One of the newer things I’ve been reading is marine biochar using things like algae and seaweed as the media that’s charred. From what I was reading it leaves the trace minerals and non-volatils in place for plants and microbes. It got me thinking about what other things you could char to add different elements.
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I powderize mine using a dollar store(there it is again lol) blender and flour sifter to separate larger chunks that need a second go in the blender.
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I also use the blender and sifter for mixing/blending my amendment mixes and to powderize the crushed oyster shells I get for cents on the lbs from the farm and home store.
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My wife had a fit when I tried her blender, lol.
Powdered charcoal can be sprinkled on top of your soil indoors to keep down the green algae that I always get on my seedlings. Works great.
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I’v just recently made char but haven’t crushed it yet I’d say soak overnight and crunch with a mill I had an old corona grain mill at one time that might work also have a manual grain mill for brewing but not sure if I’d like to send it through that! Rolling pin with a cloth bag maybe?
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For the amount you have there I’d soak it for sure then mash it on a flat rock inside a bucket with a sledge hammer. Use it like a tamper.
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Oh the crazy wheels are turning now! How about field corn , oatmeal, wheat bran, sunflower seeds?
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I used some stale walnuts once but a buddy told me walnuts, leaves and roots contain juglone which the tree uses to suppress competition. Looked really cool though.
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I use an old coffee grinder on mine.
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I’m just wondering what comes about "other " char options whether or not if it contains the pore structure of just good old plain wood!
To my understanding the pore structure of the char come from the hard cell walls of the plants remaining intact after pyrolysis. So it may actually reduce the surface area of the char in a linear fashion
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I am confused. When I used to make charcoal, when I was down in TX, I would start a fire and put a 30gal barrel on top, filled with wood, with holes drilled in the TOP. These would vent the gases out the top. Wouldn’t holes in the bottom allow flame into the canister/bucket/can and actually burn the wood?
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I never thought of that, that is so cool. do you just cut slots for the terminals or drill a hole for the whole socket?
It seems to work quite well once it gets hot enough for the gas to escape from pressure the gas ignites and shoots out a good 3.5 -4 in flame out the bottom, I can usually tell when it’s close to being done just buy how the flame flickers in and out towards the end then I let it go another 10-15 minutes or so for completion .
It’s very similar in the process of making char cloth back in Boy Scouts in an altoids tin!
I was under the impression you put the holes on the top of the tin for char cloth, but it has been many moons since I was a boy scout.
I was taught, for charcoal, to vent the top and watch the color of the smoke/fumes coming out to see if done. The only time I have seen the holes on the bottom is the “barrel in a barrel” method.
My thought, because I am in the DPRofK (heavens forbid I burn something…ANYTHING) I would take one of the patio fire pits, with the screen around it, get that going and put a container on that. It is contained, spark wise, and would still cook off the wood gas and char it. Once I have it in there I can build around the sides.
Do you thing I should put the holes on the bottom or the top? I just always think the flame would get into the container, through the bottom holes and burn, rather than cook, the wood.
I was just thinking. I may get a new smoker. The one I have now is a barrel type, but small, with a attached firebox. If I used the section, and use something like the stovepipe retort @DavesNotHere made, could I close the lid and do it inside? It does have a stack to let out smoke and gas.
Also, does it need to be IN the fire, or could it be on a rack OVER the fire?
I don’t think it really matters where the holes are as you can see my char comes out fine … in the fire would be best IMO ya got to get that som bitch nice and hot! That rocket stove is really nice it comes out the bottom And the flames lick at least 1/2 the way more up the side of the can !
Ya can see in this pic most of the ports are burning the gas coming out.
WMoon
I drill out the hole. I thought about putting slots for the prongs but I was afraid that they would short out.
Also I bent the prongs down 90 degrees to save a little headroom.
I used a 25 mm hole saw and a drill press and lots of care, the hole saw tends to grab the cupcake tin.
The spacing of the cupcakes is perfect for screw in bulbs like you can get a Walmart, after you pop off the plastic bulb covers.
The larger full spectrum bulbs I have from ebay won’t work with such tight spacing, so I’ll make my next one with a cookie sheet.
Do you have the sockets going into the cups?