Homemade Lump Charcoal

ribmaster · October 2011

I have decided to try and make my own charcoal.

I have read instructions that call for two metal drums...55 and 35 gal.

Does anybody make their own or have any tips?

I am guessing if I can get the barrels for free, the wood for free and figuring charcoal cost a minimum of .66 cents per pound...

I might could break even on the deal.

4Runner · October 2011

Sounds like a lot of work to breakeven though. I think one would do it not to save money, but to just do it. Certainly someone will chime in for you.

Jasper · October 2011

The Naked Whiz knows all...
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/makinglump.htm

And another post, from another forum:
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37313

And another site:
http://www.twinoaksforge.com/BLADSMITHING/MAKING CHARCOAL.htm

Does seem like a lot of work, unless you want to try it for fun!

gee · October 2011

I am gonna try the two drum method. I just want to do it because I can. I have the wood and the time so why not. I know lump is cheap enough that it doesn't really pay for doing it but at least I will know what is in it.

ribmaster · October 2011

The two drum method is the one I saw also. I got a line on a 25 gallon and 33 gallon. Still looking for a 55 gallon.

I got a chain saw and truck. People around here list oak wood on craiglist for free.

It is less about the cost but more about quality control. With the inconsitancy I have heard of in charcoal it seems the only way to know exactly what you are getting. Atleast with the choices available locally.

Thanks for the links Jasper.

Randewithane · October 2011

Bushcraft Magazine - Making Charcoal Part 1 and 2 check this out on you tube. I do it this way. After the wood is split I cut it into chunks a little bit bigger than a softball. Throw some wheat straw in the drum just enough to get a good fire started. Fill the drum to the top with the chunks. Lite the straw thru the holes in the bottom of the drum. Once it gets burning good I put the lid back on it with it raised up on one side about an inch. A few warnings, don't breath the smoke it will make you sick, it smokes a lot, let you neighbors know that the woods ain't on fire. The smoke changes from a intense thick white smoke to a thin blueish color when it's done. I get about 35 lbs of charcoal per burn.

Randewithane · October 2011

The smoke is thick and stinks and will make you sick. It's nothing like the smoke you get from sitting around the camp fire. That was some cherry wood I was converting to lump. Cherry, oak, hickory, walnut, apple or peach, once its converted to charcoal you loose the smoking attributes if you did it correctly. I can't tell one from the other after its converted, I do however keep it all separate.

Homemade Lump Charcoal

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