dagabu Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Now that is a witness mark if I ever saw one. I like how the paint shows heat so well. I am exited to see it all together and working. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) Now that is a witness mark if I ever saw one. I like how the paint shows heat so well. I am exited to see it all together and working. -dag Don't "EXITED" yet..... Just FUNNING with ya Dag.... I just online ordered a thermocouple designed for permanent installation in a kiln to install in the retort..Will withstand 2K F. Edited February 17, 2012 by oldguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Dag-Nabbitt! LOL! That is the same as the ones we use in our Skutts! I never even thought of them for your application, I was totally fixated on the SST ones with the mini connector. Nice find OG! -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Dag-Nabbitt! LOL! That is the same as the ones we use in our Skutts! I never even thought of them for your application, I was totally fixated on the SST ones with the mini connector. Nice find OG! -dag You HIT it on the nose.It is for a Skutts kiln http://shop.clay-planet.com/skutt-kilns-replacement-type-k-thermocouple.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 You HIT it on the nose.It is for a Skutts kiln http://shop.clay-pla...ermocouple.aspx Yup, I pay $20.00 each in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondogman Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Just thinking..... will you need a taller chimney to get a better draft?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Just thinking..... will you need a taller chimney to get a better draft?? The chimney on it is 2 ft, I can add 2, 3 or 4+ more feet in a heartbeat.Once the retrofit is done, I will see if additional chimney height improves the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 PITA process to drill out, insulate & cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Inner upper drum load Upper inner lid bolted closed Centered Flues even heat distribution Rear draft Steaming off the upper inner drum load of wood.Lower valve closed, upper valve open. Upper valve closed.Lower valve open emitting flammable gas into firebox from upper inner drum. Edited February 21, 2012 by oldguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Goosebumps!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Waiting for the gas flame to die, close the valve & shut it down air tight overnight to cool. Edited February 21, 2012 by oldguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) This morning open upper barrel. Remove inner drum lid. SHOCKED…….. Load did not appear to have shrunk more than 5%. Thought it was a FAILURE. Started unloading the inner drum. (stupidly, in the excitement did not take a picture before I started unloading the inner drum". SHOCKED…… 100% charcoal. These were 2X6X about 23 inches Almost NO shrinkage Pic below is after I had removed about 2/3rds of the load. Below is what I started with. A rough guess is shrinkage was about 5 to 6%. Whoot Whoot…… …… this triple drum sumbitch system works better than I could ever even imagine. Edited February 21, 2012 by oldguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkInLight Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Now that is awesome. I wonder why it didn't shrink? Perhaps the slow and even cooking did not stress the wood into changing shape. That could be a good thing and mean a lower density. Is the charcoal soft and easy to crush by hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 A few tamps with a short 2X4 did this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkInLight Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Yep, that'll make some hot BP for sure. Nice and absorbent for charcoal streamers as well. Overall that looks like very nice charcoal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 A good read on the technical aspects of efficient modern charcoal making. http://web.1.c2.audiovideoweb.com/1c2web3536/Charcoal_Review%20(iecr03).pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Nice and absorbent for charcoal streamers as well.... Willow??? -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkInLight Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Willow??? -dag Was it willow? Sorry, I didn't read through all the posts to find out what sort of wood it was. I just assumed it was standard pine lumber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 This website has a lot of information on black powder as well. http://www.laflinandrand.com/page3.htm I think the kik, Pernambuco, and especially Swiss files have quite a bit of information about charcoal preparation, carbonization levels, oils, etc. There are a few pretty easy at home tests in there as well, such as the one to look for creosote and other oils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Givat Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 awesome work oldguy! looks very professional!what wood did you used in this cook? is this pine? waiting for more updating on this charcoal cooker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Was it willow? Sorry, I didn't read through all the posts to find out what sort of wood it was. I just assumed it was standard pine lumber. No silly! I was wondering if this would be good for a willow shell? It's paulownia wood. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelvis Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 This looks fantastic. I'm new to this forum. I joined only after seeing this post. This is exacltly what I was looking for. Please excuse the newbie question, but I've been unable to find a source for Diatomaceous earth (calcined) . How important is this to the mortar mixture? If it's critical, can you point me in the direction of a source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) awesome work oldguy! looks very professional!what wood did you used in this cook? is this pine? waiting for more updating on this charcoal cooker. Thanks for the kind words. The wood was Paulownia. It had set outside in the rain & snow for a winter season at a lumber yard (now defunct). It was somewhat warped & discolored and I bought it cheap. I air dried it in a tin shed this summer, so it was fairly bone dry when I put it to use. As far as precise analytical analysis or chemistry testing. Sadly, I was either doing bong hits, chasing loose skirts or working on my hot rod car during those school semesters. So, I am on loose ends in that arena. The two high temperature probes I ordered have not arrived yet. What I did was try to maintain around 850F on the lower flue for the course of the cook off. Which I should have but did not do was time the cook off start to finish.Next time I will also weigh the wood going in & weigh the end results. I might also add, it had a 2ft chimney. After it was going, I added another 2ft.Which improved the draft & correspondingly raise the working temperatures about 15%. All in all I am astounded with the excellent results. I am ball milling some now for BP.Plus, will test to see how well & long it will hang sparks.I have no doubts, it will be very reactive charcoal. Sending this to a good buddy, who I am sure will give the batch a whole range of tests & post them here. After a few more cook offs, I will try to draw some conclusions & post them. Edited February 21, 2012 by oldguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 This looks fantastic. I'm new to this forum. I joined only after seeing this post. This is exacltly what I was looking for. Please excuse the newbie question, but I've been unable to find a source for Diatomaceous earth (calcined) . How important is this to the mortar mixture? If it's critical, can you point me in the direction of a source? DE is found at about every swimming pool supply store around about $1 a pound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelvis Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Thanks! You have done a great job with this post! Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts