- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
- Messages
- 7,443
I sent this e-mail to someone who asked this morning and thought I would copy it here. This has been done dozens of times - but for anyone that is relatively new - it may help.
Here is the principle:
You take 100% cotton cloth and char it (much in the same principle as charcoals (which is simply charred wood). You want to put cloth in a metal can and starve it of most of its oxygen so that is chars instead of burns. Once it is done charring - you stop its source of any oxygen and put it out.
Here is what I would do - to virtually guarantee your first batch will be good.
1) Buy a yard of 100% cotton muslin cloth (Fabric store). You don't have to do this at all - if you have any old 100% cotton t-shirts (white is the best - no dye's to fight) those work great too!
2) Cut it into whatever lengths you want. I usually cut them into pieces that I know my kit will fit - but long enough to roll up. Usually something like 4 inches by 8 inches or so. This is not THAT important - use whatever length you think will work for you.
3) Get an all metal can that will fit as much charcloth as you want to make. One great source for these is Lowe's or Home Depot. Ask them for all metal empty quart paint cans. I have used all sorts of things - just make sure they are all metal.
4) Poke a hole in the top. I use a punch - about 2/16th to 1/8th inch or so. However, this can be more - I have one that is nearly 1/4 inch.
5) Put the charcloth in your container. You want this to be loosly packed. Not too tight - not too loose. I simply make a bunch of rolls of material and put them inside - once it is loosly full - I put the lid on tight.
6) You want to make sure you have a stick that fits inside the hole that you punched in the can. This will be used when the charcloth is done, to snuff out any smoldering cloth.
7) Start a fire - or simply use your barbeque. Don't do it inside - this is going to smoke a LOT! If you start a fire - let it burn to coals - this is the easiest way. Then simply place the can on the coals.
8) What you see happen in a matter of seconds is smoke start to pour out of the hole in the can. This is normal. You want it to smoke - but not FLAME. If you see smoke - it is charring - if you see flame - it is burning.
9) Rotate the can often to allow the contents to char evenly. Make sure the hole stays open.
10) Once the smoke slows to a slight trickle or stop all together - plug the hole with your stick and take it out of the fire.
11) Open the can - if the cloth is all black - you are done. If the cloth is partly brown - it is not done - put it back in - you can do this as many times as you want until it is done. If some are black and some are brown - take out the black - put in the brown - and go for longer.
You really can't screw this up unless it flames. It won't take long with good coals - maybe 15 minutes or so - but this is fluid.
Hopefully this wasn't TOO redundant and helped someone.
TF
Here is the principle:
You take 100% cotton cloth and char it (much in the same principle as charcoals (which is simply charred wood). You want to put cloth in a metal can and starve it of most of its oxygen so that is chars instead of burns. Once it is done charring - you stop its source of any oxygen and put it out.
Here is what I would do - to virtually guarantee your first batch will be good.
1) Buy a yard of 100% cotton muslin cloth (Fabric store). You don't have to do this at all - if you have any old 100% cotton t-shirts (white is the best - no dye's to fight) those work great too!
2) Cut it into whatever lengths you want. I usually cut them into pieces that I know my kit will fit - but long enough to roll up. Usually something like 4 inches by 8 inches or so. This is not THAT important - use whatever length you think will work for you.
3) Get an all metal can that will fit as much charcloth as you want to make. One great source for these is Lowe's or Home Depot. Ask them for all metal empty quart paint cans. I have used all sorts of things - just make sure they are all metal.
4) Poke a hole in the top. I use a punch - about 2/16th to 1/8th inch or so. However, this can be more - I have one that is nearly 1/4 inch.
5) Put the charcloth in your container. You want this to be loosly packed. Not too tight - not too loose. I simply make a bunch of rolls of material and put them inside - once it is loosly full - I put the lid on tight.
6) You want to make sure you have a stick that fits inside the hole that you punched in the can. This will be used when the charcloth is done, to snuff out any smoldering cloth.
7) Start a fire - or simply use your barbeque. Don't do it inside - this is going to smoke a LOT! If you start a fire - let it burn to coals - this is the easiest way. Then simply place the can on the coals.
8) What you see happen in a matter of seconds is smoke start to pour out of the hole in the can. This is normal. You want it to smoke - but not FLAME. If you see smoke - it is charring - if you see flame - it is burning.
9) Rotate the can often to allow the contents to char evenly. Make sure the hole stays open.
10) Once the smoke slows to a slight trickle or stop all together - plug the hole with your stick and take it out of the fire.
11) Open the can - if the cloth is all black - you are done. If the cloth is partly brown - it is not done - put it back in - you can do this as many times as you want until it is done. If some are black and some are brown - take out the black - put in the brown - and go for longer.
You really can't screw this up unless it flames. It won't take long with good coals - maybe 15 minutes or so - but this is fluid.
Hopefully this wasn't TOO redundant and helped someone.
TF
