I 2 nd a Simple fire , with a flute nozzle and a large enough container to run for 4 hours at a time .
Dave
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I cast a vote in favor of the SimpleFire motion.
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YEA. Thanks Cody, Matt, Dave, Steve. I viewed Gary’s Youtube. Yea I was making things more complicated than needed. I tend to do that a bit.
I need to get my mind around all this and then I’ll keep you all posted when I get started. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of Qs.
Thx, Joe
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Perfect!! You belong here!
Here is the playlist for my unit.
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Hey Joe , if you go to the magnifying glass at the top of the page and copy paste this in (Nozzles for Charcoal gasifiers, part 2 ) you will see not only new methods of making nozzle’s for the simple fire but also a few other builds as well below the link .
Dave
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Yes there is also the updated version of the nozzle you will need for the SHTF Ammo Box build I posted there as well. That can work on any charcoal gasifier as well.
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Thanks guys. I’m gonna check all this out.
How do I get to Gary’s “files”? He mentions it is under the “Forum” tab. Can’t seem to find it.
Thanks again and kind regards, Joe
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Hi Joeb
Welcome to the DOW.
For the engine sizes you have said you currently do have in Response #5 and say you are currently fueling with propane in your first post . . .
Then do gasify these on charcoal. Take these guys experienced advices.
Here is the rub about wood charcoal . . . they mean pre-made wood charcoal. You can only pre-make wood charcoal that can be handled, sorted size graded, and then stored out of true hardwoods. Only true hardwoods will make the wood chars that can take this kind of handling roughness.
Conifer woods as in your balsam fir, spruce, red pine make soft will crumble to black char dust chars. Of course excepting conifer large hard knots, 100 year tight-rings limb sections, stump roots and such. Who has sustainable quanitiles of these, eh.
Now I figure you are probably pretty adept at wood stoving heating with your conifer woods.
These “Eastern” boys often have the luxury of picking and their fuel woods speices. Living in mixed species areas
Almost all of the daily woodgas vehicle drivers will quit on pines, spruces and go to their own local hardwoods. Soots up (actually char-dusts) thier particle separators, cooling tubes and filters much less.
You want make electricity with your conifer woods then DO Use the Ben Peterson Book system. Built by the book. BenP was born and raised out here far west in Douglas Fir land.
His system proofed on these woods. His exprences over 12 years developing for conifer woods is where the DO USE at least a 500cc engine generator advice originates. Better yet 700-1000cc engine systems. These are 20-30 hp rated on gasoline. ~15-20% less on propane. ~30-50 less on raw wood or charcoal.
Those taking this advices have had raw woods using success for generating electricity.
Open up Dean Lasko’s topic here on the DOW titled Newbie from Canada to see this.
Go to the newest engine advices on the topic Engines to Woodgas Run from post #130 for the latest use, and advices on using the larger IC engine driven inverter-generators.
As Dave in Australia uses these (on charcoal) then it cuts the ties from having to build design for rigid engine RPM or even engine power.
Just like your woodstoveing energy release output on a raw wood gasifier will vary quite a bit cold starting up through a hopper load to the ending. Ha! Just like daily PV solar.
Ignore offgrids48’s system and information. He has yet gotten the hard experiences actually long term using an IC electric generator on his tweeked systems. Even after years now encouraging him to do the full developing. He cannot meaningful help on this 1/3 the systems for using wood to make electricity. 1/3rd being the fuel prepping.making - where is his information on methods for that? 1/3rd being the actual IC engine generators
And my expeernces says larger air cooled electrical generator systems output heats along with the gassers down stream shed heat can dry as-cut conifir woods down fit to use. Conifer woods dry much faster than hardwoods.
Regards
Steve unruh
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Thanks Steve, More to think about. I’m really liking the simplicity of the charcoal systems. I do have access to hardwoods. Birch, maple, alder. I may even be able to get oak. I may wanna try this first. I appreciate the comparison and advice.
Regards, Joe
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Hi Joe, I have a cherry orchard next door to me. Hard wood fruit trees is another over looked wood. I get as much of this wood as I want from the yearly prunings, from the big branches, to the smaller ones all for free. It is great for making Charcoal if you live close to a orchard in your area.
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Hi Joe, Welcome. Another vote for the dark side, I’m afraid. And here is a tip IF you live in a place where a lot of commercial tree trimming is going on. Around here, these guys are looking places to dump their wood chips. They gladly bring them to me free of charge. I screen them between 1 inch and 3/8 inch screens and dry them before converting them to engine grade charcoal in a giant TLUD. No cutting, no gathering, no hauling, no grinding and chips dry quicker than sticks. Bruce
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You just gotta love this kind of free stuff. Bruce what do you do with all the screen out smaller chips? Gardening mulching?
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Yes, garden mulch extraordinaire.
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Yea, really love the free stuff. Thank for the suggestions.
I can get birch and maple pretty easy. I can also get alder. I’m thinking these would make good coal. Any experience with these hard woods?
Joe
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BTW, I’m in northern Minnesota. Lots of logging and fire wood production around here. I also have a small saw mill so I have lots of mill slashing. Joe
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I would not worry too much about species. All wood can be converted to usable charcoal. Im not bias I use anything I can get my hands on; beggers must not be choosers. 
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Ha Ha, right on Matt. I’m a begger for sure.
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Hi Joe, you came to the right place. With all the help you alredy got there isnt much to add except to confirm everything others sayd.
Steve beat me to it. Conifers wood makes problematic charcoal. Low density, spongy dusty stuff… but, this sayd, the limbs of conifers make premium char! How you described your situation sounds like you wuld have plenty of that.
I wuld first try making charcoal. A lot of beginers make their first gasifier then get unpatient and skip the incredibly important step of propper fuel preparation.
There are a lot of different styles of simple charcoal kilns, if your wood is dry and uniform in size, a TLUD made out of a oil drum is a good way to go. How l started. Each batch produces about 15 pounds of charcoal.
If you got a supply of twigs and branches, the tilt barrel or Giorgios bathtub method is hard to beat. Also, twig charcoal requires minimal preparation after its done.
Good luck
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Great advice from Kristijan. Lots of simple ways to make good engine grade charcoal (eg. bathtub and tilt barrel). Find one of the methods here on DOW that fits your feed stock, environment and your personality. Making charcoal can be a lot of fun! Several environmental groups argue that charcoal can help save the planet. Look up Biochar, if that flips your switch.
Good reminder on the TLUD, “if your wood is dry and uniform size.” TLUD stands for Top Lit Up Draft, made famous as an energy efficient gasifier cook stove. But TLUD could also mean Totally Loves Uniform Dimensions, whether chips, chunks or sticks. If using sticks of uniform diameter in a TLUD stand them up vertically to allow an even progression of the pyrolytic front. Adding a small blower to the bottom of a TLUD is the secret sauce for high performance. For processing large, random size feedstock consider a curtain kiln. A fan blowing downward at a slight angle through a manifold with long thin nozzles creates a blade or curtain of air. Smoke free operation, but intense heat requiring protective gear while feeding.
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