Problems with charcoal

[Frosty]

James:

I think your description of the charcoal making process is way better than my windy version. Seriously, you've covered the basics in three simple sentences. :cool:

I've never run a comparison so can't say from experience what the different techniques mean to the quality of the charcoal. What I've read says the more indirect the method the better the charcoal for smithing.

Making activated charcoal requires a super charged version of the direct method but that's not relavent here.

Searching the web for charcoal making will get you more info than you'll know what to do with. So, read through a number of sites and get back to us, we'll do our best to unconfuse things.

Frosty

[Mylore]

Seeing as we are starting to discuss the making of charcoal I have a question for those of you folks that do make your own.

I have been given 5 55 gallon drums and would like to make one into a charcoal retort of some sort. Useing this link as my idea.

http://64.176.180.203/charcoalretort.htm

My thing is I live in the city, in a residential area. How much smoke dose doing this really make? How about noise like he quotes on the page?

I have also looked at BP 0338 and 0443 and could go this way.

Any further tips for doing this in my back yard?

Thanks guys.

[JohnW]

Mylore,
I can't imagine making charcoal in the city in a residental area. Charcaol making usually produces a lot of smoke, at least by the direct burn method. I would think the retort method would produce at least as much smoke.

On second thought, it might be possible. If you can build a campfire or bonfire on your property and that's acceptable, then you may be able to make charcoal, at least by the direct burn method.

Observe these few things about the wood, (1) no bark (2) dry (seasoned) wood only, (3) size 1.5" x 1.5" x 10", or maybe 2" x 2" x 10". Bark and green wood cannot burn without a lot of smoke. Smaller diameter wood is good for one fast burn version of direct burn method. You don't have to burn it long to get it charred all the way through, whereas, a larger piece of wood could burn for a long time, and still be charred only on the outside.

About the method, start with a small hot fire, build to a big hot fire, begin adding your charcoal wood, don't add faster than the fire can handle, let it get well burned, and extinguish quickly.

BP0338 looks like a good direct burn method. Smoke was not an object in the illustration, as larger wood with bark was used. I make charcoal in a pit lined with a barrel. The barrel is cut lengthwize with the pieces layed end to end and dug in flush with the ground. I use metal roof to put out the fire, lay it over the trench and burry it with dirt. If there's any air leak whatsoever, the fire will continue to burn. If you see smoke rising, put more dirt there.

This takes a serious wood supply, I'm able to do that with my chain saw and pickup truck, since I'm always in search of firewood for the stove.

The barrel contents look like a worthless pile of ashes with some charcaol, but when you get it all sifted out, it's a bonanza. Any long pieces that you can't break in your two hands aint charcoal, just charcoal on the outside.

I guess you would have to be ready to put your fire out, or shovel some of the wood out of the fire, if you run into some kind of smoke problem in the middle of the burn.

I like to have an ample supply of wood, when making charcoal, and an apply charcoal supply when forging. It's like the more you burn, the better.

[ThomasPowers]

Mesquite charcoal is hardly ever fully charred as you don't get any mesquite flavour cooking over it if it is. Partially charred charcoal expecially in resineous woods will produce a lot of fleas when used in a forge.

[jayco]

Thanks Thomas....your post kinda cleared up my question about the origin of charcoal 'fleas'.

We had an old barn that fell here on the farm 8 months ago.There have been a lot of broken posts and timbers to deal with in the cleanup. But, on the bright side....I've extinguished a lot of fires and made a lot of charcoal from the scraps.

I raked up and shoveled up a lot of charcoal in the past few months......nearly all hardwood, too.

I've had as many as 30 5 gal. buckets on hand at times. But........even months later.........the extinguished charcoal in the bottom of the buckets is still damp!Just the other day I tried welding with some......which didn't seem to burn really hot as I had hoped, and wound up having to spread it out in the sun to dry!

I'm planning to try an indirect retort when I get time.(fire under the barrel....and a pipe from top of barrel dirrecting the smoke and volitile gases back into the fire.

This is supposed to be more effecient and get rid of the smoke.I'm gonna try it when I can.......and try to post some pics of the results.

James