Pete - Sorry. Just reviewing the thread, and saw your question.
No. I never tested the Jaw Crusher idea.
And, in the end, I decided to go with a rotary crusher like Gary’s and Don’s.
I still think it is possible that the jaw crusher idea would work, and might make less dust, but I just don’t know.
Anyway, now that I have a way to make charcoal, and turn it into usable fuel, it is time to turn my attention to the main event - making the gasifier.
I have looked over the design.
It looks “simple” enough.
But I am wondering about a few things before I start.
I was thinking about using the flex exhaust pipe because the hose that Gary uses sounds like it might get over-heated when the charcoal gets low. I kind of need an idiot proof design. So, I am wondering what is the best choice for hose from the gasifier outlet to the filter?
I am thinking of using a 5 gallon plastic “ace bucket” for the filter. Is this a reasonable thing to use? Or should I be looking for a metal bucket? I plan to put foam in it with a wool blanket. Should I make the filter 5 gallons, with a 15 gallon gasifier, or is that overkill?
What is the best choice for some kind of blower? I definitely want a blower, so I can flare this thing before I connect it to my engine, and I would rather avoid using any gasoline at all, if possible.
Hey Kyle congrats on all the progress. I like the gamma lids mounted onto the 5 gallon bucket as a filter body with a water filter as the filter. Standard bilge blower like Wayne uses works for start up.
Best regards David Baillie
Hi Kyle, You are moving right along! Glad you did not pursue the jaw crusher. I tried it and it allowed large, narrow slivers of charcoal to fall through while the other charcoal just got hung up. I am still using the grinder that is very similar to what you have. Suggestion; If you have enough power, try adding two lugs welded opposite each other (180 degrees apart) on the pipe. This will double the number of lugs to crunch the charcoal.
Watch out for torrified wood in a charcoal gasifier. That stuff will still make tar.
As to your gasifier, let me suggest you use the sump pump hose from the gas outlet to the filter. It is cheap and easy to replace. When it gets to 120F, it starts to soften and soon collapses. So what? You learned how long your gasifier can run before the temp is too much which also means your fuel level is too low. You can use the flexible steel hose, but you will have to order it (most likely since it is 1.25") and you will have to make sure it has air tight connections.
The 5 gallon plastic bucket is an excellent idea. As David suggested, use the Gamma lids. I just ordered a dozen of them. Also use a bilge blower as he suggested. They really work well if you get the ones with enclosed motors. I like the five oceans make. Actually, I need to get some ordered. Once you get everything together, I’ll bet you will be amazed at how easy it can be to run a small engine on charcoal. Welcome to the dark side! 
Gary in PA
I found that old car radiator hose over the outlet pipe of the gasifier and onto the pipe running to the filter and then more car radiator hose with the correct bend on it connected to the pipe fitting on the drum filter works pretty good , and a lot cheaper than flexi hose here ,as they want $45 a meter for it ,
and will even stand up to the heat of the gas when the charcoal runs low , I also put a cyclone in line as well and that just helps take out very fine dust and cools the gas down even more , the pipe I am using at the moment is 2 inch stainless and helps with cooling as well .Dave
Hi guys, good day. Watch this I found in UK, I thought mine was big! No way …THIS is big…
Wow. That thing looks like the Kingsford factory.
David - What kind of water filter do you use and how do you mount it in your bucket?
Hey Kyle I pierced a hole in the gamma lid and use a male and female plumbing abs fixture that screws together then a screw fitting inside then a screw on spa filter that fits the bucket. Air intake is more threaded fittings through the bucket bottom those ones are pipe flanges for support. Everything is sealed with poly butyl caulking; Silicone does not stick to the buckets…
David Baillie
Ordered some Gamma lids and a blower last night.
Straightened up the shop.
Here’s the whole stack (screens and grinder).
Good way to store everything, but the crusher doesn’t vibrate enough to work everything through the screens since I went with the rotary crusher.
Going to have to re-think that, and add some sort of vibrator for the screens.
I saw Andy’s wood wheel barrow, and that inspired me to (possibly) arrange the whole contraption kind of like a wheel barrow, so I can easily move it in and out of the shop.
From now on, I want to do the crushing outside, to keep the dust down.
Hi david
your filter (5 gallon bucket) it contains a filter material? (Wood chips, hay, …)
The plastic bucket withstands the heat of the gas?
At what frequency clean your filter?
Thierry
I have been imagining the use of a mesh drum similar to a grain cleaner to sort charcoal by size. The tumbling action would keep it all moving.
A rotating screen in the shape of a long cylinder (drum) works real well as does a screen tilted to 45 degrees. Yes, a vibrating screen can also work but the first two are easier to build in my opinion.
Gary in PA
Andy - Yes. I love the idea of a rotating screen (“Trommel”).
I just figured it would be quite a bit of trouble to build.
I like the simplicity of a 45 screen.
It looks like it works for Don.
Maybe I will do that.
I think it depends on a couple of things like how dry the air is. I think Ray Menke keeps his charcoal in some kind of fabric bags, maybe even with an open top but he is in that dry Texas air where you have to lick your lips before you can talk. Up here near Lake Michigan the air usually has quite a bit of moisture in it and I believe in keeping engine charcoal dry so I use closed containers as much as possible.
on the gasifier this evening.
Made the flanges first, for the nozzle and the gas exit. They are 1" couplings welded to 1/8" plate. They welded up beautifully.
Wish I could say the same for the lid. We decided to weld the flanges to the the barrel instead of bolting them, as Gary had suggested in his write-up. Our theory was that we didn’t trust the RTV, and wanted to be sure we had an airtight seal. But we should have just stuck with Gary’s plan. Here is my father in law “Hoss” welding the flange. He is a much better welder than I am, but it still turned out to be an aggravation for him due to the thinness of the metal.
As you can see, I decided to go with an 8" long pipe to put a little space between the gasifier and the gas hoze. I am thinking about welding a few cooling fins to the pipe as well.
Here is a neat little screen filter we found in the junk bucket. It is tacked in place on the underside of the lid at the gas outlet. Hopefully, it will keep us from sucking up any chunks of charcoal.
I have bags and bags of charcoal in sacks that has been sorted and screened, but not ground in my charcoal grinder. After I grind it, it gets screened over 1/8" hardware cloth once more, inspected for any little brands, and then I store it in 55 gallon barrels with the locking tops. When we have those dry days, I’ll remove the tops of the barrels and let them sit open. Sometimes my newest barrel will have some condensation just under the lid. (Moist air rises, as do clouds, right?) These sealed barrels are labelled “engine grade” charcoal.
I keep a logbook of my charcoal making activity with the two barrel TLUD. The next load will be number 204. I also recently purchased about 1800 pounds of hardwood Ag charcoal from a place that bags charcoal for sale in stores, but this charcoal is not finished enough for use with engines. It is basically chips and pieces of Lump charcoal. I can mix it with Mesquite slivers in my TLUD stove, and when the stove is done, pour the charcoal into a small grill and cook steaks on it. Yummy! In any case, the stove finishes the charcoal and converts it to engine grade stuff. It also extends the run time of the stove, and shortens the height of the flame in the riser.
Here is the hose barb assembly that mates to the bucket.
There will be two of these. The bucket surface will sit between the flange on the hose barb and the O-Ring. The O-Ring is backed by a flat washer, then compressed with double nuts.
This hose barb fits the 1 1/4" sump pump pipe recommended by Gary.
Here is one, installed in the Gamma lid.
Surprisingly, I am having a little trouble finding some big pieces of foam rubber for the filter media.
I wonder if fiberglass insulation might work in the mean time?
Kyle, Nice work. My local fabric store, JoAnn Fabrics, has lots of good filter media: foam rubber in all sizes, fibrous pads for seating and great pillow stuffing. Fiberglass will work. Charcoal granules work great too. I use pieces that pass through 1/8, but won’t pass window screen. Discovered this in an old gasifier patent. Charcoal can be several inches deep with very little resistance to flow. The old patent has a rotating rake to recondition the surface when it becomes caked. I use a sheet of uni foam filter to support the bed of charcoal. http://www.amazon.com/Uni-Filter-65-PPI-Green-Fine/dp/B000ONZT5E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1460156849&sr=8-2&keywords=uni+foam+filter
