutls , > future the sunflower and also the castor oil " > > I don't think very much of Edwin's case for giving the poorest a > future. I'm not persuaded to help him sell his oil press. > > Here's his email, below. > > Best > > Keith > > >>>Dear Keith, >>> >>>I read your discussion about the Piteba oil press in the forum. I >>>am glad you are so involved and enthusiastic about the idea of a >>>small press. >>> >>>I understand that you have many questions on the press. First let >>>me explain what Piteba is and why I developed the Piteba oil press. >>>I hope you will see opportunities to support me in trying to sell >>>the press in as many countries as possible and in that way give the >>>poorest a future. >>> >>>I have a small company in the mushroom business which I grounded in >>>1982. It is a very interesting and challenging business and I am >>>still working in that field. >>> >>>In my spare time I started to develop the oil press 5 years ago. No >>>big institute, no public money, no support. My intention was to >>>develop a small press for the poorest in order to give them the >>>possibility to produce oil for the local market: as edible oil, >>>medicine, cream, bio fuel or whatever use they could sell the oil >>>for. At present they can only sell the seeds, if they have any, >>>often for very low prices. With the press they can produce oil from >>>seeds they produce themselves (farmers), find in the forest or buy >>>on the local market (landless and people in the cities). The value >>>added is high, making it possible to earn about 2 times as much as >>>a local wage. There was no such press on the market. All presses >>>are too expensive, beginning with 1000 euro or more. I used the >>>cheapest materials, made all prototypes myself, did all experiments >>>(including extraction efficiencies), imported various grains(not >>>all are available in The Netherlands), made the web-site, developed >>>the packaging, promotion of the press etc. etc. I decided not to >>>take all these hours into account and keep the price of the Piteba >>>press low. I produce the press myself in my own new work shop, >>>because local manufacturers were too expensive for quantities below >>>5000. I installed all necessary machinery especially to make >>>production possible in my own spare time, reducing production >>>costs. Of course the consumer price is considerably higher than the >>>retail prices, so it gives retailers the chance to sell the press >>>locally with a reasonable profit. Unfortunately sending 1 press by >>>mail makes it about 40 to 60% more expensive, but still it is >>>affordable and available. >>> >>>I would really appreciate it if you could help me to put your >>>energy in developing useful applications of the oil produced by the >>>Piteba press. I see that you all have practical ideas that could be >>>very useful. I am thinking of a small diesel engine running on >>>vegetable oil to be connected to the local water pump, a small >>>burner for cooking, easy soap making practices, vegetable >>>conservation techniques in oil, production of peanut butter (or >>>made of other nuts), flavouring techniques, scented oils (massage) >>>etc. etc. In this way you could help me to make the Piteba >>>initiative a success. It would be highly appreciated. >>> >>>Hoping to hear from you, >>> >>>With kind regards, >>> >>>Edwin Blaak >>> >>>PITEBA > > > _______________________________________________ > Biofuel mailing list > Biofuel@sustainablelists.org > http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 > messages): > http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.3/316 - Release Date: 4/17/2006 > > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
