IDIN Build-It: Charcoal press

GOALS:

o Participants learn how to use basic woodworking and metal-working tools

o Participants can use a hacksaw and a woodsaw, and know when to use each one

o Participants know how to make briquettes from crushed charcoal and charcoal dust

o Particpant make a charocoal press and know how to use it to make their own briquettes

TIME:

Wood: 60 min; Metal: 60 min

SETUP:

Find a location where there is plenty of workspace, light, and protection from the elements (if necessary). Tables or benches to clamp work pieces to when cutting are important working surfaces when making the presses.

Arrange a comfortable workspace in a circle/semicircle, making sure everyone can see the demonstration.

Keep the first aid kit on hand.

THINGS TO PREPARE IN ADVANCE

� Review and/or print Build-It instructions for yourself (do not hand this out to participants, as it might distract them from concentrating)

� Make a press yourself to discover what participants might find difficult

� Collect and prepare materials and tools

� Collect demonstration materials (charcoal fines, binder and the charcoal mixture) and a complete charcoal press to demonstrate what the press does and how it works

� Prepare samples of different wood joining techniques that show nails, screws and pegs.

� Organize the tools into sets to be distributed during the introduction

� Prepare the building materials:

Cut metal tubing and pieces of wood into lengths so that each group can have their own piece to cut their parts from (For a group of four people you will need: at least 40 cm of 50-mm square tube, 40 cm of 20-mm square tube, 150 cm of 5-cm x 10-cm timber, and 50 cm of 5-cm x 5-cm and 120 cm of of 2-cm x 10-cm plank)

Find some scraps of sheet metal that can be used to make the bottom plate.

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What is needed to make a charcoal press

TOOLS MATERIALS*

Item Amount Cost

Vice

OR

2 C-clamps

Wood plank

50mm x 100mm 300mm long $0.20

Tin snips

Wood plank

25mm x 100mm 300mm long $0.30

Hacksaw

Wood block

55mm x 55mm

150mm long

**Must not be able

to fit through the

large steel tube

$0.10

Square and Marker

Thin wall square steel tube

50mm x 50mm

80mm long $0.40

Bullnose pliers

Thin wall square steel tube

15mm x 15mm

80mm long $0.20

Wood saw

Small pieces of sheet metal

45mm x 45mm AND

100mm x 100mm

minimal

Hammer

Nails 12 minimal

Fine (metal) AND Coarse (wood) files

Total Cost $1.20

* Please do your best to find metal tubes matching these dimensions. Wood dimensions are not as

critical, but the wood block width and length should NOT be smaller than the width and length of the

50mm x 50mm steel tube.

We have found that the sizes of metal listed are available and reliable, while the sizes of wood listed

are available, but less reliable.

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1. What is a Build-It?

A Build-It is a lesson where people make a small technology and learn some workshop skills. Everyone will build together, step by step. As you build the technology, you will learn good techniques for handling metal and wood. Each member will have an opportunity to learn these hands-on skills by using some tools and materials. At the end of the Build-It, you will have had some practice using tools and also have a technology for you to take home.

2. What is a charcoal press?

Charcoal dust is in plenty in places where charcoal is made and sold. This dust, when mixed with a cassava porridge, can be formed into charcoal briquettes. The charcoal dust is no longer wasted, but recovered and used as a fuel.

Some people currently make charcoal briquettes by hand, but these briquettes are very weak and don't burn for long. This charcoal press makes very strong briquettes from the charcoal dust mixture. After the briquettes are dried in the sun, they are ready for use as an effective cooking fuel.

Demonstrate how to make a briquette with the press. Show each major part: wood block, cup, metal plunger, and wooden plunger

Wooden plunger

Metal ejector

Metal cup

Wooden stand

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3. Setting up the Build-It

ENCOURAGE PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE FULLY

• Ask, “Why?” “Where?” “What?” “How?” at any time during the session

• Engage everyone in the building activities and be sure that each person in the group can both observe and participate in learning and doing all of the different techniques

DIVIDE INTO PAIRS AND INTRODUCE THE STATIONS

• Half of the pairs will make the wooden base with one facilitator; the other half of the pairs will make the metal pieces with the other facilitator. Then, the pairs will switch and those who were making the wooden base will make the metal pieces, and vice versa.

• Single-gender pairings often work best for allowing all members of the group to participate evenly. Explain which tools need to be shared by the larger group, and where they will be located.

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Metal station: Making the metal cup and ejector

Tools Materials

or

Steps for the metal cup

1. Cut a 80mm piece of the 50mm square tube

SHOW THE PARTICIPANTS HOW TO PROPERLY MEASURE

o Begin by explaining the details of the measuring tape. If there are both imperial and metric units, clarify which you are using and what the different-sized lines mean (1-cm, ½-cm, etc.), then, mark the tube.

SHOW GOOD TECHNIQUE FOR USING A HACKSAW

o Show and explain that the teeth are in one direction – this means that the majority of cutting happens primarily when you are pushing the saw forward. The teeth are small, so they only cut a little bit of material at a time.

o Remind people that the hacksaw is a tool for cutting metal – it can do its job well, so don't force it! Focus on making a long, smooth cut without it jamming. Once that rhythm is established, you can add a little bit of pressure. Use the whole blade using long strokes – not short strokes that only use one part of the blade.

o Situate yourself and show good body position, with your feet firmly planted, left in front of right if you are right-handed. The hacksaw frame, your arm, and shoulder should all be in the same line.

o Explain how to use a backwards stroke on the first few strokes of the hacksaw to make a groove to start the cut. You can use your thumb to help guide and steady the blade.

o Show people how your arm is staying in one line – it is not moving from side to side – only front to back. If your arm moves from side to side, cutting will become very difficult since you are scraping the sides of the metal with the hacksaw.

3-D view Side view

80mm 80mm

or

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WALK AROUND TO FACILITATE SHARING AND PROPER HACKSAW USE

o Reiterate the dimensions by using the measuring tape as a reference. Continue to demonstrate how to use the measuring tape with precision as you explain the dimensions.

o Walk around to ensure each participant has used the hacksaw.

o As you walk around, make sure everyone is using the correct units and marking their pieces accurately.

o It may be necessary to have teams share lengths of metal and/or hacksaws.

The goal of the next steps is to have a

shape that looks like this

2. Starting at each of the four corners, mark 10mm away from the corner in all three directions - down the length of the tube and away in both directions along the rim.

You will bend the tabs 1 cm down

the length of the tube later

The middle section should be

comfortably bigger than the

width of your small square tube.

Here we have it 30cm wide for a

15cm wide tube.

3. Make a small notch at each of the eight marks along the rim

The metal is too thick for you to

cut with the snips all the way

through, but this gives a good

enough start for facilitating

cutting the rest with a hacksaw

SHOW GOOD TECHNIQUE FOR USING THE SNIPS

o Demonstrate and explain that snips cut best when the metal is as far into the mouth of the opening as possible. This gives your hand more power when cutting. Cutting with the tips of the snips only will result in sore fingers and hands! This way does not take advantage of the snips' potential power.

3-D view Side view

Do NOT cut the lines – only

add a NOTCH.

30mm

30mm

10mm

10mm

30mm

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4. Starting at the small cuts made by the snips, cut to meet the 1 cm mark made along the length - cutting a small triangle

from each corner at 45°

The edge of the tabs remaining

will be 3 cm wide.

5. Bend all the tabs inward.

This will leave a square hole in

the middle.

You may need a hammer to help

you finish bending.

6. Unbend any problematic tabs and file them down to make folding easier.

Be careful… you can weaken the

material by bending and

unbending it too often!

Cut at an ANGLE.

30mm

or

or

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Steps for the metal ejector

1. Cut a 8-cm long piece of 2-cm square hollow tube

2. Mark 1 cm down the length of the tube.

3. Cut down 1 cm along each edge until you meet the mark.

See the next step to get a good

clue about which corners you are

cutting this time.

4. Bend the resulting pieces down to form a square cross.

The ejector should easily slide in

and out of the metal cup, not

scraping on the small metal hole

or on the edges of the cup.

You may need a hammer to help

bend.

5. File the edges to remove any sharp corners or burrs.

Make sure to use a metal file

6. Cut a 6-cm x 6-cm piece of sheet metal.

This will fit inside the 50-mm

square hollow tube.

7. Make an "x" across the square so that you know where the middle is.

Don't cut along this line!!

or

Don't cut along this line!!

or

or

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8. Mark at 2 cm away from each corner

9. Connect the two marks surrounding a corner and cut.

This helps you cut even corners

of the sheet metal off.

10. Place the metal plunger in the center of the sheet metal piece.

Use the "x" made earlier to guide

you.

11. Gently pick up the two pieces and bend the edges to be vertical, one by one.

Make sure to bend them as close

as possible to the ejector, so that

they are hugging tightly

12. Finish the wrapping by carefully hitting the four tabs down with a hammer.

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Wood station: Making the wooden stand and plunger

Tools Materials

Steps for making the wooden stand

1. Mark and cut two 15 cm pieces of the 50mm x 100mm piece of timber (the wider piece).

SHOW GOOD TECHNIQUE FOR USING A SAW

o Show and explain that the teeth are in one direction – this means that the majority of cutting happens primarily when you are pushing the saw forward.

o Remind people that the wood saw is a tool for cutting soft materials – it can do its job well, so don't force it! Focus on making a smooth cut without it jamming in your piece. Once that rhythm is established, you can add a little bit of pressure.

o Situate yourself and show good body position and then begin cutting and explain how to use a backwards stroke on the first few strokes of the saw to make a groove to start the cut. You can use your thumb to help guide and steady the blade.

o Show people how your arm is staying in one line – it is not moving from side to side – only front to back. If your arm moves from side to side, cutting will become very difficult since you are scraping the sides of the wood with the saw.

or

or

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WALK AROUND TO FACILITATE SHARING AND PROPER WOOD SAW USE

o As you walk around, make sure everyone is using the correct units and marking their pieces accurately.

o Reiterate the dimensions by using the measuring tape as a reference. Continue to demonstrate how to use the measuring tape with precision as you explain the dimensions.

o Walk around to ensure each participant has used the saw.

o It may be necessary to have teams share lengths of wood and/or saws.

2. Mark and cut two 12.5cm pieces from the 20mm x 100mm piece of timber (the thinner piece).

This thin board helps create the

space between the wide boards. The length of this board should

be equal to the sum of the

thicknesses of your two wooden

boards cut in step 1 and ALSO

the width of the empty space to

be between them. In this case,

the width of the boards are 5 cm

(x2) and the space between them

will be 2.5cm. The length of

these boards is 5 cm + 5 cm +

2.5 cm = 12.5cm

3. Cut eight strips of 2-cm x 8-cm pieces of sheet metal.

These will be the straps to

securely hold your wooden stand

together, even when it is used

roughly.

4. Attach four metal straps on each side of the two large wooden blocks.

Two nails are enough to secure

each strip well

5. Sit the blocks up so they are standing upright on the ground and attach the four metal straps of ONE block onto the two planks.

Securing one completely before

adding the second one will allow

you to measure the spacing

between them more exactly.

12.5cm

12.5cm

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6. Attach the other plank on the opposite side, 2.5 cm apart to fully secure the stand.

They should be 2.5 cm apart if

the small hollow tube is 1.5 cm

wide. Adjust the separation as

needed to make sure the tube will

easily go in and out.

Steps for making the wooden plunger

1. Cut a 45-mm x 45-mm piece of timber to be 15 mm long.

2. Cut and file the edges so that it fits into the metal cup easily, but with a small gap around the edges, so that the charcoal mixture will not leak up around the edges when the briquette is formed.

Make sure to use a wood file

Build-Its are published by IDIN. The International Development Innovation Network (IDIN) is a consortium funded through USAID’s Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) that supports leading universities to catalyze the development and application of innovative science, technology, and engineering approaches and tools to solve some of the world’s most challenging development problems.

The charcoal press featured here was designed with contributions from participants in the International Development Design Summit, Amy Smith, Bernard Kiwia, Kofi Taha, and Benji Moncivaiz. The document was created by Benji Moncivaiz in collaboration with IDIN representatives at UC-Davis and Olin College.

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