Charcoal pit locations?

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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I learned something in that one Al. I was puzzled as to why the tar would not simply lay on the ground in the pit and not move to the center. Now I realize the base is sloped towards the center, and the ground beaten hard with a clay covering. That prevents the tar from soaking in and just lying there.
I dug through the charcoal layer in one with my hand and started pulling up orange clay. I intend to dig in a barrel hole or two and see if I can find any tar left in the soil.The charcoal had a faint pine smell after all these years,wonder if tar will as well?
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,154
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Pines; Bamber area
I dug through the charcoal layer in one with my hand and started pulling up orange clay. I intend to dig in a barrel hole or two and see if I can find any tar left in the soil.The charcoal had a faint pine smell after all these years,wonder if tar will as well?
I would think so, right? Tar is just pine resin, no?

Actually, the more I read the more complex it is. Heat being involved and all the changes.
 
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,154
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Pines; Bamber area
Oh yeah, it sticks around (pun intended).

 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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Oh yeah, it sticks around (pun intended).

I think thats a petroleum based tar but their both pretty much impervious to water which would probably make them almost indestructible as far as rot goes,could be carbonized into nothing by forest fires possibly?
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,154
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
I think thats a petroleum based tar but their both pretty much impervious to water which would probably make them almost indestructible as far as rot goes,could be carbonized into nothing by forest fires possibly?
Well, all petroleum is from plant life, so we're close enough. I doubt a forest fire would burn that deeply.
 
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Mikeofthewoods

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Oct 29, 2020
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55
Indian Cabin Road
I want to share some photos and update this thread. Gabe and I walked around the EHC lake a month or two ago. He pointed out a spot on LIDAR that had potential as a charcoal mound. Today I was finally able to get over there and check it out, and it is indeed a charcoal mound. I took my 11 year old son with me and we were both really excited to find the location!

There are a few other locations nearby that also look like mounds. There is also an old trail that goes right by this location, but it doesn't appear to be part of the old indian cabin trail. Would Colliers or their helpers have cut their own paths through the woods? I'm also curious about the age of this mound. It is around one mile from Gloucester Furnace. The logical answer is that the charcoal was made for use in that furnace, but I'm not sure if there is a way to figure that out for certain

 

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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
I want to share some photos and update this thread. Gabe and I walked around the EHC lake a month or two ago. He pointed out a spot on LIDAR that had potential as a charcoal mound. Today I was finally able to get over there and check it out, and it is indeed a charcoal mound. I took my 11 year old son with me and we were both really excited to find the location!

There are a few other locations nearby that also look like mounds. There is also an old trail that goes right by this location, but it doesn't appear to be part of the old indian cabin trail. Would Colliers or their helpers have cut their own paths through the woods? I'm also curious about the age of this mound. It is around one mile from Gloucester Furnace. The logical answer is that the charcoal was made for use in that furnace, but I'm not sure if there is a way to figure that out for certain

Now if it was a kiln the charcoal would be about a foot thick layer and below that would be clay. Charcoal mounds are just that but tar kilns look like donuts on the ground.I sure wish I could see a demonstration of how they were built and burnt.I wonder why the difference in shape?
 

Mikeofthewoods

New Member
Oct 29, 2020
29
55
Indian Cabin Road
Now if it was a kiln the charcoal would be about a foot thick layer and below that would be clay. Charcoal mounds are just that but tar kilns look like donuts on the ground.I sure wish I could see a demonstration of how they were built and burnt.I wonder why the difference in shape?
No clay under this one. There was about 3-4” of ash and sand, and then it turned into just sugar sand
 
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Apr 6, 2004
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Galloway
Now if it was a kiln the charcoal would be about a foot thick layer and below that would be clay. Charcoal mounds are just that but tar kilns look like donuts on the ground.I sure wish I could see a demonstration of how they were built and burnt.I wonder why the difference in shape?
Al, the outer rim of sand was placed there so that the clay could be shaped such that the tar would collect at the center.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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Al, the outer rim of sand was placed there so that the clay could be shaped such that the tar would collect at the center.
Yes I see that on the jpegs you sent me.Made the berm to prop the logs on so everything would run toward center.I thought it was dirt collapsing off the side of the stack and that they had covered the stack with dirt before firing.
 
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