birch charcoal

[EdS]

anyone know if birch nakes usable charcoal - we've got a very big one fallen by the house.

 

[fishy1]

It does. For what are you wanting it for?

 

[rancid badger]

anyone know if birch nakes usable charcoal - we've got a very big one fallen by the house.

Yes it does make reasonable charcoal, although not the most robust. It tends to be a bit fragile,so we usually mix birch with sycamore, beech and oak, when we can get it.

If your just looking at making it for personal use, as opposed to wishing to sell it, then it'll be fine.you will tend to have more "fines" or small bits than you would with the other species but even these bits burn ok, it just gets a bit dusty.

What method are you intending to use?

Cheers
R.B.

 

[EdS]

I was just gonig to have play really, als ogot a load of sycamore and lime.

Not sure really I might use an old metal rubbish bin.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I've been making small batches of charcoal with birch,
Though mine is on the verge of becoming punk - it seperates under finger pressure into growth ring thick pieces, and when charred, takes a spark from a flint and grows into good embers for pyromania, sorry fire-lighting. Something that I feel could be perpetuated by making the char for tomorrow - on today's fire.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[fred gordon]

Remember to keep the bark for Birch tar. If you make enough you could offer it for swaps.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Ed, I've got a couple of bloomin' great oil drums in the back garden doin' nowt. One's yours if you want it. BTW, the package arrived this mornin'.

Eric

 

[Dave Budd]

Funnily enough I've got some birch that is going to be charcoaled in the summer.

By some, i mean enough to fill an 8 foot kiln twice over I'm having my charcoal supplier come to my woods and run a course in august or september