Bert Rowe

4 years ago, I started a thread about small wood gassifiers/small mass heaters (I was freezing my butt off waiting for a deer to walk by).

Crickets.

Glad to see a few others now have some of the same interests... If you are into "thread necromancy", you might check this out:

https://permies.com/t/95853/permaculture-projects/Small-TLUD-mass-heater-combination

Corn is so divergent in its many specialty types that planting three (or more!) varieties isn't redundant...


https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/painted-mountain-organic-flour-corn-680

Myron Platte wrote:Mike, Alders fit into that category. They reliably resprout after fire in such conditions. I am less interested in this. I need varieties of groundcovers, herbaceous plants, bushes, shrubs and trees that don't tend to build up a large, dry fuel load, do increase humidity, have watery sap, preferably have thick bark and other such fire resistant characteristics, and that are hardy to at least USDA zone 2.

Burr oak.

https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/communities/description/10691/oak-openings#:~:text=Oak%20openings%20were%20found%20primarily,%2C%20late%20summer%2C%20and%20fall.

Appologies for the thread necromancy, this one just popped up after I looked at a thread regarding "s n.v y good recipes for OTTER"(?!).

I made a venison "tangia" (a Moroccan clay pot slow cooked meat stew) which is generally done with lamb or veal. It was good as it came out, then the next day, was AWESOME. As part of this project, I compounded a spice mix called "ras el hanout" (name means "top shelf"?), which I have found useful to add a lot kn e kick to quite a few things- Japanese BQ sauce, ramen soup stock, etc.

I will post links to my experience from "kitchen knife forum" if this site will allow.

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/veal-tangia-with-preserved-lemons.50147/

I also havee made venison and mixed venison/black bear versions of (no longer beef!) bourgignone. As part of THAT recipe, I made my own "herbes de Provence" spice  mix (but I leave out the lavender- Yech, lavender tastes like soap smells to me).

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/need-recipes-for-bear-meat-warning-deceased-animal-picture.49704/post-753082

And have made both these ordinarily slow cooked dishes PDQ in an InstantPot pressure cooker with fine results too, but you should reduce liquids a bit then.

The crows don't think so.

Jon Wisnoski wrote:
Some of the knives you listed are apparently made for wood, is the recommended steel/hardness the same for wood as meat/bone?

In general, I believe so.

Both chopping up carcasses and chopping on green wood require a TOUGH blade to prevent easy chipping, along with enough hardness to hold an edge for extended cutting  without too much tendency to dull, dent, roll an edge or bend the tool.

In my experience, suitable steel types/hardness ranges can coincide for hacking green wood and breaking up  animal carcasses.

Both types of work can benefit from some mass behind the edge too, blade shapes can be "dual purpose"

Marco Banks wrote:I'm pretty sure those knives are NOT cast iron.  They are a high carbon steel that holds its edge well.  Yes -- probably 302, 304 or maybe 316 full-hard stainless.  Maybe even 320 -- that stuff is pretty hard.

I think you meant to recommend the 400 series steels, these are some of the more common (cheaper) stainless steel knife materials. Say, 420 or 440C? The 300 series is great for corrosion resistance, good for things like kitchen sinks, counter tops, bowls & etc.- I believe these perform poorly for cutting tools.

I have a cheap Chinese cleaver (actualy shaped as if it was meant as a bone breaker/cutter, 1/4" thick at spine and heavy) which IS made of 300 series stainless. It is a slightly sharp hammer, absolutely refuses to take a proper knife edge, which is OK for some things, but tiring to use and annoying as hell when you WANT a sharp cleaver.

I am a knife, tool and sharpening nerd. I keep chickens, ducks and turkeys, plus take several deer off of our property for food every year, all these critters require some cutting up before cooking... I cooked in several restaurants while going to school as well, so I've got a few ideas about where you might look for tools and information.

To educate yourself, you could start at "the Kitchen Knife Forums"

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/forums/kitchen-knife-knowledge.9/

They have a questionaire where you list what kind of knife/cutting jobs, purchase budget and other preferences you have. Post your answers and knowledgable people will make useful suggestions and suggest where you can buy a suitable tool.

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/the-which-knife-should-i-buy-questionnaire-v2.12791/

I'm going to make a couple of suggestions on CHEAPER equipment which I believe is good enough for the OP's use.

There is a company called Baryonix which has some butcher cleaver candidates, plus lots of other nice tools for sustainable practices, including things like hand scythes and rakes, land clearing/gardening tools, general purpose knives & etc.

http://www.baryonyxknife.com/angelob.html

http://www.baryonyxknife.com/famapa.html

There is a village of metal workers in Thailand called Aryanik. Some of their work is available on ebay, they are old school knife makers, generally using re-purposed truck leaf springs (carbon type spring steel) forged and heat treated properly. Prices are decent, finish is DEFINITELY "rustic" , tools are working man quality.

(Edit) While I was writing, someone who might be the guy from Hawaii Forest Tools pretty much gave the same suggestions on Aranyik cleavers as I linked to-

https://www.aranyik.com/h4.html

https://www.ebay.com/itm/set-chef-knife-Kitchen-steel-blade-wooden-handle-handmade-custom-Hardened-sharp/283631481043?hash=item4209c0f0d3:g:HUYAAOSwrW9dlKyt

Good luck with your meaty projects!

I have been playing with increaseing efficiency of the small, cheap stainless steel Chinese TLUD (Top Lit Up Draft) wood gassifier camping stoves lately being sold on Ebay, Amazon & etc.:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ohuhu-Camping-Stove-Backpacking-Stove-Potable-Stainless-Steel-Wood-Burning/302948648290?epid=14016200784&hash=item4689258562:g:9ckAAOSw6oBXFRXQ

See page 8 here for my history on that project with a few pictures-

https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/chinese-wood-gassifier-stove.37401/page-8

And for the last week, I've been sitting several hours a day in a deer stand, experiencing below freezing Minnesota weather and being very disatisfied with a propane fired IR heater. I can tell it's producing some CO from the way I feel, plus it's either too hot (or turned off) in an 8' X 6' space with a 7' ceiling. There is about 2' of space under the floor...

I'm thinking abour using that space, combining a TLUD with some leftover masonry building materials on hand to make a variation on the "ondol".

https://permies.com/mobile/t/40500/Ondol-ancient-original-form-heating

That is, the center of the floor of the stand would be ceramic tile over a thermal mass of heated masonry, with a TLUD stove feeding its exhaust into this from below and me with nice warm feet and butt situated above. Ideally, this could be fired once a day in the morning, perhaps again in early afternoon. Heat doesn't need to be stored and released all night long, but would need to begin to be released into the space rather sooner after lighting than is usual for mass heaters.

I've found various resources linked on Permies in the rocket mass heater and wood heating forums regarding planning firebox & chimney size/draft requirements, fuel heat content- and I learned just enough about thermodynamics in school to be dangerous.


I need to identify materials with quick enough response to get some heat out of the floor within an hour or so of lighting the stove- Not waiting half a day for the mass to conduct heat into the space as is common for a home heating "rocket mass heater" setup.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Bert

(Edit)

Starting to dig out some answers, from Permies and elsewhere-

A handbook of refractory properties, I have included a table of conductivitie for refractory brick materials. No idea how much these cost, probably way too much if bought new. But that magnesite-Carbon brick is interesting...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://mha-net.org/docs/Harbison%2520Walker%25202005%2520Handbook.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjWiqKD2s_eAhVI1IMKHT8tBWo4ChAWMAR6BAgAEAE&usg=AOvVaw1QrcV6geGLlF06fdBsIR8N

This thread provided a table of conductivities, which I have clipped the "interesting" end of as a screen shot and attached below.

https://permies.com/mobile/t/18864/thermal-mass-materials

First ideas for some cheap, relatively high conductive thermal mass?

I have a fair ammount of natural stone tile scraps and leftover tile from doing my girlfriend's basement floors and bathroom walls, these look like good candidates- Tiles I used were marble and granite. Both are among the highest conductivity of natural materials, yet not too shabby in specific heat.

Whoa, emmisivity coefficient of white marble is listed as .95!
That tile should be able to conduct AND radiate heat pretty fast.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.engineeringtoolbox.com/amp/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html