I usualy use charcoal from super market for grill.
I can find these woods : Birch, Black Alder, Fir, Ash, Pine, Aspen.
From which i can make fast bp ?
P.S. Sorry for my english.
Making Charcoal
Started by sasman, Jun 09 2004 06:28 PM
256 replies to this topic
#182
Creepin_pyro
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Posted 03 November 2006 - 12:33 PM
As far as I can remember, black alder is reputed to be the fastest of the woods you quoted.
Pine is great for long-lasting, red sparks and is also very useful.
Pine is great for long-lasting, red sparks and is also very useful.
#183
EnigmaticBiker
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Posted 03 November 2006 - 01:25 PM
As Creepin-pyro says, the Black Alder is the best of the ones you list.I usualy use charcoal from super market for grill.
I can find these woods : Birch, Black Alder, Fir, Ash, Pine, Aspen.
From which i can make fast bp ?
P.S. Sorry for my english.
I've never tried Birch, might be worth trying it.
Birch is likely to be better than grill charcoal if cooked correctly. Some grill charcoals have clay added.
#184
Phildo
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Posted 03 November 2006 - 02:16 PM
Any light-weight wood works well for charcoal. Yellow pine is heavy and makes poor charcoal while white pine is light and makes excellent charcoal. I'm not familiar with the trees you have in the UK but I'd think that you could find plenty that would work well. I have Russian Olive on my property but wouldn't think it would be worth trying since it's so dense.
I use the sawdust left from cutting my rocket sticks ( white pine) and it makes charcoal that is nearly as good as my willow. It cooks quicker and the bulk of it is ready to use without having to mill it.
http://www.ihaveadot...ro/charcoal.htm
I use the sawdust left from cutting my rocket sticks ( white pine) and it makes charcoal that is nearly as good as my willow. It cooks quicker and the bulk of it is ready to use without having to mill it.
http://www.ihaveadot...ro/charcoal.htm
#185
RegimentalPyro
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Posted 04 November 2006 - 09:36 AM
To all those UK readers that will be having a bonfire this weekend - This is an excellent opportunity to make charcoal.
Just put the wood of your choice [willow etc for BP, Pine for spark comps] into a biscuit tin [as finely split as possible] and wire it shut.
Punch a hole in the tin with a nail.
Carefully place the tin onto the bonfire and wait until no more flames are coming from the hole......
Give it 10 more mins to be sure.....
Carefully rake the tin from the bonfire and let it cool overnight......Do not open until morning!
Just put the wood of your choice [willow etc for BP, Pine for spark comps] into a biscuit tin [as finely split as possible] and wire it shut.
Punch a hole in the tin with a nail.
Carefully place the tin onto the bonfire and wait until no more flames are coming from the hole......
Give it 10 more mins to be sure.....
Carefully rake the tin from the bonfire and let it cool overnight......Do not open until morning!
#186
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Posted 04 November 2006 - 01:23 PM
I have some small willow off cuts (not enough) - I'm just looking around for a suitable tin at the moment. (As well as doing everything else that I should have done weeks ago!
Reading this thread, I must comment on how totally overused the words GOOD and BEST have been.
"XX is GOOD, it really makes GOOD BP" "No! XXX is the GOOD one, it makes the BEST BP on the planet!"
All complete rubbish of course if you are making fountains!
So it should be clearly stated what the BP is GOOD and BEST at actually doing: "Willow is the BEST for making BP that is GOOD for lifting, bursting, and banging." AND "Pine / Bar-B-Que is the BEST for making BP that is GOOD for Fountains, stars or anything for which you need good sparks and effects.
I once tried some "reasonable" BP packed well into a fountain and it was the worst fountain I ever produced. A small 6 inch plume came out of the top with hardly any sparks. Yet the Bar-B-Que charcoal BP ones I make where the ingredients are laterally thrown together, and even more "low-grade" charcoal is added, shoot a great magnitude of rich sparks many feet into the air. (Just what is needed for a fountain!)
Both types (all types) of charcoal are needed in pyro and the best one is the one suitable for the job - so not always the fastest burning one!
Reading this thread, I must comment on how totally overused the words GOOD and BEST have been.
"XX is GOOD, it really makes GOOD BP" "No! XXX is the GOOD one, it makes the BEST BP on the planet!"
All complete rubbish of course if you are making fountains!
So it should be clearly stated what the BP is GOOD and BEST at actually doing: "Willow is the BEST for making BP that is GOOD for lifting, bursting, and banging." AND "Pine / Bar-B-Que is the BEST for making BP that is GOOD for Fountains, stars or anything for which you need good sparks and effects.
I once tried some "reasonable" BP packed well into a fountain and it was the worst fountain I ever produced. A small 6 inch plume came out of the top with hardly any sparks. Yet the Bar-B-Que charcoal BP ones I make where the ingredients are laterally thrown together, and even more "low-grade" charcoal is added, shoot a great magnitude of rich sparks many feet into the air. (Just what is needed for a fountain!)
Both types (all types) of charcoal are needed in pyro and the best one is the one suitable for the job - so not always the fastest burning one!
Edited by Shrubsole, 04 November 2006 - 01:27 PM.
#187
Zinginex
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 02:00 PM
Just a quick question. When making charcoal in a metal tin does it have to be cooked on a flame or will hot burning coals work? Thanks
#188
EnigmaticBiker
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 02:56 PM
Coals would be fine, charcoals can be cooked at approx. 600degC (dull red heat). I heat my tin to a red heat on the bottom and then turn it over to do the other side, repeating until there is no more gas released.Just a quick question. When making charcoal in a metal tin does it have to be cooked on a flame or will hot burning coals work? Thanks
#189
Zinginex
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 03:43 PM
Coals would be fine, charcoals can be cooked at approx. 600degC (dull red heat). I heat my tin to a red heat on the bottom and then turn it over to do the other side, repeating until there is no more gas released.
Ah ok thanks very much. I've just made a pringles size tin worth of willow charcoal from my old english willow cricket bat
:D
#190
EnigmaticBiker
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 07:52 PM
Old cricket bat, so there is an exciting use for them then.Ah ok thanks very much. I've just made a pringles size tin worth of willow charcoal from my old english willow cricket bat
A whole new area of pyro! Recycled sports equipment.
Just wondering, it wasn't signed W G Grace by any chance, was it?
#191
Zinginex
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 08:16 PM
Oh crap it was.... Lol yeh i've just made my meal powder with that charcoal and its very good. Burns about half a palms full in 2 seconds. Just made 2 little firecrackers with them to test its power and its very pleasingOld cricket bat, so there is an exciting use for them then.
A whole new area of pyro! Recycled sports equipment.
Just wondering, it wasn't signed W G Grace by any chance, was it?
#192
rodney
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 09:40 PM
ok i have a question? i have some european willow and its dry will it work for bp. also i can get weeping willow but do you have to let it cure and if so for how long. i know this is a really simple question but i need to know the answer so i do it right. rodney
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what would we do without black powder
its all about the shells baby
what would we do without black powder
#193
Frozentech
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Posted 30 January 2007 - 09:44 PM
ok i have a question? i have some european willow and its dry will it work for bp. also i can get weeping willow but do you have to let it cure and if so for how long. i know this is a really simple question but i need to know the answer so i do it right. rodney
Any of the willow family should make good BP charcoal. Also, you do NOT have to let it dry, I use fresh cut cottonwood branches often. Just takes an extra 30 minutes or so of cooking before you really get going.
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#194
leosedf
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Posted 01 February 2007 - 08:46 AM
In my area i use white poplar for BP, it makes it extra fast.
There is a lot of grape vine also here, maybe i'll give it a try.
There is a lot of grape vine also here, maybe i'll give it a try.
#195
EnigmaticBiker
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Posted 16 February 2007 - 11:20 AM
Another one of my odd hypothetical questions.
It occurred to me that carbonised sugar would make a very pure form of carbon and I can't find a reference to it. Unlikely it would have a good physical structure like willow etc but might have other useful characteristics.
Anyone tried it?
It occurred to me that carbonised sugar would make a very pure form of carbon and I can't find a reference to it. Unlikely it would have a good physical structure like willow etc but might have other useful characteristics.
Anyone tried it?
Edited by EnigmaticBiker, 16 February 2007 - 11:22 AM.
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