Has anyone tried making their own charcoal to activate for these filters?
Here's how it works:
First you get your wood. I've seen hardwoods mentioned up-thread, so oak, hickory, ash, walnut, etc. Then you cut it to length and split it and season it.
Then you get your crucible. Depending on how much charcoal you need, you can use a paint can with it's lid, or a 5 gallon metal can with the lid for that.
Make sure the lid fits tight, and punch a hole in the top center of it with a hammer and nail.
Split the wood into thinnish pieced, pack the crucible can as tight as you can with them, and get a roaring fire going in a fireplace, or a fire ring, or a brick barbecue or what have you.
Fit the lid tightly to the crucible and chuck it into the fire. After a bit, you'll see smoke issuing from the hole, then more smoke, then the smoke will ignite and there will be a little flame coming out of the hole of the lid of the can.
When the flame coming from the can burns out, your charcoal is done. Take it from the fire and let it cool. When you open it up, there will be sticks of charcoal inside. Dump 'em out and crush 'em up.
You're done until you go to activate the charcoal as detailed up-thread.
That's also how charcoal is made to make your own gunpowder, except it's said that charcoal for gunpowder is best made from soft woods, like willow. back during the Civil War, it was said that the willows from this area were the best for gunpowder, used by the Confederacy to make their guns go BOOM!
.
Here's how it works:
First you get your wood. I've seen hardwoods mentioned up-thread, so oak, hickory, ash, walnut, etc. Then you cut it to length and split it and season it.
Then you get your crucible. Depending on how much charcoal you need, you can use a paint can with it's lid, or a 5 gallon metal can with the lid for that.
Make sure the lid fits tight, and punch a hole in the top center of it with a hammer and nail.
Split the wood into thinnish pieced, pack the crucible can as tight as you can with them, and get a roaring fire going in a fireplace, or a fire ring, or a brick barbecue or what have you.
Fit the lid tightly to the crucible and chuck it into the fire. After a bit, you'll see smoke issuing from the hole, then more smoke, then the smoke will ignite and there will be a little flame coming out of the hole of the lid of the can.
When the flame coming from the can burns out, your charcoal is done. Take it from the fire and let it cool. When you open it up, there will be sticks of charcoal inside. Dump 'em out and crush 'em up.
You're done until you go to activate the charcoal as detailed up-thread.
That's also how charcoal is made to make your own gunpowder, except it's said that charcoal for gunpowder is best made from soft woods, like willow. back during the Civil War, it was said that the willows from this area were the best for gunpowder, used by the Confederacy to make their guns go BOOM!
.
“Trouble rather the tiger in his lair than the sage among his books. For to you kingdoms and their armies are things mighty and enduring, but to him they are but toys of the moment, to be overturned with the flick of a finger.”
― Gordon R. Dickson, Tactics of Mistake
― Gordon R. Dickson, Tactics of Mistake