@dx80cruiser Biochar is a little more specific. It is charcoal made from biomas--woodchips in this case. Charcoal is more for burning or filtering. Biochar is more for burying as a soil amendment. You could say "car" or "4 door sedan." Both are correct but one is more specific.
Dr. Hugh McLaughlin and Doug Clayton have added a 30 gallon retort to the top of your Jolly Roger. They call it the JRo or Jolley Roger Oven. It produces 30 gallons per run.
Just Google; "JRo biochar" for the youtube and documents Pdf at booth the biochar data base & the IBI site.
@shengar1 Yes, I saw the video and I saw Doug and Hugh demonstrating the concept at Stove Camp last Summer. It's a great way to ignite a 30 gallon retort.
Great video! really glad to see this. The one thing I see in this that I haven't seen in other designs is, most TLUD's have a barrel within a barrel, you're actually burning the wood in the bottom 55 gallon which is the same container you're getting the char from. How do you stop it from burning all of the wood? Usually, when using separate containers, its the gases from the (smaller) container that feed the fire but also char... never actually being exposed to flame themselves.
@Vailhem About an hour into the burn you watch for a drop in intensity. Then you look down thru the little gaps in the adapter fingers to see the height of the char pile. You soon learn the look of a finished load. Wispy, gray-blue smoke would indicate that you are burning charcoal rather than wood gas. In that case, stop the burn without delay.
Thanks for the great video. It's inspiring to see someone doing biochar on this scale in their backyard.
I'm trying to experiment with making char myself, but I have been having a really hard time tracking down 30 and 55 gallon barrels for a reasonable price. What is your source? Are you able to get them unfinished? In a previous comment, you mention the investment pays for itself on the first day. Are you able to sell the biochar?
@jveazebeaze I get most of my 55 gallon, open mouthed barrels from a scrap yard that I found on Craigs List. The 30 gallon ones are much harder to find, so I rarely use them for anything. In the video I use a 30 gallon one for a chimney because i had an old rusted out one on hand, but a smaller diameter barrel would have made a fine flue as well. All my barrels had paint on them until the first burn. Is that what you meant by finished?
@jveazebeaze The value of biochar produced quickly exceeds the cost of this simple equipment. I have given some biochar to friends, but I haven't had any surplus to sell because I use all that I make. I've almost treated two acres.
My name is Truman and I just moved to Marion County last febuary, so that I can grow food most of the year. My family and I are working on starting a little farm. I recently got turned on to biochar and vermicomposting.I have been getting free straw and manure from a horse farm across the street that I have been composting. I am a hands on learner and I would love the opportunity to maybe come watch you make some biochar in person. Please email me if you are interested at trumanlhenson@gmail.com
I like the low tech approach. Productivity looks good for a low investment. Do you have experience with less consistently sized material like small sticks and brush? I've read steel drums are only good for about 30 burns and they are spent...what has your experience been?
@MatthewBanchero I probably get more than 60 burns from each of my thicker 55 gallon barrels, but they are a little harder to sling around. Regarding chip size: I do sometimes put larger chunks at the very bottom or very top of a batch of feedstock with good results. Brush burns quickly because it allows easy air flow. Fine sawdust (intermixed) slows down the process because it restricts air flow. Low Tech rules. This simple apparatus pays for itself on the first day of use.
@dirtncow I notice a number of factors that tell me it's almost done: the burn intensity diminishes; the char pile has sunk down to about the 2/3 mark; and if you see bluish ghostly-white smoke coming out of the flue, you are now burning charcoal rather than syn gas. Also, stirring of the glowing coals after removing the flue and adapter, convinces me that the batch is done and the volatiles are consumed.
John, Congradulations! You are the first person I have seen that uses the top down burn method. I developed the same method about four years ago and absolulty love it. The afterburners I use are actually the same size barrel as the retort with the ends knocked out. This acts as the chimney and afterburner adapter. Ie, you do not need the afterburner adapter. Have you tried it that way? Great video and kudos to you for showing people the easy way to make char.
@ggilmoreyou Thanks Gary. Yes, one of my earlier models used a 55 gallon afterburner/flue and it worked fine but it was heavy to lift on and off--especially when hot. In this fat afterburner I would suspend a 16 gallon drum filled 2/3rds with wood chips and char them in tandem. But they never charred all the way thru. I now just use the simpler TLUD and burn units 4 at a time--all lit at the same time, not staggered as in my video.
Hi John my name is Art Donnelly. I am w/a group called SeaChar.Org. We are working with partners in Costa Rica on biochar stoves and are planning both coffee/biochar trials and cocoa/biochar trials. Will you get a hold of me at art.donnelly@seachar.org I have some ?'s
Hi John I love your set up. I do leaf char on a much smaller scale and will give you a link to see that. I have a small suggestion after you stir the pockets of char to make sure it is all burned just spray the char in the burner, then dump it out. It stops the dusty ash from flying around you as much as possible (for health reasons), in "busy mode" you may not be thinking of that. You will accumulate the ash and smoke in your lungs that is NOT good!
@itsno1duh That is a pretty good idea. I used to spray the hose in the hot barrels or glowing char, but found that the blowback of steam toward my face was dangerous in its own way. I get your point though, and it can be made to work. Thanks!
@TheBexar I would like to, but an acquaintance named Ann Augustine produced the video. I wished she lived closer. I have more to say and show. We'll see.
Biochar, why dont you call it charcoal?
dx80cruiser 1 week ago
@dx80cruiser Biochar is a little more specific. It is charcoal made from biomas--woodchips in this case. Charcoal is more for burning or filtering. Biochar is more for burying as a soil amendment. You could say "car" or "4 door sedan." Both are correct but one is more specific.
JohnRogers57 1 week ago
I really appreciate the insight you give.
Peeper747 2 weeks ago
@Peeper747 You're welcome. I hope that people grok that you don't need an inner barrel (retort) to make biochar in a 55 gallon TLUD.
JohnRogers57 1 week ago
Would`nt it help to sit ur barrels on top of some angle iron perhaps, to increase air for the updraft. luv what ur doing, keep up the good work.
dexterquincy1 4 weeks ago
@dexterquincy1 Lately I have started using small shards of tile to lift one edge of the barrel a little higher off the cobblestone burning area.
JohnRogers57 4 weeks ago
Dear John,
Dr. Hugh McLaughlin and Doug Clayton have added a 30 gallon retort to the top of your Jolly Roger. They call it the JRo or Jolley Roger Oven. It produces 30 gallons per run.
Just Google; "JRo biochar" for the youtube and documents Pdf at booth the biochar data base & the IBI site.
shengar1 1 month ago
@shengar1 Yes, I saw the video and I saw Doug and Hugh demonstrating the concept at Stove Camp last Summer. It's a great way to ignite a 30 gallon retort.
JohnRogers57 4 weeks ago
Great video! really glad to see this. The one thing I see in this that I haven't seen in other designs is, most TLUD's have a barrel within a barrel, you're actually burning the wood in the bottom 55 gallon which is the same container you're getting the char from. How do you stop it from burning all of the wood? Usually, when using separate containers, its the gases from the (smaller) container that feed the fire but also char... never actually being exposed to flame themselves.
Vailhem 2 months ago
@Vailhem About an hour into the burn you watch for a drop in intensity. Then you look down thru the little gaps in the adapter fingers to see the height of the char pile. You soon learn the look of a finished load. Wispy, gray-blue smoke would indicate that you are burning charcoal rather than wood gas. In that case, stop the burn without delay.
JohnRogers57 4 weeks ago
Thanks for the great video. It's inspiring to see someone doing biochar on this scale in their backyard.
I'm trying to experiment with making char myself, but I have been having a really hard time tracking down 30 and 55 gallon barrels for a reasonable price. What is your source? Are you able to get them unfinished? In a previous comment, you mention the investment pays for itself on the first day. Are you able to sell the biochar?
Thanks again for a great video!
jveazebeaze 2 months ago
@jveazebeaze I get most of my 55 gallon, open mouthed barrels from a scrap yard that I found on Craigs List. The 30 gallon ones are much harder to find, so I rarely use them for anything. In the video I use a 30 gallon one for a chimney because i had an old rusted out one on hand, but a smaller diameter barrel would have made a fine flue as well. All my barrels had paint on them until the first burn. Is that what you meant by finished?
JohnRogers57 2 months ago
@jveazebeaze The value of biochar produced quickly exceeds the cost of this simple equipment. I have given some biochar to friends, but I haven't had any surplus to sell because I use all that I make. I've almost treated two acres.
JohnRogers57 2 months ago
Great video, fantastic presentation, your passion comes through strong in what your doing with your ideas.
Thanks for sharing.
tryin2lhard 2 months ago
My name is Truman and I just moved to Marion County last febuary, so that I can grow food most of the year. My family and I are working on starting a little farm. I recently got turned on to biochar and vermicomposting.I have been getting free straw and manure from a horse farm across the street that I have been composting. I am a hands on learner and I would love the opportunity to maybe come watch you make some biochar in person. Please email me if you are interested at trumanlhenson@gmail.com
TrumanLHenson 3 months ago
I like the low tech approach. Productivity looks good for a low investment. Do you have experience with less consistently sized material like small sticks and brush? I've read steel drums are only good for about 30 burns and they are spent...what has your experience been?
MatthewBanchero 4 months ago
@MatthewBanchero I probably get more than 60 burns from each of my thicker 55 gallon barrels, but they are a little harder to sling around. Regarding chip size: I do sometimes put larger chunks at the very bottom or very top of a batch of feedstock with good results. Brush burns quickly because it allows easy air flow. Fine sawdust (intermixed) slows down the process because it restricts air flow. Low Tech rules. This simple apparatus pays for itself on the first day of use.
JohnRogers57 4 months ago
John and Gary, how do you tell when the burn is down to the bottom of the barrel???
dirtncow 7 months ago
@dirtncow I notice a number of factors that tell me it's almost done: the burn intensity diminishes; the char pile has sunk down to about the 2/3 mark; and if you see bluish ghostly-white smoke coming out of the flue, you are now burning charcoal rather than syn gas. Also, stirring of the glowing coals after removing the flue and adapter, convinces me that the batch is done and the volatiles are consumed.
JohnRogers57 4 months ago
John, Congradulations! You are the first person I have seen that uses the top down burn method. I developed the same method about four years ago and absolulty love it. The afterburners I use are actually the same size barrel as the retort with the ends knocked out. This acts as the chimney and afterburner adapter. Ie, you do not need the afterburner adapter. Have you tried it that way? Great video and kudos to you for showing people the easy way to make char.
ggilmoreyou 7 months ago
@ggilmoreyou Thanks Gary. Yes, one of my earlier models used a 55 gallon afterburner/flue and it worked fine but it was heavy to lift on and off--especially when hot. In this fat afterburner I would suspend a 16 gallon drum filled 2/3rds with wood chips and char them in tandem. But they never charred all the way thru. I now just use the simpler TLUD and burn units 4 at a time--all lit at the same time, not staggered as in my video.
JohnRogers57 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hi Art, I would be delighted to correspond with you. My emails to you may not have landed. Mine is bamboojohn@hotmail.com
JohnRogers57 11 months ago
Hi John my name is Art Donnelly. I am w/a group called SeaChar.Org. We are working with partners in Costa Rica on biochar stoves and are planning both coffee/biochar trials and cocoa/biochar trials. Will you get a hold of me at art.donnelly@seachar.org I have some ?'s
Mucho gracias
seattlebiochar 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
click on my name to see it... =-)
itsno1duh 1 year ago
Hi John I love your set up. I do leaf char on a much smaller scale and will give you a link to see that. I have a small suggestion after you stir the pockets of char to make sure it is all burned just spray the char in the burner, then dump it out. It stops the dusty ash from flying around you as much as possible (for health reasons), in "busy mode" you may not be thinking of that. You will accumulate the ash and smoke in your lungs that is NOT good!
itsno1duh 1 year ago
@itsno1duh That is a pretty good idea. I used to spray the hose in the hot barrels or glowing char, but found that the blowback of steam toward my face was dangerous in its own way. I get your point though, and it can be made to work. Thanks!
JohnRogers57 11 months ago
Thanks for this video. Will you be making more?
TheBexar 1 year ago
@TheBexar I would like to, but an acquaintance named Ann Augustine produced the video. I wished she lived closer. I have more to say and show. We'll see.
JohnRogers57 11 months ago
love your lab, my yard looks the same way only i don't have 2 acres to hide it.
cdimmm 1 year ago
@cdimmm Thanks, I think they call it Tree house vernacular.
JohnRogers57 11 months ago