[TheForge] propane vs coal vs charcoal

[Jerry Frost]

There are a number of online how tos for making 
charcoal.

There are a few pretty simple rules of thumb though.

Hardwood makes for longer lasting fires.

Softwood makes for hotter fires.

Wood needs to be 3" or less in at least one dimension 
or it won't char (pyrolize) completely without eating 
into your finished product. The more consistently sized 
the wood is the less will be lost as the thinner wood 
will be done and begin to be consumed before the 
thicker wood is finished. The drier it is to start the 
better of course and steer away from pitchy resinous 
woods for coaling though they are dandy for heating the 
process.

The more air tight the container the better your 
return. Of course it can't be completely air tight or 
it'll burst as it heats.

Piping the volatiles into the fire chamber for a self 
sustaining process is the most efficient. For further 
efficiency recuping the escaping heat to heat the shop, 
house, water, etc. is another step in the right 
direction.

When it stops smoking and the flue gs flames go out you 
need a way to block air from entering the coaling 
chamer or it won't go out and eventually be reduced to 
ash. It takes VERY little air to keep charcoal burning. 
A little fiberglass insulation stuffed into the exhaust 
works dandy. Again, you can NOT close it off air tight 
or it'll crush the barrel as it cools.

A double chambered retort works best. The wood is 
packed tightly in the inner chamber and the fire is lit 
in the outer chamber which contains the heat reducing 
the fuel necessary for the process. It also allows a 
multi fuel operation without fear of contaminating the 
charcoal so waste oil can be used, or garbage or 
whatever.

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.


From: "don schad" <sir.eggplantalot at gmail.com>


> On Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 5:26 PM, David Childress 
> <trollkeep at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Terry,
>>
>> I have a book on making charcoal and coke.  If you 
>> have a close to
>> sealed vessel with a single pipe coming out.  Run 
>> the pipe under the
>> vessel.  Have 1/8" holes 1" apert drilled in the 
>> pipe. Fill your
>> vessel with wood.  You build a fire under the 
>> vessel.  As the wood
>> inside heats it releases flamable gases once this 
>> starts the pipe
>> becomes a burner and the process is now self 
>> sustaining.  When all the
>> wood is converted the "burner will go out.  Allow to 
>> cool before
>> opening.  Viola, charcoal.
>
> What is the name of the book?  Would (wood) you 
> recommend it?
>
> Also, what size/type of wood is suitable for making 
> charcoal?  Are we
> talking larger chunks (logs), or would smaller stuff 
> also work - like
> sticks, branches, etc?   I have a lot of woodland 
> debris which it
> would be nice to be able to process and use, as 
> opposed to simply
> burning it up to get rid of it.
>
> Thanks,
>
> don
>