Preparing to make charcoal - about that bark?

[RogerDat]

I managed to get a couple of 5 gallon buckets of branch trimmings from a willow that went down in a storm. However I did not get the bark off and now it is dry.

I can sit around from time to time and whittle the bark off fairly well if I need to but frankly I'll make a much smaller batch if I have to do all that. Just enough to try out and add it to my been there, done that list. Somehow the stuff on my list never impresses the wife, oh well.

If I can leave the bark on and still come out with good charcoal for making black powder I'll just cook it all up and order other chemicals to match up with what I get out of the batch of willow wood.

Is removing the bark required for making own charcoal for black powder? What happens if I leave it on? Anyone with prior experience that can provide some insight would be appreciated.

[Fly]

Yep you need to remove the bark. I know its a pain in the butt, but needs doing.

Fly

[RogerDat]

Yep you need to remove the bark. I know its a pain in the butt, but needs doing.
Fly

Kind of thought that was the case. <sigh> I'll just set it near the door with a work knife and when I get a chance to sit for a bit outside I'll work on getting it shaved.
How clean does it need to be?

Is there any good place online to order GOEX or other real BP rather than the substitutes?

[Maven]

Roger, Try this guy for a good selection of BP and great prices: http://addictedtoblackpowder.com/index.html

[OverMax]

I hope its Black willow not Weeping willow you intend to make your charcoal from. As I was told by Fly not to too long ago: Bark left intact will slow the powders burn speed.

Powder Inc._ is a good place to buy Gorex

[Bent Ramrod]

Fill your 5 gallon buckets with water and let the wood soak a while. They used to leave the logs in the water at the sawmills so the bark could be stripped off easier.

[RogerDat]

Fill your 5 gallon buckets with water and let the wood soak a while. They used to leave the logs in the water at the sawmills so the bark could be stripped off easier. Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try. I may purchase a potato/carrot peeler and give that a try too. Figure what the heck peeler cost almost nothing and might work better than a knife.


I hope its Black willow not Weeping willow you intend to make your charcoal from. Why what is the difference? I'm not sure I could tell you now.

Tree was at a house a couple of miles from my house, I drove by on way to and from work, caught homeowner out cleaning up after having a service take the tree down, it was dropping branches on power line to house. Came back with some heavy lopping shears when he said I could have some branches. Was one big old tree, too bad it had to come down. It was not in any sort of especially wet area. There are a few willows on that stretch of road that are wild. At least one I am pretty sure is a black. Multiple trunks, heavy furrowed bark.

Almost makes me think I would be better off going for the cottonwoods which are all over the place along the RR tracks and pretty much any field edge.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

The undesirability of bark isn't just a matter of energy content. It makes the powder more likely to produce lingering sparks. It isn't as important as it was in the days of muzzle-loading artillery, when if there wasn't time for the sponger to wet down the bore in a tight corner, the loader had to chance his arm. But are you entirely sure nobody adjacent to you on a range will have loose powder uncovered?

I don't think there is as much difference in energy content in different kinds of soft wood charcoal as some people suggest. Greener mentions Salix alba, which means European white willow, as well as alder and black dogwood. So there may be some linguistic confusion. More important, I think, is that hard charcoal isn't readily reduced to as fine a powder, and isn't as intimately incorporated with the saltpeter. Cottonwood should be good. The best charcoal is made at low temperatures, about 500 Fahrenheit. It Is brownish rather than jet black, and ignites at around half the temperature of charcoal made at high. Again, I think the difference may be purely in ignition rather than energy content. It may be most important in flintlocks.

[Boz330]

My first powder was made from Sand Bar Willow and worked just fine. The bark on that stuff peeled real easy. I use Tree of heaven now since it gives a little more speed and is abundant. Not sure if weeping willow would make that much difference but give it a try. Depending on what you are doing with your powder the difference is more than likely negligible. Fast growing soft woods seem to usually work.

Bob

[RogerDat]

Thanks for the information. This was more one of those "wouldn't it be neat to.." type things. Not worried about making a quantity, would like decent quality. By decent I mean suitable to hit a target with, not competitive shooting sport or putting meat on the table. Should impress at least a few of the grandkids. :-)

[Fly]

Once you make some you never go back. There is just something in making
your own powder that is so rewarding. I still shoot some store bought from
time to time. But 98% of what I shoot is home made.

Fly

[dondiego]

Fly makes an excellent tool for making BP powder pucks in a press. He also sells some quality willow charcoal.

[Tommygun2000]

Fill your 5 gallon buckets with water and let the wood soak a while. They used to leave the logs in the water at the sawmills so the bark could be stripped off easier.

Its more to prevent checking and wet wood is also easier on the saw blades and makes a cleaner cut with thinner blades=less waste.