How to crush, grind, pulverise charcoal

[Philip Small]

Originally Posted by Philip Small

...the McCulloch 14 amp chipper/shredder...

This is working out very nicely for me. By wetting up the charcoal, in combination with a cover for the bucket, the dust is well controlled. I especially appreciate the product's coarse grind: larger is more microhabitat friendly in my view. Output is about 3 liters per minute. Like I mentioned, I pretty much have to pre size the feedstock: anything larger than 2 cm has to be forced through the opening. The alternative is to remove the top piece but that is not per manuf specifications for use.

Anyway, I mixed it with equal parts good soil (easy inoculate) and chicken manure and mixed it into the fresh leaf pile, leaves donated by friends and neighbors. Biochar's compost quickening abilities are being called into service here. I am using a lot less charcoal than the 1% v/v reported in one of the IBI-1 presentations, but it's what I got.

[ceeray]

how about taking the rough charcoal and piling it on the driveway, then putting some lumber on it and driving over it back and forth a few times to at least break it down into some more manageable particle sizes

[mavrickjohn]

I tried most all of the grinding systems mentioned here. What I'm using now is a Maize grinder that I found in a local Mexican Supermarket. Its Cast Iron and very durable. I've been using Cowboy brand for my bio-char and I can take the material straight from the sack and hand feed it into the grinder with no trouble. It cranks out the material faster than any other way I've tried. The grind is adjustable and the unit cost between 35 and 40 dollars. Just take the hopper off when using it and use a blunt stick to pressure the pieces as you grind. I don't suggest using your fingers the auger is not very forgiving even though you are cranking the unit. Wearing gloves also helps as does a dust mask though The unit doesn't make all that much dust in the air it's best to be safe.

[froggy]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

So does anyone have some suggestions?

I get it good and wet in a bucket and put it outside for a day in Wisconsin winter weather. Bring it in and repeat if necessary. Not rocket science, just cold hard science using the resources you got. It just so happens that one resource I got lots of is fridgid cold... when you get handed lemons, make some frozen lemonaide I say!

[barney]

I agree with Philip Small about the electric garden chipper/shredder.
I purchased a small electric garden chipper/shredder i have found using this very affective at breaking up charcoal,i put through contents of a 40 liter bin filtered it through an onion sack which has a coarse weave and cheap, largest bits are 2.5-3mm,50-60% of the 40 liter bin passed through the filter i then reground the larger bits filtered again about 45% went through filter reground remaining what didn't go through the filter was very small in size and quantity so i just added it to the garden.
If i had been pounding the charcoal it would have taken about 1-1.5 hours to get the same result that took 20 minutes.

[pangavamanos]

I think I will make a crusher out of a couple 2X4's and a hinge. A giant pinch point if you will.I think is would be catagory 1 type lever used to crush rather than lift. For larger pieces a 4X4 and could be used.

I'll keep you posted if you like.

JL

[barney]

UPDATE

I agree with Philip Small about the electric garden chipper/shredder.
I purchased a small electric garden chipper/shredder i have found using this very affective at breaking up charcoal,i put through contents of a 40 liter bin filtered it through an onion sack which has a coarse weave and cheap, largest bits are 2.5-3mm,50-60% of the 40 liter bin passed through the filter i then reground the larger bits filtered again about 45% went through filter reground remaining what didn't go through the filter was very small in size and quantity so i just added it to the garden.
If i had been pounding the charcoal it would have taken about 1-1.5 hours to get the same result that took 20 minutes.

UPDATED

The shredder is a Ryobi rgs 2100.
Using to much water to control dust can cause clogging.
After the first filtering the oversize charcoal i process 3 times through shredder before filtering again this increases the amount that goes through the filter saves my back.
Using this method i processed the contents of 2.5 x 44 gallon drums or 520 liters in 4 hours.

You should use a dust mask or respirator when crushing filtering charcoal even with water to control dust its still dusty work.


Photos : processing charcoal
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: shredderwm7.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: oversizegj0.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: oversizeingardenex9.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: onionsackfiltervv8.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: finalproductlightvk0.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: finalproductinshadowcv1.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: filteredgi2.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: filtersy5.jpg
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: dustcontrolpw5.jpg

Cheers

[mavrickjohn]

Impressive beats my hand grinder in speed and volume.

[roaldgold]

This is a great thread. I recently have been using a coffee grinder. First I mash up the bigger chunks of charcoal (Cowboy brand) with the end of a baseball bat in a big yogurt container. Then I just pour in as much as I can fit in the coffee grinder, it never takes more than 6-8 seconds for everything to be turned into powder. With this method I can produce about 1 gallon an hour.

I'm wondering though, what is the general consensus on the final size of the charcoal? Should I go for small pieces, powder or a mix of the two?

[Flapjack]

Hi Roaldgold

I overcame the problem of crushing charcoal by a chance locating a company that import and grade charcoal for BBQ's, restaurants etc. They have to have scrubbers on their extractor fans to collect any dust produced by the process and I have free access to this dust. I have also started adding Nutrimate to my compost. This is minerals that were locked up in high altitude lakes. Lots of humus from an age of plants and algae settling on the bottom. It is very high in Fulvic and Humic acids. Fulvic has a small molicular string that links to the N. P. K. molecules making it easy for plants to use every bit of fertiliser added.