Check out Codyslab's videos on charcoal making. As I recall, he found out the "pit method" is pretty much just as good as using a barrel, and can be scaled easier.
Drill holes at the bottom of the barrel. Set barrel upright. Start fire. When burning hot enough and full, shovel dirt over the holes, and cap the top. Also insulate with kaowool
19:08 "I can't get it sealed ..." That's what hammers are made for. Tap around the perimeter of the band while pulling the clamp handle. (or use a block of wood for a hammer)
Fill the drum with wood and put a lid on it, Then poke a hole in the bottom and put that drum on a regular campfire. The steam and wood gas generated will exit the hole, blow into the fire and burn, generating even more heat. When gas generation ceases remove the drum, let it cool and open it up. Might want to try this on a smaller scale first, like using a paint can or something similar.
@kira you can do the barrel retort method but you are limited to smaller batches, you get a very high quality char but small quantities. The flame cap method allows you to process a lot more volume.
I agree about mulching it. I’m not sure what they call it but it’s on its own 18 wheeler flat bed or on a smaller trailer. It’s round and spins in the center I think. Iv seen them used at my local dump and on tv mulching pallets. Don’t know if you can rent but it will take care of all those piles in a day. I’m a wood burner. Time consuming. 🍻👍
I am in favor of grinding slash into chips. Cedar shavings are costly and short supply. Many water districts use them for winterizing water meters. The totes would be perfect to put in back of a truck for a round of winterizing.
Cool, thats good to know. I think I will experiment with a chipper some time and explore the market a bit. I just want most of the slash gone and if I could get paid for it all the better
I just found your second channel Jason 👍 You really should post it on your "Channels" section on MBMM so that others can see it. Bio char seems pretty much the same thing as making charcoal. Is there a difference? If not, why not just do the old fashioned earth mound methed. Thanks Jason 👍 Cheers.
Hi Shawn. I'm glad you found it! Good idea about posting it in the channels section, I will do that. Biochar and charcoal are the same. I just did some research on the charcoal earth mound method and it looks cool. Thanks for the tips.
If you pay close attention the smoke has different phases, the initial smoke is white and it's mostly steam, then once the steam is gone and it's burning wood gas the smoke is pretty much clear, then as it starts burning the carbon the smoke gets darker again, and like a gas engine if the fuel oxygen ratio gets too rich you will see looks of dark smoke.
As to crushing it, run the char through your hammer mill with a1/4- 1/2 screen. dry char will make a bit of dust however, and really wet char will cake up.
Cool! Thanks for the tips. It was interesting to watch the smoke and see what happened depending on fuel, air, moisture, and when I tipped the bin up or laid it on its side.
Awesome .... I’m also interested in bio char.... there’s a guy buying a lot of logs in my area of Colorado ... he’s causing us to pay a higher premium or in my case would sell to me because of this bio char guy ..... I’m thinking bio char will pay more but unsure of being cedar
Check out Codyslab's videos on charcoal making. As I recall, he found out the "pit method" is pretty much just as good as using a barrel, and can be scaled easier.
Cool. That would be great if I could just dig a hole and burn it in there. It would save me from finding a big metal bin, etc. I will check it out
@@SJForestProducts ua-cam.com/video/C5oI7pZpOK8/v-deo.html link to said video.
Ohh Codyslab is great
I was just about to mention Cody’s lab and his experiments with the pit! Super efficient and so easy…
Drill holes at the bottom of the barrel. Set barrel upright. Start fire. When burning hot enough and full, shovel dirt over the holes, and cap the top. Also insulate with kaowool
Great tips. Thanks!
19:08 "I can't get it sealed ..."
That's what hammers are made for. Tap around the perimeter of the band while pulling the clamp handle. (or use a block of wood for a hammer)
haha, your right. When we worked in the mines anything could be fixed with a hammer, bigger the better😂. It just needs a MINER adjustment!
@@SJForestProducts
😆😅😂🤣
I think you did a really great job
Thanks!
Fill the drum with wood and put a lid on it, Then poke a hole in the bottom and put that drum on a regular campfire. The steam and wood gas generated will exit the hole, blow into the fire and burn, generating even more heat. When gas generation ceases remove the drum, let it cool and open it up.
Might want to try this on a smaller scale first, like using a paint can or something similar.
Awesome! Thanks for the suggestion. I will give it a try
@@SJForestProducts king of random did this on a small scale. ua-cam.com/video/_g6Q7RmxG0I/v-deo.html
@kira you can do the barrel retort method but you are limited to smaller batches, you get a very high quality char but small quantities. The flame cap method allows you to process a lot more volume.
That axe was comical!
Haha, clown ax? To big for the job?
I agree about mulching it. I’m not sure what they call it but it’s on its own 18 wheeler flat bed or on a smaller trailer. It’s round and spins in the center I think. Iv seen them used at my local dump and on tv mulching pallets. Don’t know if you can rent but it will take care of all those piles in a day. I’m a wood burner. Time consuming. 🍻👍
I think they are called tub grinders. Very cool machines. I bet they are expensive though?
@@SJForestProducts thanks. I just looked it up. $100,000 + .. wow expensive. Burn 😂😂👍👍
Hey Jason, I have wanted to build a wood gas generator for a motorcycle. Like mount it in a side car.
That would be cool!
I am in favor of grinding slash into chips. Cedar shavings are costly and short supply. Many water districts use them for winterizing water meters. The totes would be perfect to put in back of a truck for a round of winterizing.
Cool, thats good to know. I think I will experiment with a chipper some time and explore the market a bit. I just want most of the slash gone and if I could get paid for it all the better
I live in middle Mississippi. Lots of pine and oak. What is your opinion of pine charcoal as soil amendment.
Did you make a plan for how to handle all the slash? You still doing this barrel method?
Do a follow up on it with your results and advise please
Will do. I am planning on scaling up too. I want to get a 8' steel bin and feed it with my excavator. Video coming in the future
It's like I have a camp fire in my apartment!
Haha, Nice!
I just found your second channel Jason 👍
You really should post it on your "Channels" section on MBMM so that others can see it.
Bio char seems pretty much the same thing as making charcoal.
Is there a difference? If not, why not just do the old fashioned earth mound methed.
Thanks Jason 👍 Cheers.
Hi Shawn. I'm glad you found it! Good idea about posting it in the channels section, I will do that. Biochar and charcoal are the same. I just did some research on the charcoal earth mound method and it looks cool. Thanks for the tips.
If you pay close attention the smoke has different phases, the initial smoke is white and it's mostly steam, then once the steam is gone and it's burning wood gas the smoke is pretty much clear, then as it starts burning the carbon the smoke gets darker again, and like a gas engine if the fuel oxygen ratio gets too rich you will see looks of dark smoke.
As to crushing it, run the char through your hammer mill with a1/4- 1/2 screen. dry char will make a bit of dust however, and really wet char will cake up.
Cool! Thanks for the tips. It was interesting to watch the smoke and see what happened depending on fuel, air, moisture, and when I tipped the bin up or laid it on its side.
If you can grind it fine enough you can make sawdust for horse stalls. Good luck :)
Thanks for the tip!
You could make a really big hole and cover it with soil to smolder liked the ancients did.
Yeah, that would be a good idea. I just watched codyslab and his pit experiment. Looks like a pit works well
Awesome .... I’m also interested in bio char.... there’s a guy buying a lot of logs in my area of Colorado ... he’s causing us to pay a higher premium or in my case would sell to me because of this bio char guy ..... I’m thinking bio char will pay more but unsure of being cedar
Yeah, I'm interested too. I really want to biochar my slash and try and sell it as a product. Make this 50 acres pay for itself some way