# Rotary Charcoal Grinders
**URL:** http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323
**Category:** Charcoal Gasification
**Created:** [January 17, 2019, 12:43am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323 "2019-01-17T00:43:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@oregoncarl](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/oregoncarl)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2019, 12:43am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/1 "2019-01-17T00:43:23Z")
I have been putting off making a good charcoal grinder for a long time, as I did not have a way to weld the heavy steel parts used on a Gilmore rotary grinder. I tried a lot of other ideas, and I had no luck. With a new welder, I was finally able to give it a go, and it works great! Here is a quick video
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANnxBfqwIO4)
I am going to eventually mount it up higher with an angled hardware cloth chute to sort out the fines. It runs on a 1/2 hp motor that only draws about 130 watts when unloaded -didnt check it while it was grinding, but it should run on my charcoal generator without any trouble.
Here are some other posts with videos of similar grinders:
> [@Bill Schiller's venture to the dark side](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/bill-schillers-venture-to-the-dark-side/4147/64):
>
> This one? I like this too. I think I even have a gear reduction unit too. [[Charcoal processing for charcoal gasifier] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37-h41iT68M)
> [@Bill Schiller's venture to the dark side](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/bill-schillers-venture-to-the-dark-side/4147/45):
>
> [[Charcoal Grinder and trommel] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNMlokgLmrY) Here is a video of my set up Bill, enjoy All the parts were of things I just had laying around waiting to be used. I love building things like this. Bob
> [@Bill Schiller's venture to the dark side](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/bill-schillers-venture-to-the-dark-side/4147/68):
>
> While we are posting charcoal grinders, here is mine [[chargrinder] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rbHGzFrbII)
> [@Mercedes-Benz E230 vol. 2, charcoal powered](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/mercedes-benz-e230-vol-2-charcoal-powered/3604/232):
>
> Tom, you are right, l use wifes camera now smile I urgently neaded this: [[02. januar 2018] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT8XlSMOjRA) This gets a hour woth of work with my old hand crank grinder done in a minute.
Anyone that I missed who has a video of a grinder in action, please post it here!
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### Author:  [@Jeff](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Jeff)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2019, 12:56am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/2 "2019-01-17T00:56:32Z")
Hi Carl,
That is a nice grinder. Good work!
Solar-Fuel, onward.
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### Author:  [@glgilmore](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/glgilmore)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2019, 4:55am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/3 "2019-01-17T04:55:59Z")
Nice. To sift out the fines, use a rotating trummel or cast the charcoal onto the upper end of a screen tilted at a 45 degree angle. The dust will fall through and the engine char will not. Better yet, mount the grinder above an inclined screen and do it all in one operation.
Gary in PA
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### Author:  [@Handy\_Andy](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Handy_Andy)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/4 "2019-04-30T17:13:16Z")
You guys who have already built grinders, how much space have you left between the nubs on the drum and the stationary fingers?
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### Author:  [@ray\_menke](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/ray_menke)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/5 "2019-04-30T19:04:04Z")
Andy, I TIG welded some RR spike pieces to a 3" pipe, and then used RR spikes for the teeth of the comb.! Here is a photo of Gary’s set-up, I believe.
[Gilmore\_grinder|175x275](http://forum.driveonwood.com/uploads/default/original/3X/5/f/5f5a01e8b72ed092a007eb48a774673186f97a1b.jpg)
Looking at the second photo (the one I built), I would guess 1/8" on either side of the tooth for clearance?
Mine is hand cranked, and is located near the path from the house to the shop. I hold my breath, crank for a minute or so, and continue on to where I was going.
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### Author:  [@don\_mannes](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/don_mannes)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/6 "2019-04-30T19:20:22Z")
Yep, 1/8" or so each side.
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### Author:  [@Handy\_Andy](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Handy_Andy)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/7 "2019-06-08T21:40:33Z")
Ok, here is my grinder set up in its home location
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDBJT-P036U)
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### Author:  [@TomC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/TomC)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/8 "2019-06-09T21:50:48Z")
Andy; If you put another “beer” sign on top of the 2x4 that hold the sifter, would it act as a chimney and pull the dust up and away? Tomc
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### Author:  [@Yancy26](http://forum.driveonwood.com/u/Yancy26)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2019, 3:50am UTC](http://forum.driveonwood.com/t/rotary-charcoal-grinders/4323/9 "2019-08-09T03:50:51Z")
Andy that’s a nice grinder!