Making lump charcoal

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Mar 20 2007 Post subject: Making lump charcoal

I have been making my own lump lately. I biult a charcoal retort using info I got from the web(charcoal retort on google & naked whiz). I have plenty of seasoned oak branches, Maple, Alder,Cherry and at least a few different fruit n nut woods, all kept covered at least. The problem I'm having is the lump dont seem to be as hard or lasting as long as some of the store bought lump I"ve used in the past. Using mostly oregon white oak I figured it would come out quite a bit harder than it is. I think I am over cooking it but not quite sure. Anybody have any advice to help change this?

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

good question,

a real retort kiln? or a burn & smother set-up?

so, is it too brittle and flaking into dust?
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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Apr 05 2007 Post subject:

I tried making charcoal with the burn n smother method and had alot of uncarbonized wood left over. So I thought i'd try biulding a retort kiln,using a barrel and some steel pipe I had laying around. I put some legs on the barrel, in a horizontal fashion, the steel pipe comes out the top,around the back and under the barrel all the way to the front of the barrel where it is caped off,with about 30 holes in the pipe to allow outgassing and to use the gasses to help char the charcoal. I got alot of chacoal out of it probably about 60lb or more. The stuff dont turn to dust but it is way softer than some royal oak i have. I can easily break fist sized peices of oak and maple, that I cooked, with my hands. The royal oak is more difficult to break and seems to burns longer.

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Apr 06 2007 Post subject:

so it is over brittle?

rapidy exinguishing the fire can cause that according to the naked-whiz site, letting it go out by itself can help according to; http://www.nakedwhiz.com/makinglump.htm
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wnkt · Posted: Apr 06 2007 Post subject:

Why dont you use that good wood for smoke rather than using it for making charcoal? Lots of guys would kill for good cherry and oak.
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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Apr 06 2007 Post subject:

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Apr 06 2007 Post subject:

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Apr 06 2007 Post subject:

down for one year, but was it split? A log will hold it's moisture for several years if it is not split, we have a firewood supplier by me that has 8-year old logs, but he splits to order and I need to let the stuff sit for a full year after I get it before I can burn it.

I have always had the best luck splitting right when cut, (especially with red-oak)

we have done a fast-cure rig for our wood with clear plastic, we make an open ended tent over the stacks and the moisture evap's out of the wood and runs down the plastic to the ground. we get cured firewood over 1 summer by doing this.

I am going to try my hand at charcoal making when our snow goes away, So please keep us informed of what you learn. I can get loads of forest scrap for free (oak & Maple) it is the stuff the paper & veneer mills do not want.
_________________
Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!