charcoal in a biscuit tin

[flatyre]

Hey folks just been reading Marko's 'growing firewood' thread and Spandit provided a link on making charcoal on the house fire. Has anyone tried this in a wood burning stove as I have the stove lit all winter and barbeque all summer and Tesco's charcoal is expensive and crap.

[openspaceman]

Hey folks just been reading Marko's 'growing firewood' thread and Spandit provided a link on making charcoal on the house fire. Has anyone tried this in a wood burning stove as I have the stove lit all winter and barbeque all summer and Tesco's charcoal is expensive and crap.

 

Yes easily done, I found the metal whisky bottle container worked well but a square biscuit tin upside down is fine.

 

We used to make drawing charcoal from willow twigs this way using a baked bean tin upside down in the ash.

[richardwale]

Yes easily done, I found the metal whisky bottle container worked well but a square biscuit tin upside down is fine.

 

We used to make drawing charcoal from willow twigs this way using a baked bean tin upside down in the ash.

 

Wow! Love this idea for the kids. Empty bean tin....can you tell me how to do it?

Cheers

[spandit]

I've stopped making my own charcoal because it's easier to just light the BBQ with wood a bit earlier. Had mine blazing away like a rocket a few weeks ago and managed to melt it (cast aluminium Nipoori). I generally use willow cuttings that I harvest every year. They season quite quickly and burn splendidly.

[openspaceman]

Wow! Love this idea for the kids. Empty bean tin....can you tell me how to do it?

Cheers

 

 

Use one of the old fashioned bean or soup tins from Aldi, Run the can opener 7/8 of way round and prise the lid open. Empty contents into food bowl for later, rinse container and stack willow twigs that are just shorter than inside, fold lid closed and bury lid end upside down in hot coals. Add logs around and wait.. You will first notice steam coming from below the ash and then a white offgas, which will ignite. Keep burn going until no further flames. Make sure lid is kept below ash as it cools.

[T14EES T14UNK]

👍🏻👍🏻 I like the advice. Cheers

[Woodworks]

Hey folks just been reading Marko's 'growing firewood' thread and Spandit provided a link on making charcoal on the house fire. Has anyone tried this in a wood burning stove as I have the stove lit all winter and barbeque all summer and Tesco's charcoal is expensive and crap.

 

The way I did was with an old Quality street tin. Stab four or five holes in the top with a screwdriver then load the tine with dry hardwood pieces. Get the wood burner going really well and with plenty of fuel left to burn, place tine hole side up on top and keep the fir burning fiercely. After a while little jets of flame should come out the holes and these will burn for some time. As the jets die down to like a weak candle remove the tin from the stove with some oven gloves and place lid side down outside to leave to cool. With any luck when completely cooled you will have perfect charcoal in the tin. Have also done it with the tine upside down raised up on logs so the jets of flame go down into the fire and help the whole process. Good luck either way

[flatyre]

much appreciated guys, will give both methods a go and see if I can get some free charcoal.

[Marko]

I've stopped making my own charcoal because it's easier to just light the BBQ with wood a bit earlier. Had mine blazing away like a rocket a few weeks ago and managed to melt it (cast aluminium Nipoori). I generally use willow cuttings that I harvest every year. They season quite quickly and burn splendidly.

 

What Spandit said! Our dry willow wood chunks flame for such a short time before making mad hot 'coals' it is not worth making charcoal. Other applications may differ but for on the BBQ or in a pizza oven they are fantastic.

[flatyre]

Cheers guys unfortunately I don't have access to willow. I do have a pile of mixed logs which I was going to use, does the type of wood matter?