Cast Iron and Charcoal

[mellowitch]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

[Rhyshadow]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

 
Back when I did use cone or powder incense that's exactly what I did, used my mini-cauldron

One suggestion to reduce the chance of overheating, and also make it easier to move if you need to - put a base of sand in the bottom, fill the cauldron about 1/3 to 1/2 full with the sand.  This also puts the disk up higher to make lighting it easier

[sailor]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

 
What Rhy said.  I've burned all sorts of things in cast iron cauldrons and such.

[River Moonwolf]

What Rhy said.  I've burned all sorts of things in cast iron cauldrons and such.

 
cast iron is pretty sturdy.  You can do all sorts of nifty things with it.  Like burn incense. Or do the wash.  or my favorite, mini-stew.  But yeah, definitely put a sand base up, as that sucker will get pretty hot.

[mellowitch]

Back when I did use cone or powder incense that's exactly what I did, used my mini-cauldron

One suggestion to reduce the chance of overheating, and also make it easier to move if you need to - put a base of sand in the bottom, fill the cauldron about 1/3 to 1/2 full with the sand.  This also puts the disk up higher to make lighting it easier

 
Oh this is excellent, I'm glad to hear. Great idea on the sand too! Thanks ya'll!

[Annie Roonie]

Oh this is excellent, I'm glad to hear. Great idea on the sand too! Thanks ya'll!

If sand is not easy to come by, a flat thick rock will also work to absorb some of the heat. When cleaning it's a bit easier to just remove the rock and dispose of the rest, and you can reuse the rocks without having to lose or sift through sand.

I have a mini cast iron skillet that I sometimes use for burning herbal incenses because the opening in wide and bulkier or puffier herbs can fit in easily.

[Erinnightwalker]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

I use unscented kitty litter (the kind that is nothing more than clay bits) instead of sand as an insulator. Works pretty good, too.

[Hunthjof]

Back when I did use cone or powder incense that's exactly what I did, used my mini-cauldron

One suggestion to reduce the chance of overheating, and also make it easier to move if you need to - put a base of sand in the bottom, fill the cauldron about 1/3 to 1/2 full with the sand.  This also puts the disk up higher to make lighting it easier

Forgive my ignorance but do you have a source for the charcoal disks.  Understand I would need the disks to be able to be shipped to an FPO AP address.  My thanks.

[sailor]

Forgive my ignorance but do you have a source for the charcoal disks.  Understand I would need the disks to be able to be shipped to an FPO AP address.  My thanks.

 
There has to be a local source.  The gate to the SSK shipyard always has something burning and I don't think it's just sticks of incense.

If you can wait until December we can go around the city looking for it.

[Hunthjof]

There has to be a local source.  The gate to the SSK shipyard always has something burning and I don't think it's just sticks of incense.

If you can wait until December we can go around the city looking for it.

Thanks!

[greywolfe]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

 
I always put an inch or two of salt in the bottom.

[HedgeWitch]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

 
Cauldrons are really just Olde World cooking pots designed to be hung over the hearth fire for long periods of time. I'm not sure about the commercial pagany ones you can buy with little moons etc on the side, the quality might not be very good. Why not source a South African poitje pot? They come in lots of sizes, same sort of price and are designed to be used for slow cooking on fires and bbq's so a little charcoal should be no problems! And they are proper cauldron shaped!

[Vitkyng]

Good afternoon,

I'm looking at purchasing a small cauldron here in the next couple of weeks and am wondering if a self-burning charcoal disk can be used in one without damaging it. I'm assuming it won't be a problem, but want to see if anybody has experience with doing this!

Thanks,

Josh

I recommend adding the sand, as noted above. Not to protect the cauldron but to protect whatever surface you have it sitting on from heat. the sand will revent the heat transferring down the legs of the cauldron.