Making lump
 

Here we go. I have built my retort burner and am doing the first batch.
I am using Maple for the charcoal. I got a bunch of old pallet wood for the burn wood also had some Dogwood from a dead tree. As you can see, Dogwood does not burn too clean and doesn't smell great ether.
I'll let you know how it goes.t

Wishing you luck. I tried it a couple times with mediocre results. Please keep us posted on how it turns out.

I too will be watching this thread. Once we move out into the country in a few years I have every plan of making my own lump. Just seems fun.

Isn't pallet wood treated with chemicals?

Went out to the burner this morning and saw this. 30 gal drum half full of charcoal. It worked well. The only problem is the chunks are smaller than I would like. That may be for several reasons. Will work on it.
As for pallet wood it doesn't matter if it is treated, the burn wood is sepperated from the coal wood.

Nice job.

My impression is that some pallets are treated with chemicals, the ones that are "insect free". I'd be intersted in starting a thread for that discussion....

As long as the burning wood is sperate, I think you be fine. Just sayin'.

RMR

Cuppala things to think about. The lump looks to be over cooked. Start with a chunk the size of your fist. Unless you are splitting the pallet wood it is to big and burns to long. I don't use anything bigger than my thumb. Maples is easy to split because of the thin straight grain. Switch to oak if you can. That stringy grain helps hold the chunks together. Try closing a few of the vent holes just like on your grill to lower the temperature. The idea is not to burn the new lump but to only heat it high enough to drive out the gasses. Use less wood for the burn. When the new wood is hot enough it is the gasses that burn for heat not extra wood. Sound complicated? Well it ain't. It's just like learning to use your new Kamado. Once perfected you will never buy another bag.

Thanks captndan, those were all the same things I was thinking about..I think the burn was too hot and fast.

1. looks like the exhaust to o big
2, need to run 1" pipe from top to the bottom the gases coming off the charcoal will burn and give you extra heat also need some small holes in bottom of your barrel