BLACK POWDER from CHARCOAL and WASTE OIL

We made black powder from charcoal from waste oil, and it works great! Charcoal is an awesome off-grid fuel that you can make yourself. It can be used for cooking, forging, filtering an my favorite... black powder! And now, we can be make it from waste oil.
Super Easy Black Powder from Home Made Charcoal
• Super Easy Black Powde...
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You can find us on X: / gridlessness
Make your own black powder or charcoal? Let us know, leave a comment, subscribe and join the adventure!

[@jayjohnson3724]

It's so fun to still be 12. I'm 70 and it never gets old. Thanks for the fun.

[@douglashook1512]

Screw that second childhood thing. Never leave your first😊

[@bloodlove93]

I'm 30 and almost the same as at 13, i still have fun and enjoy myself regardless of others irrelevant opinions. what business is it of mine if you think my hobbies are weird? they're mine not anyone elses.

[@dannydetonator]

"Be like children" (somewhere in the New testament). I'd guess as appropriate at 70 or 80 as at 12. Like childhood in reverse for some..😅

[@fibber2u]

So very true I'm the same age: the thing is know I have the "flexible time" to learn stuff like this, and I do a lot more different stuff than when still working, often working longer hours but resting when I like or need. I learn and work for me and not the boss and that is what makes it fun.

[@shaunumz]

I think I've been using YT since day 1, and I never comment. So this is a big step for me. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your videos, I wish there were more and that you could post more often. And I know that's a bit of a selfish thought and that you're a busy family. But I just love watching your channel. Thank you so much, from me all the way down in South Africa.

[@michaelharness7035]

You could use sawdust pack around and have oil mixed together.

[@Gridlessness]

Thank you so much, we super appreciate the kind comment!

[@russellwatters5891]

Taking the first step is always better than immobility. These guys are gems!!

[@allanjacobs3735]

From South Africa too 👋🏻

[@RatFink-nr5td]

​@@Thesenuts299what a Debby Downer! 🥵

[@cybermanne]

I remember we made gunpowder in chemistry class back in the 80s (charcoal, sulfur and potassium nitrate if I remember correctly). We also got the teacher to demonstrate making some thermite (iron oxide and magnesium I think). The gunpowder was fun as hell. But the thermite was just awesome. I think the teacher put it on top of like a terracotta flowerpot filled with sand before igniting it. But it melted stright thru the whole setup and landed on the floor. So he had to use the fire extinguisher to not set the school on fire. I still have a piece of melted sand and slag with a halfway melted coin somewhere. Best class ever.

[@Gridlessness]

That’s so cool!

[@danratsnapnames]

humm.. thermite is iron oxide, aluminum powder and magnesium strip to start it. . you sure you paid attention? D student i think..

[@bill7778]

​@@danratsnapnamesit was the 80's and they have probably forgot more than you even know

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

@@danratsnapnames There are hundreds of different formulations of thermite using a multitude of different base metals and other additives for a multitude of different uses. Want to repair a crack in a railway? Thermite to the rescue. Want to cut that railway in half without the need for a large tank of oxygen and acetylene? Thermite's got you covered. Want to refine a metal that's difficult to purify? Let me introduce you to thermite. Aluminum powder is just one of those many formulas because it's one of the most readily available and affordable powdered metals. Thermite is nothing more than a pure metal powder and a metal oxide powder in the right molar ratios, all you really need is for the pure metal to be more greedy than the other with the freed up oxygen so it undergoes a redox reaction. Magnesium can be one of those pure metals, and it can also be used to start most any thermite formula with a few exceptions due to its ability to both burn in atmosphere and possessing a rather low ignition point for a metal. The real question here is did you even take a chemistry class in the first place? Statistically speaking, everyone pays attention to the energetics chapter of the chemistry class because it's the most engaging, so if you picked up anything from chemistry it would be how thermite works. I haven't looked at a chemistry book since 98 and I could still work out the molar masses needed for a simple thermite mix with nearly any metal combination, because it's literally one of the easiest calculations in chemistry. Figure out how many moles of oxygen you have for a given oxide powder, then figure out how much of another metal you need to bond with that freed up oxygen, and you've got your ideal ratio. That's literally all there is to it in the case of a simple thermite redox. I'm left to conclude that you probably never took a chemistry class, ran across a thermite formula online or in a video, and remembered nothing of how it works other than what the most basic list of supplies looks like, and now you're certified thermite engineer chastising people on the internet because their formula varies from what you remember seeing in some random video. It's kind of embarrassing, really...you had no idea that your posturing would only serve to show your ignorance when you hit the reply button, and it's entirely possible that it still won't sink in even after reading this post.

[@graceyjewels7148]

Awesome

[@sportgoofy1975]

Quality time with the family concocting crazy chemicals for some pyrotechnics all the while teaching folks something has earned a new subscriber.

[@stepheneurosailor1623]

Me to.

[@nigeltechnz]

Me too

[@sportgoofy1975]

@@stepheneurosailor1623 eurosalior, whatcha sailing on me buddy? I'm in the Atlantic ocean now.

[@paulmarcus2980]

Love your channel here in the Blue Ridge Mountains Of Western North Carolina! We lost my little sister to lung cancer at age 41 on January 5th and we loved watching your channel together you guys helped make her pain just a little more tolerable. Thank you for what you do and if you ever feel like what you do doesn't matter I'm here to tell you that it means more than you could ever know! Thank you and your family so much!!

[@angeljosemaradiaga7747]

My condolences you stay strong❤️

[@TheDutchShepherd]

Rip in peace

[@triggerhappy8872]

Really sorry to hear about your little sister & 41yrs old is so young life just sucks sometimes. R I P 🪦 to your sister 🌹

[@ELOAAMinistries]

Sorry for you loss! Love and Blessings!

[@andrewbrady3139]

My condolences, my sister was walking and killed by a 20 year old female driver who was texting. My dad was an Army vet who was walking through crossing an intersection and killed by a hit and run 18-wheeler. He taught me many things like this. I am a vet too, with some thanks to him. My half brother’s mother was killed by a drunk driver. And several other car related deaths and injuries of many family and friends. Vehicles are millions of times more dangerous than gunpowder or other fun things. Thanks for helping me remember the good times all those decades ago.

[@kostudas1]

Hello my name is steve in english and i am living also almost of the grid , the thing that i admire is the happynes by making your own stuff the pleasure you get after stay pure as long as you can !!!

[@stevedaniels6050]

I cannot fathom the depth of knowledge Jeff must have to come up with all these ideas. Don’t stop making these awesome vlogs I look forward to to seeing them.

[@Dwade689]

KZbin is full of ideas 😉

[@willthecat3861]

@@Dwade689 ... and other stuff too.

[@carlosboot7116]

I am glad to see some people are still living their lives, have fun and be a united familie. greetings from Belgium

[@simoneboxler1065]

Your design is amazing for 2 reasons: the first is for what you say. The sealing effect is better made! But the second effect, maybe unwanted, is that your design recovers all the flammable gas released by the wood in the coaling chamber. This is the reason because you need such little combustible to make the process work. All the flammable gasses burn outside the chamber heating the wood inside. Perfect! The charcoal it's making himself in self sustained way. For the oil you can use saw dust or just sand. The oil will be transformed into gas and the vapors will ignite! Thanks for the video and sorry if i wrote something in the wrong way. English is not my first language. Greetings from Italy

[@ahorseman4ever1]

We have been following your channel since your girls were little. The thing we love is your girls will be to do anything they put their mind to. Love your channel.

[@carolhub8080]

I love that your daughters are learning hands on helpful skills! And, Jeff, you make learning fun, something US public schools don’t do so well anymore. The family unit is not dead and you all are proof. Thanks! Be blessed❤.

[@lattelolly6925]

😊Jeff is brilliant. Always coming up with new great ideas and the fun. I love how he teaches the girls everything so there isn't anything they can't do. Your daughters are so fortunate to have such an amazing dad & mom to grow up with, to learn from. Rose is such a wonderful mother, an amazing cook and so much more, she's the glue. Thank you for the great videos. We love them.

[@JohnGuest45]

If you use the waste heat from one retort (including the wood gas) to preheat a second retort you`ll save on fuel. Insulating the outer barrels will make a big difference too, as long as its fireproof insulation :)

[@davesomeone4059]

I love asbestos

[@JohnGuest45]

@@davesomeone4059 Rockwool or stonewool can handle 1000 deg C, you only need 450-500 deg C for charcoal

[@AnthonyDuah-gr5gk]

Till the top one is launched and certain gency comes out sees other things . . . Down on the farm

[@notimportant1404]

This is what blew my mind. You do this indoors rather than wasting all that energy in the cold environment outdoors.

[@JohnGuest45]

@@notimportant1404 I wouldnt recommend doing this indoors, you may wake up dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning :)

[@josephcook2314]

I just spent the last weekend modifying my rocket stove to burn used cooking oil. I had the whole trailer park asking me what i was cooking. Lol. Retrofitting a coal tank on the top of it now to make me some charcoal. Thanks for the video!

[@jasonlightfoot4145]

Will you adopt me please 😂 I absolutely love the bond you have with your family. I tell you without reservation that the world would be a much better place if we had more family engagement like this ❤🎉

[@russjack67]

I have put a heat exchanger on my nissan diesel and heat the oil up. I am able to run my car on straight oil. Love your show from an Aussie fan, Cheers Russell

[@alanesterline2310]

When you were making the first batch and Christina started to put the torch to the top of the flue I'm thinking she's checking if there is wood gas being developed. It is amazing how differently you look at things as your knowledge changes/increases. Love your channel, never know what to expect.

[@arguanmodeth]

Give a shout out to the gardeners. That looks like top quality biochar. Mix that around to make excelent soil

[@Saadmetalfab]

That wick idea was awesome. Ive been making oil lamps and heaters and it was cool to see you apply that concept here. Your a friggin genius bud!

[@allocater2]

I am here for Wood Power Part 2!

[@Gridlessness]

Don’t worry. It’s coming!

[@GCRockymtns]

@@GridlessnessI thought I missed a video and went back looking 😂😂 curve ball 👊🏻

[@jamesward5721]

Best "Making Charcoal" vid I've ever seen - I make it too..

[@yaolee790]

guys, long time no see, last time I watching your vlog was 6 years ago, at that time, you had 27000 fans , but now you guys have more than 200000 fans. I really enjoys watching your vlog, thanks a lot.

[@northidahodreaming5657]

What fun....I remember grinding charcoal in my mother's blender....got in trouble....Thanks for sharing your fun and experiments

[@apostlepaulvining5688]

Hey y’all, Rev. Paul Eustis Florida. Try toilet paper roll in airtight can turn to charcoal remove the cardboard center before Charring. Makes awesome black powder fast burning too.

[@JohnGuest45]

Paulownia makes seriously fast BP

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

Someone’s been watching everything black powder’s charcoal experiments. Lol, me too.

[@JohnGuest45]

@@chemistryofquestionablequa6252 I grow paulownia just for charcoal :) The bp in the vid would be good for a wheel, or a core burner rocket motor.

[@Freetheworldnow]

I stumbled on this video. And It captivated me all along! Fun and educational at the same time! You will not find this in a school room... God Bless.

[@brananddandi]

Well done!! Been wanting to make charcoal, epic episode guys!!!

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

I love your charcoal. It looks perfect, and it looks like activated charcoal as well! Your idea about having the gap at the bottom of the retort, is perfect! The wood gas that gets released from the burn, will also contribute to the burn as well as the oil, which is why you had charcoal quicker than with wood fuel. The entire setup, with lid and flue, makes the entire unit work much better than many of the other charcoal makers, that are open at the top and a little draft at the bottom.

[@juanziegler1471]

just finished a waste motor oil burner insert for my shop heater w a blower motor a couple months ago .its a 40 x40 with 16 ft ceiling. Love it ,will be watching your vids great job !!

[@wopwops0482]

I just found this channel and I limit myself to one video per day because I don't want to run out.

[@bigrod0069]

Pretty kool stuff, will make for great memories, nice to see you all living life!

[@Cormano980]

Nuclear war is around the corner

[@speechka009]

Pure genius.. love this.

[@theMedicatedCitizen]

I love your enthusiasm for charcoal! Learned a lot on this video :)

[@mukkerman001]

Thank you for making these videos!! Puts a smile on my face every time 🙂🙂

[@ArchFundy]

If you put some iron filings on top of the black powder, it will have a "sparkler" effect.

[@TomaHawkBobXIII]

This is the most fun I’ve had all week. Great video my guy 👍🏼💯

[@greenman4508]

Nailed it again!

[@michaelb3049]

Dude, you are cool and smart. Thanks for the video. It was real easy to watch and think about the process while you were presenting it. Great editing too. Thanks again for the education

[@sathancat]

That was a great experiment, awesome results!

[@sandyc6569]

This video was on fire!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@vicsar]

Boy that introduction sold me on the idea. Loved it!

[@nhhbbyloggr5022]

You guys are rockin it. I gotta try this method.

[@greywolfwalking6359]

Thanks! Stay awesome! Stay safe..n..be well!! 👍🐺🧙‍♂️🦊🤙

[@catbydie5]

Love love love the excitement!!!!

[@NarnianRailway]

Excellent charcoal production Christina and Jeff. So remember folk, if you stop by the Jeep Joint for awesome Poutine, you are helping Gridlessness make quality charcoal too. Chimney at 6:00 illustrates a safety concern when using an old fashion drip oil furnace in a cabin >>> do not flood it with heating oil. Lived in a cabin with a drip oil furnace, 'carburetor' float switch trickles oil to the pan but waited on lighting, tried scooping out oil and soot but when light still saturated enough flames shot out the chimney.

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

Man, I miss poutine living in the southern US for the past 18 months. Gotta make some!

[@user-cu4ex3xe2s]

Wow .. this though !!!😮 well done folks ,that was so cool !! genius idea !! Happy New year!!

[@mainephotoman]

Love your channel and adventures and gizmos and etc. what a life. Thanks for hours of entertainment and learning!!

[@slimboiu3890]

BRO making "kindling" out of those cookies is absolutely brilliant, thanks!

[@jimh4167]

Love the idea of making charcoal using waste oil

[@gigajames]

I am going to get a flintlock rifle from traditions and this is very helpful thank you

[@manuelferreira4345]

Get the blunderbuss I love mine

[@robertswyers4420]

You put a smile on my face ...good job subbed

[@user-kh7bj6tt1w]

Love your videos. Keep doing what you're doing!

[@jeaniLovesAnimals]

Another successful project 🎉🎉🎉 Congratulations & Happy new year. 🌟🥂 🩷🙏🙋🏼‍♀️🐈🐕

[@fveggerby]

The gasses coming from the inner container, can drive an engine. Ex. a little generator for the fan, making it a self-contained unit. The exhaust can be routed inside before releasing in the air, and used for heating. Maybe through sand- or water-heatbattery.

[@philliplapkovitch311]

Nice work I'm giving this a try thank you

[@Then3xtpart]

A suggestion my friend, install a speed controller on your fan and lock in the right burn rate for the engine oil . You have the science down, now everything is just a calibration . Keep up the work !

[@gumbyresearch]

Good job! I have accumulated lots of wasre engine oil. I admire your resourcefulness in rendering a waste stream a useful commodity. "Chemurgy" at its nucleic-finest. Your flammable fluegas means that you are boiling too much fuel, and your air-flow could use better distribution & a throttle. Your burner is very effective, but you could operate on less oil if it all burned in the can. It would take a little longer, i suppose.

[@jakemurphy9536]

Many moons ago, we used a waste oil heater for our heavy equipment workshop. The burner, which consisted of a pan, about three feet in diameter with a lid which had a chimney of about four feet long, would be filled with waste oil, which was ignited using a piece of rag, which had been soaked in diesel. This would be introduced to the oil in the pan. The oil would ignite when hot enough and would burn for several hours.

[@ZombieGrandpa]

I like the way you made the woman carry the wood. She is well trained. Just kidding of course, but a woman that helps you like that is a keeper.

[@homermtz]

Mindblown! Great video

[@perseusrex614]

there are few things that make me more happy than watching a dad do fun things with his wife and kids!

[@krissaann333]

Nachooooooooo! Libre!!!!!! My FAVORITE movie!💜💜💜🙏🙏🙏

[@michaelmount76]

Thanks for another cool video guys

[@davidherron9151]

I get to jealous watching so much freedom and spaced other people have lol

[@sambally4697]

patiently waiting for the new video to come, love you family

[@mosin9105]

Totally rad!

[@nexrift7140]

I love this channel so much

[@abcstardust]

Great video! Lots of useful information! Thank you!

[@ash.ab.5575]

I admire anyone who is creative ❤

[@superrodder2002]

Awesome, and your kids are the perfect ages to learn how to do these experiments , have fun and learn to do experiments safely

[@didntask5689]

Love watching my dude puzzle it out as he goes😊

[@B30pt87]

VERY cool! I'm thrilled with your experiments. I've just started making biochar and I too wanted to streamline the process. It would have taken me a long time to think of putting cooking oil on the feedstock, but there's no arguing with your results. Thank you for posting this! (I wouldn't use engine oil for the biochar I'm putting in my soil, because I'd hate to contaminate it. But pyrotechnics? Hell Yes!)

[@TheCryptKeeper8]

The presentation is 100% on point. You would make a fantastic teacher to any age group. Edutainment at its best. Thank you squire.

[@pchts1]

Your video takes me back to my early teenage years to the time when I experimented with charcoal briquettes a little bit of salt, peter and a little bit of sulfur out of course world book encyclopedia where they used to give the formula for black powder minus a few details like having to first before you packet you put it in the oven to cook. I didn’t find that out until years later but it made fun. The stuff worked. I made my own sparklers. I got it packed tight enough to know do what you were doing with the PVC caps. We didn’t have such things back then I’m talking about 65 years ago not to recently anyway thanks for the memories

[@richg.2579]

You guys have fun, that's nice

[@hunternedib1119]

There's a need for Paulownia charcoal right now. It is the best charcoal for fast black powder, mainly for fireworks. Nice video and great property!..Thank you!

[@davetrask2276]

Great stuff!!

[@timtv2826]

Any time you can use waste products to make something useful it is a good thing. And when you can make fun things like gun powder and fireworks then it is something very special. Thanks for posting.

[@Gumby1978]

Great demo

[@rajeshnvijo-dj7dk]

You Guys and Girls can Rock The Whole World .... 😅😅😅😅. From Bangalore India hi

[@PeterKNoone]

So awesome. Thanks for the video.

[@paulodwyer5599]

Good on u mate. Good work. U talk to the average bloke in the street. I like the way u go about the video

[@davecossaro632]

I can almost hear all the eco loonies weeping and wailing as you light oil on fire. And it truly warms the heart. Cool video.

[@yodab.at1746]

I love the fact that eco people live in your mind rent free. Nothing wrong with burning used veg oil. It would be a problem if it were used engine oil.

[@Handles-R-Lame]

You hear voices in your head, that's quite unfortunate. Im sorry to hear 😔

[@davecossaro632]

oh no I seem to have annoyed a pair of loons oh nooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@yodab.at1746]

@@davecossaro632 nah, you couldn't annoy anyone. You're not capable of it. 🥳

[@davecossaro632]

and yet here you are wailing and gnashing🤣😂@@yodab.at1746

[@joanneganon7157]

The mad scientist is back with his trusty assistant. What will happen this time😳! Thanks, Jeff, for emptying your brain on us🎉. Love seeing you guys❤. Let's blow it up💥 JO JO IN VT 🇺🇲💞

[@mgfofoklahoma4018]

Thank you. Fun and useful video.

[@johnkoury1116]

Super awesome!! I am building a unit similar to yours for not only keeping my pew pew's going but to make my own parts for my Pre War garage specilizing in cars over 100 years old. I am almost done building my machine shop to make any parts that they do not make for such old race cars. I usually make the parts from styrofoam into the part you need after putting it on the lathe or milling machine or belt sander....Keep up the great videos. That is such a great way to make charcoal to make even more heat fojr stuff.

[@Reubenhubert]

A few decades ago I lived in the country and used a burn barrel. One time I had oil I drained from my car to get rid of so I put it in an oatmeal container and put it in the burn barrel with other garbage. When the oil lit it sent a flame at least 20 feet high and a plume of thick black smoke. I never did that again.

[@frankgeorgeo8582]

Awesome skills Awesome video!! Greetings from Pennsylvania

[@LADETROIT]

If this isn't the most country backwards stuff I've ever seen. But This city boy loves it ❤

[@JamieMG]

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

[@ghostfaction45]

Lol love it. Who would have known it would work that well

[@lcampbe7]

Sweet, love the knowledge share

[@user-df2ow9gz3v]

Thanks on to how to make CHARCOAL, very useful for my future BBQ.

[@LivingGoodAlaska]

I just found your channel today, so cool!

[@KevinTurner-aka-keturn]

This really makes me want to be a charcoal baker when I grow up.

[@ralphmills7322]

A vintage Jack Black quote, love it! Don't know if I dare charge my CVA Frontier with DIY FF/FFF.

[@kwdoug]

Outstanding thank you

[@KeithOlson]

Interesting idea. Some thoughts: 1. If you wrap the whole thing in rock wool, it will be *MUCH* more efficient, as you won't be losing *NEARLY* as much heat. 2. If you make the chimney from refractory bricks, it will become a secondary burn chamber and the system will completely stop smoking after 5-10 minutes. (Alternatively, swap it for stainless steel--to be able to withstand the heat, make it twice as long, and wrap it with rock wool.) Heck, as you are going to be using it on a regular basis going forward, just build the whole _thing_ out of refractory bricks and have the top swing sideways out of the way. 3. For a wick that doesn't burn away, pick up some 'fireproof carbon felt' from a welding supplier/Amazon/etc. Robert Murray-Smith uses it for all of his heating experiments. 4. You need more air flowing in. I suggest using a knife/etc. to make sideways V-shaped flaps--all in the same direction--around the bottom of the barrel that you bend in to both increase airflow and encourage a vortex to form. 5. You can have a baffle ring that sits just above the firewood to focus the airflow on the inner cylinder to heat it faster. 6. You can mix different types of oils together to change the burn rate. As well, dumping in sawdust to soak up the oil will slow down the burn rate. Cheers! Bonus idea: If you want even _more_ fun with BP, leave a mixture of flour, fine sawdust, and coarse sawdust in the oven overnight until it turns golden brown and is *utterly* dry, mix it 8:1 with BP--adjust to ratio to suit, tape two tin cans together like a Pringles container, place a long straw down the center and fill with BP, finishing with a wick, pour the flour/BP mix around it to fill the cans, then remove the straw. When you light it up, it will turn into a volcano that spews fire, smoke, and sparks for minutes at a time. I suggest burying the cans in a mound of dirt, both for safety and to complete the effect.

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Brilliant. Nice video

[@lonekiterrocky]

Good stuff👍

[@carsonbradshaw3374]

i made my first turbocharged burn barrel about 2 years ago and it changed my life. your next step is a blower style fan get a big metal one to attach directly to the barrel then make a removable grate that sits a foot above the bottom of the barrel to elevate the solids. very clean combustion red hot barrels all day lol