Briquettes

You need a briquetting machine. Check www.koepper.com.

That URL comes up hawking airline tickets are you sure that is the one you meant?

Thanx,

jh

You´re right, typo error. Here´s the link.

http://www.koeppern.com

Don't know about the best way but the wood needs to be cooked in the absence of air. I have used two methods, the first unintentional. We had in the woodstove (fireplace insert) about 4-5 inches of glowing coals and my wife added more hardwood b4 we went to bed and dampered it down. I got up a little later and completely closed the damper. A few days later we had buckets of charcoal. There was some loss but there were quarter logs of charcoal in there.

Another time I made some by cutting up wood into blocks and placing it in a dutch oven with bricks on top to help seal it. Then I put it in a large fire and let it stay overnight.

jh

Hi Twoie

You have not stated the actual quantities and type of timber that you which to convert. What tonnage of briquettes do you want to produce per month.

The reduction of the raw timber to charcoal can be achieved by one of two methods.

The first method is the kiln method which is simple and relatively cheap to build and operate.

The second method is by using a retort carbonizer which is only suitable for a high volume commercial process.

The briquettes can be made using a simple mechanical or hydraulic press. If the volumes are low or you have access to cheap labour, a manual press may also be suitable.

Hi Nymoc46

What I would like to do is make briquettes out of demo timber. off cuts and old pallets. I was looking to shred them down then add a binder and press the briquettes out.

Around 10 tonnes per week.

Thank you for your reply

Hi again Twoie

Because you are using a resinous soft wood I think that you will need to reduce the timber into a course saw dust or shavings. Then you will have to play around to find the optimum density of the briquette. This will then give you the quantity of briquettes available from your scrap.

Our experience from when we had a saw mill was that it was uneconomical to produce such briquettes under 10 tonnes per week. Our labour costs in South Africa are possibly lower than the USA or Europe but it still had to be fully automated. If you just want to use the product for your own use then it may well be acceptable.

We crushed the briquettes hydraulically with a 20 tonnes jack and a stroke of 350 mm. Our daily production was approximately 2.3 tonnes with 2 jacks operating.

If it is only for waste removal and/or your own use you should rather look into reducing the timber to charcoal. This will be a more economical method.

Best of luck

Thank you Nymoc46,

If this is the case what is the best way to produce the charcoal with out making to much smoke as our new inviro laws are a pain.

Then what is the best use for the charcoal at the finish?

Twoie

The main use for our charcoal was for barbecue fires. The product was packed in 5kg bags and sold for this purpose. As the gases have already been burned off the charcoal gives a very clean and hot fire.

Coffebean has produced the necessary info regarding the briquette maker so all you need is info an the kiln. Give me your E-mail address and I will forward the necessary info in a couple of days. It really is quite simple and relatively low smoke levels can be attained.

Nymoc4605

Using a binder in the future might be frowned upon.

Binders of petroleum wax (although inexpensive), make smoke.

In our new smokeless society, Utilizing the lignin in the wood, and heating this to 240c approx, makes the sawdust bind.(in the right extruder).JohnO

What is the right extruder?

We have the DEMECO screw extruder see, www.demecosl.com

Thank you please give me more info on your products.

e-mail mtousley@1earth.net