Thanks for the information and links to the simple chunkers. Someday I might try making one.
Today I fired up the simple fire again and did some more work on the down draft gasifier.
First I set the chop saw up to cut some pipe.
Thought I’d try less sharp bends this time. The simple fire I just cut 45 degree angles but this time I set it at 22.5 degrees. Took extra welding but might have less restriction for the gas flow.
Just about finished another 2 pound roll of flux core wire.
Now, I could have hidden this lumpy mess but I wanted to show good and bad to encourage others and show that you don’t need to be a professional welder to do this.
I wasn’t happy with that lumpy mess but I could have tested it for leaks and put some silicone or JB Weld on it to fix any leaks and called it good enough but decided to grind it off and see what it looked like under all that weld.
Not real bad but found some places I’m going to weld up.
This is a temperature reading just after shutting off the simple fire. I guess it was time to shut down. This burnt a lot of charcoal (probably a bucket full) but was running good. I think I’ll let it cool off and empty it out tomorrow to get rid of ashes and to check on the nozzle.
Closer to the nozzle the outside of the tank was over 450 degrees F (232 degrees C) but the temperature after my cooler was still under the boiling point of water. I didn’t check how much water it condensed but today’s charcoal should have been drier than yesterday’s run.
I probably should have shut down and refilled it sooner but it was running really good and I was almost done.
I didn’t time this run but it must have been a couple hours or maybe a little longer. It run long enough to cut the pipe pieces, grind the edges, weld them together, and grind the lumpy weld back off. I was going to weld some spots that looked like they might leak and grind those welds back down by my uncle came and offered to take me to get some firewood slabs.
This is all hemlock so not the best firewood but a local sawmill told me to take as much as I wanted. This will likely be just burnt in the furnace but I might try turning some into charcoal.