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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 5:22 pm Post subject: Charcoal
I'd like to have a go at making charcoal. Any ideas where to look for resources/information/kit? Not for sale, just for us and extended family.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 6:17 pm Post subject:
I've wondered about one of these for making small amounts for home use: https://www.kadai.co.uk/shop/view/19-Fireside-Accessories/1319-Charcoal-Maker Ideally I'd like something a bit bigger but don't have time to start hacking away at an old oil drum.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 6:31 pm Post subject:
I am falling over old oil drums, but lack the tools and expertise to do anything with them!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46192
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 7:06 pm Post subject:

kit can be anything from a shovel to make a hole and/or cut turf through an oildrum rig to huge bits of metal.once you decide on size of burn and the style that suits it a visit to the scrappers might be the next move.

linky to a few methods

hint the retort methods are easiest to master for a decent yield but good results can be had with little more than a wood supply, axe and a shovel.

i found that my very simple wood burner could make decent charcoal with the correct feeding,getting the burn hot and then reducing the air to almost nothing.only a few kg at a time but ace for cooking breakfast.

cir3ngirl

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 4846
Location: Cirencester

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 7:26 pm Post subject:
Episode three of the Countryfile Summer Diaries which was on in the morning a couple of weeks age, Paul Martin (Flog It) has a lesson in making charcoal. Available on Iplayer

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 7:30 pm Post subject:
If you came to stay with us next weekend, we could all go to the Bulworthy Project BBQ thingy on the Saturday evening and you could ask Pete

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46192
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 16 8:12 pm Post subject:

to remove top of oil drum

make sure bungs removed, leave on bonfire til smoke stops ( pre bonfire sniff for petrol /diesel etc if there is wash out with water and detergent and light bonfire from a safe distance as the right vapour /air mix can be a bit interesting )

either with an angle grinder cut off top under the rim or use a gas axe to remove a circle from the top (if you need a tub) or from base (so you have the bungholes for air in ) for a charcoal kiln.
you can use a sharp cold chisel but it takes a while,needs some work to smooth the edge a bit and is hellish noisy.

a metal sheet (or suitable bit of scrap) will make a lid.

iirc lloyd found buckshot was a quick way to make air holes in an oildrum

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15950

Posted: Sun Aug 21, 16 6:23 am Post subject:
Treacodactyl, that looks good in principle, but not sure how many firings it would survive. It is a pretty basic retort kiln, but at that price can't be very thick, so may well burn out quite quickly. I don't know if Bulworthy do oil drum charcoal, but if so they will know how to use one, and may well be able to run you through the process.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Aug 21, 16 7:11 am Post subject:
I expect they'd like me to go their course. Which is fine, in principle, but absolutely impractical. Will have a look at the links. As ever, I wish I was better at stuff with tools.

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