MisterChrister
Quintessential Chatty Farker
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2012
- Location
- Wis-con-sin
OK, so I've resolved to start making my own lump. I'm gonna go broke at $13/bag for the Grove Lump that I love considering the Performer is running 3-5 days a week. I've read a few threads and on other sites on how to set up the process with a 30 gallon and 55 gallon drum, but I still have a couple questions. I'm also hoping that anyone who has/is done/doing this might chime in with any tips or ideas that aren't in the "usual places".
1) I'm wondering how important what type of wood I use is. I know when smoking, oak & hickory & apple etc. all have different flavors for smoking with or even stick-burning, but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that once carbonized into coal there isn't much/any difference in flavor profile (threw that out there for El Ropo lol :biggrin1
. Also thought I remember reading about heat and burn times being similar between species once charred. There's a farm in the family with a lot of different kinds of standing hardwood timber I could get at and I also have a buddy who owns a logging outfit where I could get pulp-grade trees on the cheap so variety should be no problem. Thoughts please?
2) I'm also wondering how dried/seasoned it HAS to be before charring it. I know it's easier to split etc. after it has sat, but I can cut the logs short then use the inlaws splitter. I'm thinking about chunking the logs, splitting to very thin splits (2"-3" diameter), then stacking criss-cross to sweat out a fair amount of moisture for a week or two before cross-cutting the splits into lumps and kilning them into charcoal. I know that firewood going through a chimney needs to season for 6-12 months minimum due to creosote buildup and burn efficiency, but we're talking about MUCH bigger splits that way and being used differently. Thoughts please?
3) Any other experienced insight or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. THANKS BRETHREN!!
-Chris :biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:
1) I'm wondering how important what type of wood I use is. I know when smoking, oak & hickory & apple etc. all have different flavors for smoking with or even stick-burning, but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that once carbonized into coal there isn't much/any difference in flavor profile (threw that out there for El Ropo lol :biggrin1
. Also thought I remember reading about heat and burn times being similar between species once charred. There's a farm in the family with a lot of different kinds of standing hardwood timber I could get at and I also have a buddy who owns a logging outfit where I could get pulp-grade trees on the cheap so variety should be no problem. Thoughts please?2) I'm also wondering how dried/seasoned it HAS to be before charring it. I know it's easier to split etc. after it has sat, but I can cut the logs short then use the inlaws splitter. I'm thinking about chunking the logs, splitting to very thin splits (2"-3" diameter), then stacking criss-cross to sweat out a fair amount of moisture for a week or two before cross-cutting the splits into lumps and kilning them into charcoal. I know that firewood going through a chimney needs to season for 6-12 months minimum due to creosote buildup and burn efficiency, but we're talking about MUCH bigger splits that way and being used differently. Thoughts please?
3) Any other experienced insight or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. THANKS BRETHREN!!
-Chris :biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:
