[Stoves] Stratifying TLUDs for 'turn down'

[Ray Menke]

On Sat, Jan 14, 2017 at 8:07 AM,  <neiltm at uwclub.net> wrote:
> not just involving varying moisture content but fuel
> type and sizing also.

Neil, thanks for the report.  The burn pot on that stove is about 9 CM
or a bit less than 4 inches, correct?  I usually select my fuel from
my various boxes (stashed around inside the house) too, although I
work real hard to keep it all dry.  On the bottom, I sometimes use
little charcoal brands, somewhat like torrefied wood, followed by
slivers of mesquite or Huisache hardwood, and then red cedar on the
very top as an ignitor.  This gives me a good hot start that slows
down as the flame front reaches the brands.  Sometimes I have to add
more because the pot is so small.
Our local grocery store has some neat matches imported from Mexico.
They are called "Maya", (500 cost 70 cents) and are cactus quills
tipped with some sort of very flammable coating (a  small gob on the
tip).  Really good, and much cheaper than the regular wooden strike
anywhere matches.
https://www.heb.com/product-detail/maya-matches-10-pack/1202239
My serious cooking stove is much larger, with a 20 CM diameter pot
about 1/2 Meter deep.  If I plan to BBQ some meat, I run the stove
through a batch of hardwood slivers cooking potatoes, rice, boiling
eggs, and heating water which overall takes at least 45 minutes, then
I dump the glowing char into a small wood forge, turn on the blower
and set the speed with a PWM hooked to an old motorcycle battery.
Then I set the grill in place, and once it is hot, load on the steaks.
I can vary the heat with the speed control, and even add a few raw
mesquite slivers for some smoke flavor.  Dear wife says it makes the
best BBQ ever!
The forge is a home-made copy of the Whitlox wood-fired unit, which is
basically some firebrick arranged in a Vee, with a slit at the bottom
where an iron pipe with four holes can blow air upwards through the
charcoal made in the TLUD stove.  As soon as the food is done, I use a
small shovel to recover the charcoal which I put into a large pan of
water.  After it is dry, I brush it over hardware cloth.  The fines go
into the garden compost pile, and the larger stuff gets tossed into my
charcoal grinder with other charcoal, to be screened again (after
grinding) and saved as fuel to be used in my charcoal gasification
units that make electricity.
Raining here too...



-- 
Ray  Menke