Where's There's Smoke There's ...

[David48]

The house is no palace either ...

there is no door so if the wind is right ... smokey people 24/7

very spiritual folk also ...

This room = 1/4 floor plan

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[David48]

For those who have reasonable bandwidth ... a longer YouTube demonstrating the consistency of the charcoal after being burnt and the scientific process for grading the charcoal into approximate equal sizes ...

Actually, as I sit here typing, I'm enjoying the subtle aroma of a wood fire in the distance ...

[David48]

So ... is it all worth her while, the potential danger to her health and possibly that of the planet?

In momentary terms ... YES

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Costs in are B 2,500 per truck load (good wood)

Her labour

Her BIL's labour ... not expensive, I'm sure

Replacement tin cover ... again not expensive

Nor are the plastic bags

No delivery charges as it's a wholesale operation and the wood is delivered FOB and the buyer just takes away the finished product.

She gets B6,000 per truck load of finished product.

How many in a truck load ... don't know

Apparently the retail rate at the local market is 17- 18 baht a bag

[David48]

So, that's my neighbours story ... I hope you enjoyed reading it.

I didn't know that charcoal was such a good clay soil conditioner.

Please feel free to add additional comments.

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[Steely Dan]

Half past p1ssed at almost 9pm. Thanks guys, yeah I try hard but really there is a lot more that we all need to do. So with thanks and a smile, I make biochar and too much smoke that should be wood vinegar, I dont need more blown up my backside. What I need is more hours in a day and the occasional lucky break as do we all.

The charcoal thing in soil is the real deal, from memory they discovered long tracks of land in South America with black loam soil, fit for root crops. It was made by putting in charcoal, again from memory further tests showed you need 4 tons of charcoal per acre to change the soil from clay based to good farming land. Jim

The wife converted two old oil drums to have a chimney at the top and holes in the bottom like a colander. We load them with rice husks and set a fire going on the top, closing the lid when the fire is established. We get minimal smoke and rice husk charcoal as an end product, which is great for breaking up clay soils. This biocharcoal has a massive surface area, which means if you add some urea and water to it you have a very rapid heat producing decomposition going, ideal for adding to the compost heap as a catalyst.

[BookMan]

Interesting story David, thanks for going to the effort of sharing

[Dancealot]

Humour, Dave... Back at you.

[ozzydom]

I have not seen an open pit for charcoal manufacture in our area,the usual way is similar to that described by Dancealot .

A stack of wood is covered by a structure made of wet clay which looks like an eskimo igloo from one to four cub metres in size,usually with a 2 inch galvanised pipe for air entry and same as chimney.they burn for up to a week and emitt very little smoke.

Some of the more senior members may recall the charcoalburning /gas producing cars about in Oz during and after WW2,my dad bought a Dodge Super 6 in 1946 which still had the gas producer mounted on the back.

Another bit of useless information is that good charcoal in our area is 300 baht a bag {stock food bags)and it takes 3 bags to dispose of a body at the local temples "crematorium".

[jamescollister]

As some may have read, I am hoping to go into charcoal making on a trial bases next year [ if I have any money that is ] using coconut husks.

Been planting and bucket watering 250 trees, so that in years to come will have fuel for the rubber smokers, but there may be money to be made collecting and char coaling others coconuts.

There is a you tube vid out there somewhere of 2 French guys doing it in Vietnam and I gather they can not keep up with demand.

Machines my cost a bit or can be built from plans and there is no shortage of coconuts around here. They are mostly just left to rot on the ground.

Worth thinking if you are looking into setting up a small farm based business. jim

[nokbird]

Emm, Yum from post #36. It's been a while since having one of those

Edited December 31, 2012 by nokbird

[David48]

Emm, Yum from post #36. It's been a while since having one of those

He's having a bit of an Avatar Identity Crisis ...

We knew him a long time as ...

The spiced it up a bit to ...

Then one I don't have a copy of ...

Now this ...

.

[BookMan]

Emm, Yum from post #36. It's been a while since having one of those

He's having a bit of an Avatar Identity Crisis ...

We knew him a long time as ...

The spiced it up a bit to ...

Then one I don't have a copy of ...

Now this ...

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Everyone loves a Pie N Sauce

[loong]

The doggy avatar must have been retired after the shame of being found out that it was a porn star.

Edited December 31, 2012 by loong

[David48]

The doggy avatar must have been retired after the shame of being found out that it was a porn star.

Just to let you know ... with BookMan ... the dog is back ...

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[David48]

So ... the reason for revisiting this thread ...

Some new images as we unexpectedly retured to the neighbours.

Walking to the Farm

Happy Kids ... despite their environment.

Young helping hand

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[David48]

Loading the truck.

After the charcoal smoke ... don't think that fag is going to kill him any faster!

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[David48]

From this

To this ... fines and non-standard sizes sold in bulk, presumably at a cheaper price.

... and those that made the grade.

The Charcoal makers view of the world.

Edited February 3, 2013 by David48

[Dancealot]

The doggy avatar must have been retired after the shame of being found out that it was a porn star.

Just to let you know ... with BookMan ... the dog is back ...

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With that trusty face, i might add.

[IsaanAussie]

I think it may be a case of smoke and flames drifting under the bridge. Petty really I spent a whole hour captioning Jack pictures.

[diddums]

Just a bit of a side line, if you want to grow things in your garden get soil from around the charcoal burner, mix it in to your soil and you will get soil that grows anything. Jim

Do they sell it but ?

How about those burnt rice husks they use at all the plant nurseries now, you can get that by the truckload, used to be free, but now the demand is strong and they sell it.

I want to spread it around about a rai we will be using soon for vegies.

oh...I just saw something above....

Edited February 4, 2013 by diddums

[IsaanAussie]

It is termed biochar or Carbonised Rice Hulls. ( An Olive Branch?)

There has been quite a lot written in the organics sub section. We do not have a rice mill that co-generates it's own power so I have to pyrolisis burn my own. I use it in soil remediation but principally in composting. There is a catch in soil working. It is essentially carbon the substance soil boilogy need to grow. However they also need nitrogen and if the carbon is all you put in, then the process will deplete the level of soil nitrogen you already have.

Look at it from the other perspective, if the carbon is in the soil then any fertiliser you apply will provide that nitrogen and as the chemical stuff is soluble and easily lost to leeching, the microbes will trap the excess and form a symbiotic relationship with the plant. As the microbes die they yield plant available nitrogen to the roots which release plant sugars from which the microbes consume the nitrogen.

The CRH acts as carbon source and also as a structure for the microbes to colonise. They absorb some 6 times their own weight in water and provide soil aeration(improving your soil). They are also slightly high pH which yields a liming type action on acidity soils.

If you wish to improve the soil structure only then add the CRH and enough nitrogen to achieve a 30:1 C:N ratio. That way you will not deplete the existing N level. This Ncan be achieved but mass planting a quick growing legume which will capture the N from the atmosphere. Before the legume flowers, dig it in with the CRH and let the lot sit for a week or two before starting your garden.

Edited February 4, 2013 by IsaanAussie

[Morakot]

This is a really good thread. It almost has anthropological value. Thank you David!

[David48]

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Thanks Morakot.

While I was compiling the prawn-harvesting-01 Thread, I came across a few photos taken from the back of the truck of the 2^nd Charcoal maker in the area.

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This is tough going as they simply rent a bit of land either side of the Easement road which services the various Farms in the area.

Their stock awaiting the buyer.

These guys do it really tough.

Almost every time I've driven buy the smoke was blowing into their very humble dwelling shack.

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[David48]

This might be an area which could be developed.

Charcoal from Coconut husks ...

Here ...

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