Resizing barrels for a charcoal gasifier and retort

Me too Andy, but somethings it’s good at. Cut way down on using it.

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I absolutely rely on oxy / acetylene and I shutter when I have to pay the bill, so I never walk away from the tanks with them still “on”. I try not to even lay the torch down with the tanks on. I have found that with the tanks on and the torch “off” while grinding that the acetylene will light from a spark telling me that my torch does not shut off entirely. TomC

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Hi Robert, I’d say use what you have. A 1.5" pipe will work but it mayl restrict the amount of oxygen getting in thereby increasing the time to do a “burn”. You can always add another 1.5" pipe later. Hold off on buying the 2" pipe for now.
Gary in PA

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Hi Robert
OR can I find information “Gary Gilmore” to construir has a horned charcoal
Thierry

Thierry,
I think you are asking for more information on Gary Gilmore’s builds. Try clicking on his name and then you can view his posts on here. Here are a few of his YouTube movies.

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Got it done.



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Going to try putting a batch in tonight.

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Looks good! Can we get a picture of it as a whole?

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Decided to just add the two pipes right away.

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I’ve got three or four 55 gallon drums of wood that looks like this. Think I could make charcoal out of this? Or is it cut up too small?

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Got it lit and she’s burning clean.

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Only running on the one and a half inch pipe now, no forced air no fan.

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Go ahead and open both bottom air inlets and see what happens. Were is the secondary air inlet for the afterburner? My bet is you will be getting some black smoke from time to time with out the secondary holes. Here is an easy experiment, Take some 1/2" rebar or some thing like that and use it to lift the afterburner off the top of the drum lid. This will allow oxygen to mix with the hot flames and give a cleaner burn, Your wood looks nice, so long as it is dry. I even use long pieces of wood that are the length of the barrel, but split to be no more than three inches thick. These are stood on end and the fire lit on top.
Oh, you do have holes punched in the bottom of the drum that is holding the wood? Yes?
Isn’t making charcoal FUN?
Gary in PA

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Thanks Gary,
I’ll add some holes or add some rebar to the after burner. Yes there is holes in the wood basket.
Making charoal is fun :smile: now I need to make a simple-fire and run an engine :sunglasses:

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With those pipes you’ve got in the bottom, it looks like you[ve already got a simple fire. just take off the chimney and put a solid lid with a hose fitting.

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That’s what I thought you were making. Hmmm, so if those two at the bottom were welded and have a different top to secure down, it could be a simple fire, right?

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Hi Bill,
I chose to make some charcoal first. Sorry it wasn’t made clear. Kind of a “don’t get the cart before the horse” thought process.
Both pipes at the bottom are welded. (Although this morning i saw a pin hole)

Andy,
I definitely could use this as a simple fire, but woud rather have something in the 20 gallon range so that it is easier to clean, change the nozzle and mount on my JD 140 if I want. I don’t have a generator yet but if I get one then I may use a 55 gallon drum for something like that.