Rice Hull Charcoal Maker

[Fukudairafarm]

I bought a rice hull charcoal maker for 1000 yen (+/-$10) at the local home center. Think of a leaky funnel, about 50 cm mouth, with a 10cm chimney on it.

Operation-

Start a small fire on the ground, invert the funnel over it, and pour rice hulls around the funnel. As you see charred bits along the sides, shovel up more un-charred hulls from the bottom. When it looks to be about 80% charcoal, pull out the funnel, rake out the hulls, and water them well.

 

As a bonus, the small wood fire under the funnel has also turned into charcoal! I am going to try someday with sawdust and see if that works as well. If it does, I will be the first guy on my block with 20% charcoal soils. I will try and take some pictures.

 

The 150x150 cm bed I tested this on now has spinach growing in it (and quite well at that). I had about a 5cm layer on the soil before I double dug it in with some chicken manure and rapeseed meal.

[Rev]

That sounds great

 

theres no rice hulls here, but plenty of eucalyptus sawdust and grass seed processing waste (paspalum, rhodes, setaria)

 

please do post pictures and report back. Im so gald to have found this place where people are experimenting as i am :shade:

 

check your thread regarding straw as i have some experience to share about that

[Fukudairafarm]

Well, here it is over a year later already, but I finally have some pictures!

Making Rice Hull Charcoal - a set on Flickr

 

I hope that works, or you can try this link, which has a slightly more detailed explaination

Rice Hull Charcoal