Home made charcoal.

[Bodidly]

A bit of fun for you to try over the weekend 

I have just read about this simple way to make charcoal in a wood burner. All that is needed is an old Quality street tin (other teeth destroying treats are available) and some wood. Stab 4 or five holes in the lid with a screwdriver and load the tin with your chosen wood. Put the lid back on and but in the stove lid side up with the fire running quite hot. After around 20mins or so little jets of flame start coming out the holes as the syngas is burned off. When these flames have more or less gone your charcoal is done. Now remove the tin from the stove with tools and appropriate hand protection and place it lid side down to cool off on a non combustible surface. I have been messing about with this the last few evenings and have had great fun and made some good looking charcoal for the impending gorgeous summer we are going to have 

Stay safe
Beau

[desperate]

How about leading the gas off to a condenser rather than burning it off? all sorts of fun chemicals to play with like benzene, acetone, acetic acid, napthalene, methanol, etc etc

pear steeD

[Bodidly]

Well the scale has been increased but the principle is still the same.

This is my new charcoal retort. Inside are two barrels stuffed with wood. This is initially heated with a fire lit under the barrels but after about 10-15 mins the whole thing is self fueling.

Beau

[Bodidly]

How about leading the gas off to a condenser rather than burning it off? all sorts of fun chemicals to play with like benzene, acetone, acetic acid, napthalene, methanol, etc etc

pear steeD

Hi Desp

My retort designs have moved on loads since this thread and with the latest incarnation your above suggestion might be and option 

How would you go about removing the gas from the tars?

[offthegridandy]

Looks like the flares at Fawley refinery.