Charcoal burner

[Maillemaker]

I was over at a friend's house a little while ago, and he told me of a very interesting charcoal production devise.

Using a 55 gallon drum, he cut holes in the top and bottom and connected them with steel pipe. The theory being that, once sealed, the hot gasses would rise up from the fire, cool (slightly) in the pipe, sink to the bottom, become heated again, rise, and repeat the cycle in a very efficient system.

I have never tried to make charcoal, so I might be excited over old news.

[Jacques]

The idea is to drive all the woodgas off and only end up with charcoal.

In the indirect method of charcoal making the gases are driven of and used to heat the drum further. I've once seen it being done, but haven't done it myself.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-some-Charcoal/ Read the whole thing, the first part he does things wrong.

http://www.twinoaksforge.com/BLADSMITHING/MAKING%20CHARCOAL.htm

[ThomasPowers]

Yes the more efficient way is to have the gasses piped off the top and to the underside of the barrel where they are ignited to provide some of the heat required.

[Frosty]

When pyrolizing wood gives off alcohol, methane, water and probably other stuff. Happily the first thing to go is water so once the smoke starts to fade it's yielding alcohol and methane. Pipe these back under the retort and give it some air and it becomes a self sustaining reaction. You don't HAVE to pipe the gasses off the top but most folk do.

If you over dook it and start getting carbon gas you're losing what you're after so stop when the flame starts to fade.

Frosty The Lucky

[781]

I make my charcoal in an open barrel with holes near the bottom also.
It makes a lot of smoke for the first 20 min but I live in a rural area so I dont offend the neighbors

[Old N Rusty]

Can you use fresh cut green wood for making charcoal? I like the bagged charcoal found now in the Winn Dixie store for convenience.I don't think the city / neighbors would like it if i were making my own, so this is a just curious question.

[Steve Sells]

OnR I suppose you can after you figure out how to get the wood to burn in the first place, try it and let us know

[Old N Rusty]

Dumb question ,huh?

[ramsies11]

i dont see why not rusty. your fuel is just a little wet, kinda like starting a fire after it rains, it works, just takes a bit TO work.

[pkrankow]

Yes, fresh cut wood turns to charcoal just fine, it takes more to get started though.

Phi

[Dereck Glaser]

We have been producing charcoal here for several years. We use it to start our coal forges as well as in our outdoor venues when runnig our charcoal forges. See this link and the retort we built. Be careful, those gasses can build up, beware of cresote build up in a pipe. Al the best.
http://www.newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com/projects.php

[ricejm01]

Last post on this thread was in Feb, Hope I'm not too late to the party :)

Thought that we needed some visuals here. Two videos I found that are good examples to make charcoal. Both are out gas/retort methods utilizing found or cheaply obtained materials.

A simple way
http://youtu.be/8vdh0gs8P9k

and complex way
http://youtu.be/hZD6hrVhZGc