Homemade Charcoal

[Lumpy Coal]

I'm curious, has anyone tried making their own charcoal?  Seems easy enough.  Cost effective....not sure, factoring in time, hardwood for charcoal and wood for burning.  How does the end product compare to store bought lump?

[LightningBoldtz]

For me, I just look for sales on charcoal, that is cost effective to me. 

[MacEggs]

Here is an excellent "how-to" DIY thread from The Smoke Ring forum.

I have wanted to try this, but can't find a 30 gallon drum here in metric Canada.


http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37313

[OoPEZoO]

I've done it.  Cost effective? Sure, I suppose if the wood is free and your time is worth nothing. It was a fun project once, but I don't know if I would go through the trouble again. I took advantage of a stack of free wood, a free rusted out barrel, and a huge pile of brush that needed burned at my grand parents place. The charcoal was good, but no better than lump I had bought at the store. It was also a messy PITA to remove from the drum and bag.

I'm a big fan of prebagged charcoal on sale 😀

[Lumpy Coal]

Here is an excellent "how-to" DIY thread from The Smoke Ring forum.

I have wanted to try this, but can't find a 30 gallon drum here in metric Canada.


http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37313

Thanks Mac, if I were to do it I think this would be the way.  Other ways I've seen make way too big of a fire.  It also doesn't look very labour intensive so the only real expense would be the hardwood.  I like to do a batch and do a price compare to quality store bought for argument sake.  I say quality store bought because if I were going to do it it'd all be hardwood.

[Lumpy Coal]

I've done it.  Cost effective? Sure, I suppose if the wood is free and your time is worth nothing. It was a fun project once, but I don't know if I would go through the trouble again. I took advantage of a stack of free wood, a free rusted out barrel, and a huge pile of brush that needed burned at my grand parents place. The charcoal was good, but no better than lump I had bought at the store. It was also a messy PITA to remove from the drum and bag.

I'm a big fan of prebagged charcoal on sale

I got thinking about what you said coupled with a guy at work made a similar comment and decided it boils down to this:

I believe North Americans especially have become too dependant on being able to buy things and have lost much of the ability and desire to do things for ourselves.  I would just chalk being able to do this as adding another thing I am able to be self sufficient with and do for myself. 

There are many things I do because I can and not because I have to. 

[Jon]

Where I live, we are zoned for raising chickens, and even keeping bees. I don't think charcoal production would be allowed, particularly during a drought where every day is a no-burn day.

But this does extend the definition of a long cook.

[Uncle Al]

I believe North Americans especially have become too dependant on being able to buy things and have lost much of the ability and desire to do things for ourselves.  I would just chalk being able to do this as adding another thing I am able to be self sufficient with and do for myself. 

If I had a property with an abundance of hardwood I would not hesitate in giving this a try.  On a similar subject I know a guy that makes all of his own furniture/millwork for his house because he cannot stand the thought of purchasing something that is inferior.  He also plants his own tree seedlings to harvest years later for his woodworking projects.  I always tell people they are not doing it all themselves unless they planted the trees too 

[Lumpy Coal]

I planted trees with my son and scouts does that count?  ;-)