Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Using a campfire
• Method 2 of 2: Using two barrels
• Tips
• Warnings

Lump charcoal is produced by burning pieces of wood until all impurities are gone and only coal remains. Charcoal like this is great for outdoor grilling, but is quite expensive. However, you can get it yourself - it's cheap and easy. Read on to learn how to make lump charcoal in two ways.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Using a campfire

1. 1 Find a place to light a fire. You may be able to do this in your yard, or you may need another place where it is allowed to light a fire. Find out if it is possible to light bonfires in your community.
2. 2 Take the METAL BARREL. The barrel will serve as a container for your firewood. Depending on the amount of coal you want to get, take a barrel of the appropriate size. Make sure it has a fireproof lid.
3. 3 Choose wood for your coal. What kind of wood do you want to use for your coal? Take treated wood. Cherry or oak will do. Find out if someone is selling wood nearby or buy it from a building supplies store. You need enough to fill the barrel to the top. Chop the tree into pieces of about 10 cm.
4. 4 Fill the barrel with pieces of wood. Place the wood tightly in the barrel and fill it to the top. Close the barrel with a lid.
   • The lid should fit snugly enough to stay in place, but not tightly seal the drum.
5. 5 Get ready to light a fire. Buy or collect additional wood to build a fire that will burn for 3-5 hours. Build a bonfire at the chosen location. In the center of the fire, leave a hole for the barrel. Place the barrel in the center of the fire and cover it with additional wood.
6. 6 Light a fire. It should burn for at least 3 hours, or even longer if the barrel is large. Let the fire burn out completely and cool down before touching the barrel.
7. 7 Remove the lump charcoal. When you open the lid, you will see a fresh batch of clean lump charcoal. You can barbecue on it throughout the summer.

Method 2 of 2: Using two barrels

1. 1 Buy one small barrel and one large one. The smaller barrel should fit completely into the larger barrel, while still leaving enough free space. One barrel for 100 liters and one for 200 liters is suitable for this.
2. 2 Cut a hole in the larger barrel. Use a metal saw to cut a rectangular hole at the base of the large barrel. It should be about 50 cm long and 30 cm high.
   • This hole is necessary to throw up firewood, thereby maintaining a constant fire.
3. 3 Drill holes in the smaller barrel. This will allow the heat to penetrate into the smaller barrel, thereby burning the wood inside. Drill 5-6 holes about a centimeter in diameter in the base of the barrel.
4. 4 Fill a smaller barrel with treated wood. Cherry or oak wood, chopped into 10 cm pieces is ideal. Fill the barrel tightly and close it with a lid, leaving a small gap for moisture to escape.
5. 5 Make a stand in a large barrel. Lay two bricks flat on the bottom of the large barrel, one on each side. Place two more bricks on top of them perpendicularly. Thus, the smaller barrel will stand without touching the bottom of the larger one, and you can throw wood under it to maintain a constant fire.
6. 6 Place the smaller barrel on the stand. Make sure it fits completely into the large barrel. If this is not the case, use smaller bricks or stones to make the stand lower. Close the large barrel with a lid, leaving a small hole for air flow.
7. 7 Light a fire inside the larger barrel and keep the fire going for 7-8 hours. Use wood and wood chips to start a fire. Throw wood through the hole at the bottom of the barrel. When the fire starts, add larger pieces of wood to it.
   • The fire should be as hot as possible, so add more firewood.
   • Watch out for the fire. Throw more wood into it if it starts to fade.
8. 8 Let the fire burn out. After 7-8 hours, any impurities, moisture and gases will leave the wood, leaving only clean coal. Allow your entire structure to cool before approaching it.
9. 9 Remove the charcoal. Transfer the charcoal from the smaller barrel to another container and store it for future use.

Tips

• Be patient: the process of gas release takes several hours.

Warnings

• Do not remove the barrel until the fire has completely extinguished. If the partially finished coal receives enough oxygen, it can catch fire.
• Do not burn yourself. Light a fire and keep hot objects out of the reach of children.
• Before lighting the fire, be sure not to close the lid very tightly to allow gases to escape and not to create pressure inside the barrel.