Bananas.org - DIY Biochar

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Quote:

Originally Posted by sirdoofus (Post 341856)

As requested, here is a pic of 2 different charcoal making burners of different sizes.

Super easy to make!

The bigger one is made from two 55 gallon drums and a heating duct and the smaller one is made from a 5 gallon paint can, a standard paint can (not really necessary) and....well, another piece of heating duct.

total time to construct both about 3 hours

Total cost was about $35 US - most of that because I couldn't find free 55 gallon drums.

Hey, that's pretty sweet! :nanadrink:

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana (Post 341878)

The larger burner looks awesome with the cutouts and is pleasing to look at.

I suppose you did all the cutouts with a wheel or torch?
Do you make your char for the BBQ or the garden?
Looks like a project that would be interesting for me to do.

Thank you!!

The smaller one was my first attempt. It works OK but not great....smokes way too much....not enough venting at the top or really space for more without compromising fuel space....I could add another venting chamber....but it will still only make a small amount of char at a time.

I went back to the web to refine the design a bit and then made the bigger one....it works much better. If I had to do it over again I might consider a tall cone chimney instead of the pipe.....I guess I could always retrofit it but it works well enough to serve my purposes.

Cutouts done with a recip saw and metal blade - just like butter.

Also, what you can't see in the pic are all of the holes in the bottom of the barrel. If I remember correctly I used a 3/8 metal bit and drilled about 60 holes or something like that.

I mostly just make it for the garden although I have made it for the BBQ at a friend's request. He claims it works well. I am a lazy gas griller;)

Super easy to do and cheap. There are a lot of different designs out there and I chose this style because it was simple, inexpensive and functional.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snarkie (Post 341882)

Hey, that's pretty sweet! :nanadrink:

Thank you!!

Made some more today......plants love it..:woohoonaner:

I picked up 30# for less than $20 at Sam's. In the process of smashing it down and running through the blender on this 4th of July. I may get 10 gallons of powder to inoculate for the other two beds. :goteam:

I Made Rice Hull Biochar

I drilled holes in the bottom of this can and filled it with rice hulls. Then I turned on an exhaust fan installed in a window and opened a window near my kitchen. I put the can on a stove burner. The gases that escaped from the bottom of the can fed the flame of the stove burner, turning it yellow. Although it didn't smoke, because the burner flame burned the smoke, it did stink and set off smoke alarms. I had to grab the can with tongs and shake it to redistribute the hulls because the hulls near the top didn't get hot enough.

I am going to experiment using this as a substitute for perlite in mixes with peat moss. First, using tomato seeds.

Re: I Made Rice Hull Biochar

Quote:

Originally Posted by aruzinsky (Post 347305)

Nice char project.....should work well for your plants.

Nicely done. How big is that container and how long did it take?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirdoofus (Post 347434)

Nicely done. How big is that container and how long did it take?

7 inch diameter x 2.5 inches high

It took about half an hour but I didn't time it.

Time to get the supplies for your pot buster soilless mixs.:)

This year there are a few more great videos on the internet on how to make your own soilless mix and save you money on your indoor and outdoor grows.
Ingredients
peat or coir
perlite
lump charcoal
pine fines
any secret special amendment you have
.

How to bust up your charcoal for your soilless mix
by Hostafarian,
on Flickr.
.

Supplies for the soilless mix for all of your plants.
by Hostafarian,
on Flickr