Charcoal

[Loyalist Dave]

Since we are talking about uses and sources for charcoal, and not about using it in anything that's prohibited on the forum...,

I've found that when hardening a frizzen, the "cowboy lump charcoal" on a forge works well for fuel..., though I have no idea the wood source for that charcoal and would only try it in other situations calling for charcoal as an experiment. IF the stuff did work for other applications, the problem would be one would not know when or if the charcoal maker changed or mixed wood sources.

Now, for something like blackball...

If one is looking to make a period correct shoe dressing, aka blackball, it's roughly 35% beeswax, 40% tallow, and 25% carbon of some sort. The highest quality stuff was made using bone black, not wood charcoal, but well powdered charcoal should work well enough for a common man's shoes. Helps with water resistance too.

LD

 

[Winchester97]

I've been using cedar fence pickets from Home Depot for my charcoal. One four dollar picket will fill a one gallon paint can twice and makes a good bit of charcoal. I bought five pickets today because I think they'll soon stop having the fence pickets in stock over the winter.

Have had excellent results with cedar for my charcoal, fast,and clean. It's right there with willow in my experience.

 

[4575wcf]

I watched a you tube video (probably it is still out there) of a fellow top loading round dry staves into a 55 gallon barrel. The staves were a bit shorter than the barrel. When he had them packed in all around the inside perimeter he fired the barrel up and fitted a lid with 3 or 4 feet of chimney pipe attached to it. I never thought the contraption would burn very well, but it did. When it went out of its own accord he pulled out what looked like good charcoal and a quite a lot of it.

 

[user 48702]

I've read here that many say grapevines make excellent charcoal. Since Muscadines are in the grape family, the muscadine vines might be a good source. Around this part of the country they are everywhere, if your looking for a fancy word, they're ubiquitous. The vines can grow beyond 100' ft. tall reaching high into the tree tops, or as the old timers would say, "Tree Top Tall". I've seen vines as large as 2" to 3" inches in diameter at the base and they have the same stranded loose bark like some grape vines do. I know they're very dense even when green, so much so, you have to have a very sharp machete or bush axe to cut them and they have to be cut at an angle. As kids, we would find a muscadine vine growing on a hillside over looking a hollow, cut one loose from its base and swing on it like Tarzan over the hollow. Many entertaining hours was spent and lots of fun unless it decided to turn loose from the tree top, or you swung back and hit a tree. We didn't have much for entertainment out here back then, but it sure beat going down to the junkyard and watching chrome bumpers rust.

Here's a description Muscadines

 

[J. Paul]

Back in the time. I believe what was most available locally was what was used to make charcoal. I read of plum being used, willow was common, talked to a gentleman trying mesquite (it didn't give satisfying results) friend used cedar. I use a cast iron 1.5 gallon pot with a 1/8" hole drilled in the lid for a vent. Place it on flame then cover it with a cut off metal barrel to contain more heat. When it no longer smokes, it gets heat removed then cooled for 24 hours.
I used to Place it inside my wood stove and remove the following day when cleaning ash oit.

 

[Pukatea Bay Boy]

Kia Ora, fellow BP enthusiasts.
Willow the weeping type,grape pruneings, & paulonia, Kowhai ( if you don't live in NZ) forget that 1.
Are great for charcoal I've found. Often thought how poplar would be??? Anyone tried that? I'd be interested to know.
I'm not sure & theres absolutely no science behind it.... but if it grows fast . Then it is fast
Apologies lousy photographs, tricky taking a picture & holding the lighter at same time. 4 attempts & this was the best of the bunch.
Have a wonderful day out there
Everyone.
Kind regards Chris
Nga mihi

 

[Henry Miles]

I've been experimenting with tulip poplar and so far it works well, but I'm still learning the ins-outs of granulation and binders. So far, it looks promising. I wish we could have more detailed discussions...

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Has anyone tried eucalyptus? Or is there too much oil in it?
I have dry willow available, but I use Euc for firewood and can have buckets of chips from the saw.

 

[Mujiir]

White pine does the best at least in my tests.

I've also heard that white pine works well, and you can get it by the bale down at Tractor supply. They carry it for animal bedding. I was told when the smoke stopped coming out of the vent hole of whatever toasting can you are using, it's ready.

 

[Winchester97]

I've also heard that white pine works well, and you can get it by the bale down at Tractor supply. They carry it for animal bedding. I was told when the smoke stopped coming out of the vent hole of whatever toasting can you are using, it's ready.

I tested several pines, they were fast, but very dirty as well. The exception for me in that family was cedar. I also tried sumac, wild grape, and willow, with willow and cedar being very close. Several on a different forum were using cedar pet bedding to great effect.

 

[Pukatea Bay Boy]

I heard that red cedar is the best of anything ( you lucky North Americans)
Never seen 1 here.

 

[Springerpanhead]

Not sure if the forum reguards the discussion of powder making as a liability issue, an attempt to avoid government attention, a social responsibility issue, or some other reason. BUT. TIMES CHANGE. and given the current status of one of the key elements necessary to our sport, the rules should change also.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Not sure if the forum reguards the discussion of powder making as a liability issue, an attempt to avoid government attention, a social responsibility issue, or some other reason. BUT. TIMES CHANGE. and given the current status of one of the key elements necessary to our sport, the rules should change also.

You may take that up with the person who makes the rules, Angie.

LD

 

[4575wcf]

Here in my part of the Northwest quaking aspen is common. It is always found next to water, in a creek bed, a draw, or along rivers and streams. It is a soft fast growing wood like willow or cottonwood. You can use it for firewood, but it is not the best. If alder and willow are good woods to use, then I would think it would work well also. Has anyone tried it? Ditto on the rule change, seems there is a bad feeling in the wind these days that I am not liking.

 

[user 48702]

I heard that red cedar is the best of anything ( you lucky North Americans)
Never seen 1 here.

One of the landowners at our hunting club has had close to 200 acres clear-cut and it looks like they were only after the oaks and pines, leaving literally tons of down or damaged red cedar. There's so many on ground, one of the guys has been cutting all the cedar fence post he needs for his farm.

 

[user 48702]

What about crepe myrtle or privet? We're covered up with it as well.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

One of the landowners at our hunting club has had close to 200 acres clear-cut and it looks like they were only after the oaks and pines, leaving literally tons of down or damaged red cedar. There's so many on ground, one of the guys has been cutting all the cedar fence post he needs for his farm.

I'd wonder about the oil in the cedar, though I suppose it gets consumed in the charring process? If it didn't I'd imagine it would effect one's filtering of water, or alcohol through the charcoal, if not other applications and uses for the charcoal.

LD

 

[Semisane]

Not sure if the forum reguards the discussion of powder making as a liability issue, an attempt to avoid government attention, a social responsibility issue, or some other reason. BUT. TIMES CHANGE. and given the current status of one of the key elements necessary to our sport, the rules should change also.

Totally agree Springerpanhead. There are beaucoup YouTube videos on making the stuff, so I can't see that's there's a liability issue. What's missing when viewing those videos is the type of discussion that would occur if Making Powder were added here as a topic under The Workshops. It would be great to be able to discuss our individual results, successes, failures, problems, solutions, etc.

 

[J. Paul]

I'd wonder about the oil in the cedar, though I suppose it gets consumed in the charring process? If it didn't I'd imagine it would effect one's filtering of water, or alcohol through the charcoal, if not other applications and uses for the charcoal.

LD

I was told once to avoid any woods with heavy resins because it would muck up the charcoal

 

[DixieTexian]

Anybody ever try sycamore? Seems like it would be a decent candidate.