Traditional Charcoal Making

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  • Опубліковано 17 січ 2024
  • Creating an earth burn to make charcoal. This is a small version of the traditional method of making charcoal.
    Charcoal has a variety of uses from being used in a furnace due to burning hotter and longer than wood to being used as toothpaste for its alkaline properties or as biochar or water filter due to it having small gaps which can trap minerals or impurities.
    In this video I attempt to make charcoal and share my progress.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 37

  • @tjimicole2677
    @tjimicole2677 6 місяців тому +3

    Fantastic video. The Algorithm may have recommended you to me for your scythe video a few months back (which was good of course). In doing so they introduced me to you and all your other marvellous stuff as well. This really feels like what UA-cam was all about 10 or so years ago. Keep up the great work.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому

      Thank you for watching and your kind comments :)

  • @samueldougoud3289
    @samueldougoud3289 6 місяців тому +1

    Cool attempt ! The risk of failure was high but on the other hand you had little to lose. Thanks for sharing !

  • @wedruskimistrz5122
    @wedruskimistrz5122 2 місяці тому

    I Felt I was the only One doing this Natural Char Method of old Mayas in the Amazonian!!! Glad You are performing the very same, neatly effective and productive approach!!!

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  2 місяці тому

      I think I need a bit more practise are judging the time and heat of the stack, but really enjoyed giving it a go. Thank you for watching :)

  • @Imustscream
    @Imustscream 6 місяців тому +4

    I love this kind of content. Thanks for sharing!

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому

      Thank you for watching and for the comment :)

  • @VH-ew7oq
    @VH-ew7oq 6 місяців тому +1

    Primitive Technology here on youtube has made charcoal tons of times in many of his videos. He typically makes one time use ovens by hand out of clay.
    I love what you're doing here btw. Living with and stewarding the land is one of mans purposes.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому

      Thank you, I will have to have a look.
      I have wanted to also makie an oven out of clay!

  • @SoulkNoxH
    @SoulkNoxH 6 місяців тому +3

    I just love how peaceful this channel is, even the commentary section. Keep on working hard like you do!

  • @riverrunpastadamandsteve
    @riverrunpastadamandsteve 6 місяців тому +4

    This is a really cool video in my opinion

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому

      Thank you :)
      I really appreciate the feedback

  • @MAGurue
    @MAGurue Місяць тому

    Amazing video ! I am doing my PhD about charcoal production in Mozambique and its impacts on land cover. I really really enjoyed watching and listening to your description of the process.

    • @MAGurue
      @MAGurue Місяць тому

      These 2 videos from Spain (select ENG subtitles) are instructive and a delight to watch:
      Huesca ua-cam.com/video/OMFiwj97Cj4/v-deo.htmlsi=CCDqYr5-DwlGbTHN
      Cáceres ua-cam.com/video/LPz0P_OWb08/v-deo.htmlsi=rqf1UxcpsaDuEAwo

  • @Ed_Contiello
    @Ed_Contiello 6 місяців тому +2

    My man not only knows how to maintain a field but also knows how to draw, beautiful tree you make there

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому

      Thank you. I think you are being more complimentary than I deserve but it is much appreciated :)

  • @bigboss-tl2xr
    @bigboss-tl2xr 11 днів тому

    Nice! I think I'll give it a try this winter. Full on fire season in Oregon right now.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  11 днів тому

      Let me know how it goes when you have a go :)

  • @AggelosKyriou
    @AggelosKyriou 6 місяців тому +4

    Hi, I've been making charcoal with the steel barrel method. Contain the wood in an overturned steel barrel with some ventilation holes in the barrel bottom. The barrel is covered with earth but the barrel ensures limited oxygen supply and non-contamination of the final product. Also, a metal bucket in pit under the barrel allows for the collection of tar if suitable wood is used. Each barrel lasts for several burns. I've never tried the earth-covered heap method but the best explanation of the method I've seen so far is a documentary from Spain directed by Eugenio Monesma (available on YT) and another from Italy which I can't find at the moment. In my understanding, the way the earth is stacked around the heap makes a world of difference. Covering with sods/turfs in as large bits as possible followed by clayey earth in clods with looser earth as a final cover seems to be the most common way to do it.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому +2

      Thank you,
      I am sure I let too much air into mine. I am hoping to have another go and so I may look into these. I think I need to research into the different colours of the smoke which will make it easier to know if itis burning the charcoal.
      Have you managed to tell the difference in the colours or have you found it easier testing the steel barrel method?

    • @AggelosKyriou
      @AggelosKyriou 6 місяців тому

      @@iboughtafield I've been making charcoal out of Mediterranean pine (which also gives a lot of tar) and holly wood and buckthorn (both hardwood).
      I can't say I can tell apart the smoke color but the fact that there are holes on top which show whether there is live flame inside make's the barrel method almost foolproof. The barrel needs to rest in a 1 foot deep pit, be as well packed with wood as possible and the sides covered with earth (loose or dense makes little difference in this case) up to the brim leaving the top uncovered. I start to plug the holes one by one (3 in total, one every ten minutes) with stones and mud, smothering the live flame after half an hour of yellow live flame. After another 30 minutes, I bury the top of the barrel as well.
      Pine and buckthorn give consistently good results if the pieces are of relatively even thickness. Holly wood is trickier. I think you should try that as it's so much easier to unpack and separate the charcoal after it's done.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому +1

      @@AggelosKyriou Thank you, I did think about doing the barrel method and bought a barrel to try it out, but int he end decided to do the earth burn as I wanted to see how it was traditionally made. I could try doing a barrel method as you have described to get some practise before trying another earth burn.
      From what I have read, earth burns are always less efficient then the modern methods, even when doing perfectly.

    • @AggelosKyriou
      @AggelosKyriou 6 місяців тому

      @@iboughtafield Makes sense. There are crazily efficient systems using retorts that use the wood gas as fuel for the burn etc. Not something you can do with just earth stones and sod. In some places in Greece, people also did charcoal burns for small batches in bread ovens but alas, I've never seen anyone do it or know how to do it anymore. But anyway local woods have local peculiarities. Hardwoods should give better yields but seem trickier to get right. Some of the locals should know the tricks.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому +1

      @@AggelosKyriou I must have a look at this and have another go with some of these techniques. I have some more hawthorn to prune and so many try after that has seasoned. Thank you for all your comments, it is interesting to understand more about the process and other options to try.

  • @sowgroweat6987
    @sowgroweat6987 6 місяців тому +1

    Well that was 100% interesting as both a learning experience and as entertainment. Very nicely produced and very interesting, thank you for making this and sharing with us. Sadly smoke sets off my Asthma so I cannot try this myself, but does not mean I find it any less interesting.

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому +1

      Thank you Mike :) I'm also enjoying your excellent channel.

  • @martindavids2510
    @martindavids2510 3 місяці тому

    Great video, thanks for sharing!

  • @carljohn8700
    @carljohn8700 6 місяців тому +1

    its cool you can make your own charcoal :O

  • @cubos2846
    @cubos2846 6 місяців тому +2

    Im the second comentor on this video

  • @wiimourn1556
    @wiimourn1556 6 місяців тому

    cool

    • @iboughtafield
      @iboughtafield  6 місяців тому +1

      Thank you for watching

    • @wiimourn1556
      @wiimourn1556 6 місяців тому

      @@iboughtafield Thank you for making the video