Thinking of having a crack at making charcoal.

[SteveA]

Hi Beau, if you should need firebrick and don't fancy paying a fortune for them.... or want to make some of your own unusually shaped bricks, or insulated chimneys, etc, have a look at these vids....

 

Video of How to make sodium silicate (water glass):

Video of Making firebricks with sodium silicate:

 

cheers, Steve

[SteveA]

Just sieved and bagged up the contents of the barrel. Probably put in 60 ish kg and have got 13kg of charcoal with no ash or brown pieces. 1 1/2 feed sacks of decent chunky pieces and 1 sack from the twigs that went in.

 

Now something I don't get is presuming this is as good as the stuff I did in a biscuit tin in the wood burner why is bought charcoal as heavy as it is? I am sure what I have made is a lot lighter by volume but the biscuit tin stuff was every bit as good to use as bought if not better but seemed lighter.

 

I make that a ratio of 4.6:1 ....was it hardwood or softwood, or a mix of the two?

 

Keeping in mind the Exeter retort will return hardwood at 4:1 I'd say you are on to something very good in this kind of setup! (especially when considering the affordability factor).

cheers, steve