Today I decided to try to make my own charcoal, there was a lot of smoke in the process, and after about 2 hours my lower eyelids were really swollen, so i put a cold towel on my face for a few minutes, and they got a bit better. It got a bit annoying working with only half sight so I don't want this happening again. Have any of you guys had this problem?

I've not had that problem. But my suggestion would be to stand UPwind. :)Sorry, just couldn't resist.

never figured it worth the time to make my own charcoal .....even with free wood the work is more than what i can buy coke for....

No my eyes water a lot if exposed to smoke but I have not have problems with them swelling.

When I use charcoal I tend to make it in a raised firepit downwind of the forge so I don't have to be around the smoke except for when I move a shovelful of hot coals from the firepit to the forge.

Where you use'n scrap lumber? It's often treated W/ some nasty stuff. Be Carefull!
Good luck.
Pete.

I wonder if you have (or have developed) an allergy to one of the woods you were charing. Or maybe there was something nasty in the pile (Dad got exposed to poison ivy that way once.)

ron

I'm no doctor ( although, I play one in my wood shed....) But swollen lower eye lids sounds like clogged tear ducts.

My wife has this problem when she gets around to much smoke, a good OTC allergy medicine might help.

Got any known allergies? Were any of the wood you were using on that list? If it was raw wood (as opposed to lumber) were there trash materials like poison ivy in there?

Best practice is to put poison ivy trash in a mold pile or a hot compost pile until it is unidentifiable dirt. Yes, I have a compost bin full of poison ivy... I expect it to be dirt by spring.

Phil

My daughter got fogged by some poison ivy smoke a couple years ago. Though normally beautiful, she was quite hideous looking for a day or two. Had to take steroids to combat the swelling.

Be careful and stay upwind!

And some of us just chuck it in the wood stove with no problem. Ultimate revenge!

Stebblingur, here are two things may help you avoid smoke: 1. Install a properly functioning chimney. If your forge is outdoors put up a moveable wind brake also. 2. Master fire control technique. Be sure that the charcoal has no uncharred wood.