Good Day John, I noticed some of those using the cone method. They put a grate in the bottom of the cone. To keep the wood from resting on the bottom of the cone. After the char starts being formed it will fall down thru the grate. Filling up the bottom. They start the fire from the top. Using small wood. Have you tried the top light method? Building a rebar cage going up 2 meters, or 2.5 meters tall. . Should be more than tall enough to keep the long wood from falling out of the drum. Looking forward to the next video on this subject. I made a rolling magnet pick up tool , to pick up the nails. From the pallets I use. Amazing how many nails are in 5, or 6 pallets. I spread the char on the ground. And roll the tool over the char. Takes at least 5 passes over the char to get all the nails.
The only time I have tried to light at the top was when I did the double drum method. I have built a cage out of rebar not as tall as you suggest because I couldn't see how I would lift the wood over the top of it I only finished it yesterday. I will do a video on it soon. I guess using pallets you would get a lot of nails unless you denailed it first and you would still miss the odd one. Sounds a lot easier to pick them up with your handy dandy mag sweeper after its burned. John
Well that was interesting. Following pretty closely your adventures in biochar. Made 4 small batches so far using the hole in the ground cone method. I am always surprised at how much I get out of that small cone. It’s 2feet deep and a little over three feet across but when I am done it’s completely full of good charcoal. It seems to be a bit more labor intensive tho than the barrel method. As I am a lazy gardener I am always looking for the easy way to do things. Keep experimenting with it and post the results please. Thanks.
Thank for being part of the conversation . The hole in the ground works the same way as the method in the drum. I needed something that was easy to unload digging the char out of a hole in the ground was a bit hard for me. Just rolling the drum around onto a piece of tin is a lot easier and if I need to move it when it is finished like down to the cattle yards its strait forward to do with the loader then just roll it off the forks and it tips it onto the ground. John
I'm testing the 62 degrees cone shaped container, But you seem to had a good results. I started with a top of drum and cut to center and pounding with hammer outwards until it bends into a cone.,but I got to get my wood to testing. Thanks
As I said when I saw you barrel on the side ,cut and partially closed and seemed to do great, Sir I was and am impressed. I had started to cutting the cone first and yes your barrel is best for as most goes .My small 50 square feet don't need as much and I don't have much to burn so small but efficient is for me. I believe most people would find your system great. Thanks for teaching, Sir
great video .thank's for doing the biochar video's.to cold here to try it yet .roll on spring.stay safe. gary
Must be bloody difficult over there between covid and the cold can't do much. John
Glad it turned out good for you!
Thanks Ernie Hatmaker I have it worked out now. John
Very informative again John, thanks for sharing. Hope you and Pat are going well xx Cathi xx
Thanks Cathi we are going good. Hope it cools off for you all down there. John
Good Day John, I noticed some of those using the cone method. They put a grate in the bottom of the cone. To keep the wood from resting on the bottom of the cone. After the char starts being formed it will fall down thru the grate. Filling up the bottom. They start the fire from the top. Using small wood. Have you tried the top light method? Building a rebar cage going up 2 meters, or 2.5 meters tall. . Should be more than tall enough to keep the long wood from falling out of the drum. Looking forward to the next video on this subject. I made a rolling magnet pick up tool , to pick up the nails. From the pallets I use. Amazing how many nails are in 5, or 6 pallets. I spread the char on the ground. And roll the tool over the char. Takes at least 5 passes over the char to get all the nails.
The only time I have tried to light at the top was when I did the double drum method. I have built a cage out of rebar not as tall as you suggest because I couldn't see how I would lift the wood over the top of it I only finished it yesterday. I will do a video on it soon. I guess using pallets you would get a lot of nails unless you denailed it first and you would still miss the odd one. Sounds a lot easier to pick them up with your handy dandy mag sweeper after its burned. John
Thanks for your effort and very nice video!👌👍
Thanks very much. John
Well that was interesting. Following pretty closely your adventures in biochar. Made 4 small batches so far using the hole in the ground cone method. I am always surprised at how much I get out of that small cone. It’s 2feet deep and a little over three feet across but when I am done it’s completely full of good charcoal. It seems to be a bit more labor intensive tho than the barrel method. As I am a lazy gardener I am always looking for the easy way to do things. Keep experimenting with it and post the results please. Thanks.
Thank for being part of the conversation . The hole in the ground works the same way as the method in the drum. I needed something that was easy to unload digging the char out of a hole in the ground was a bit hard for me. Just rolling the drum around onto a piece of tin is a lot easier and if I need to move it when it is finished like down to the cattle yards its strait forward to do with the loader then just roll it off the forks and it tips it onto the ground. John
I'm testing the 62 degrees cone shaped container, But you seem to had a good results.
I started with a top of drum and cut to center and pounding with hammer outwards until it bends into a cone.,but I got to get my wood to testing.
Thanks
When I started I saw those type of set ups they were a bit hard and I wanted to get a simpler way. John
As I said when I saw you barrel on the side ,cut and partially closed and seemed to do great, Sir I was and am impressed. I had started to cutting the cone first and yes your barrel is best for as most goes .My small 50 square feet don't need as much and I don't have much to burn so small but efficient is for me. I believe most people would find your system great.
Thanks for teaching, Sir
@@johnjude2685 No worries thanks for watching and commenting. John