sandpile Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 If someone wants to try horse manure. I have some behind the barn that has been there several years. I would think a hog, dog, or re-tired out house dung would be hotter by quite a bit. chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 .....I would think a hog, dog, or re-tired out house dung would be hotter by quite a bit. 1. horse manure smells a lot better than your choice of poop. 2. horse manure tends to be a better fertilizer than hog, dog or human poop. So wouldn't that mean that it has better calorie content? Wouldn't you prefer to use nice smelling poop rather than nasty smelling poop? I know I would. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Hog is much stronger fertilizer, usually you have to "cool it down" to keep from burning up things---like chicken manure. However in a forge you are wanting the cellulose content *not* the nitrogen content and so you don't want the "hotter" fertilizers but the more grassy ones... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 ..However in a forge you are wanting the cellulose content *not* the nitrogen content and so you don't want the "hotter" fertilizers but the more grassy ones... That makes sense, after all what we are burning is the carbon, so the higher the carbon and the lower the protein derived by-products the likely it is to be better for burning in a forge. Do you have any thoughts about the likely main ingredient(s) in the binders they use to make pelletized fuel? It might be a good idea to try a binder to turn the dried poo into bricketts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glyph250 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 A lot of sources on the web say you can use a corn starch paste as a binder for charcoal. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work with doo-doo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 .... corn starch paste as a binder ..... That is really great! - Would you happen to be able to point me to those web sources? - Any idea of cheap sources of bulk corn starch and the possible ratio of corn starch past to horse poo? Thank you in advance. Dave E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glyph250 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Three sources that cite using corn starch as a binder for charcoal briquettes:Charcoal - 100% Natural Hardwood brought to you by Laralee DistributorsCharcoal briquettes bound with an organic binder and a water-swellable clay and method - Patent 5221290How to Make Charcoal Briquettes | eHow.com Corn starch looks like it costs about two bucks for one container on froogle.com. I can't imagine it would be too much more expensive at a supermarket, but if you plan on making lots of this stuff, here's a site I found (through froogle as well) that will apparently sell you fifty pounds for $32. Are you going to start with a small batch? And is there any way I could ask for pictures without sounding like a creep? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 .......Are you going to start with a small batch? And is there any way I could ask for pictures without sounding like a creep? At the moment I am pretty much overwhelmed with other projects, such as building the reproduction traveling forge shown as my Avatar, fences that need repairs, work, etc. but when I get around to acquiring horse poo for my wife's garden, it is definitely something worth trying. After all, free fuel is free fuel, and around here people seem really anxious to give away their horse poo. When I do try it, I plan on posting photographs. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 (edited) Seriously, I'm going to try forging with hickory nuts soon. I've thrown a few into the mix with coal and they do burn... just not sure how they'll do on there own. The yard between my house and shop is like walking on golf balls. We usually just rake 'em up and dump them in the woods. For those with a more exoctic preference in their animal dungs, I am willing to ship large loads of Scottish Highlander poo anywhere in the continental US for a modest collection fee plus shipping and handling. We have plenty available, and they are making more as we speak. Don Edited October 7, 2009 by Don A attachment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 (edited) I appreciate the offer of exotic poo, but since horse poo is free and loaded free, I guess that will be our first choice. My mastiffs say that your Scottish Highlander cow looks delicious. :D Edited October 7, 2009 by UnicornForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigcity Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Seriously, I'm going to try forging with hickory nuts soon. I've thrown a few into the mix with coal and they do burn... just not sure how they'll do on there own. The yard between my house and shop is like walking on golf balls. We usually just rake 'em up and dump them in the woods. For those with a more exoctic preference in their animal dungs, I am willing to ship large loads of Scottish Highlander poo anywhere in the continental US for a modest collection fee plus shipping and handling. We have plenty available, and they are making more as we speak. Don lol my folks raise scottish highlands i love those cows and good eatin too:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Ours ain't for eatin'... just for lookin' at.(unless times get hard ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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