Seamus Hammond
Incense has been used for centuries for spiritual, medicinal, and aromatic purposes. It is easy to find incense in stores, but making your own from sawdust can be a fun and rewarding activity that allows you to create unique blends. The first step is to choose the type of wood you want to use, such as pine, cedar, or cypress, and then cut it into small pieces to obtain sawdust. The sawdust is then mixed with a binder like makko powder and shaped into cones or sticks. These can be dried in the sun or oven before being lit and enjoyed.
Characteristics and their Values
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Creating aromatic spaces, spiritual and medicinal purposes |
| Base materials | Sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, cassia cinnamon, maple, apple, cherry, European beech, common beech, willow, elder wood |
| Binders | Gum binders (guar gum, xanthan gum), wood binders (joss powder, tabu no ki/makko), marshmallow root, activated charcoal powder |
| Other ingredients | Essential oils, decoctions, hydrosols, extracts, water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, herbal teas, wine |
| Tools | Cutter, bowl, sieve, spoon, stick or chopsticks |
| Process | Cut wood into small pieces, wear protective gear, work in a clean area, strain sawdust, mix with binder, form cones, dry in the sun or oven, burn using charcoal or natural heat source |
| Benefits | Creating unique blends, saving money, free from chemicals and additives |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right type of sawdust
Scent:
The scent of the sawdust is an important consideration, as it will contribute to the overall fragrance of your incense. Some woods, like sandalwood, cedar, and pine, have strong inherent scents, while others, like alder and charcoal, have more neutral odours. If you want the scents of your added aromatics to shine through, opt for a base with a mild fragrance or one that complements your blend.
Combustibility:
Sawdust should serve as a combustible additive in your incense mixture, aiding in better burning quality and increased volume. Choose a type of wood that burns well and evenly. Avoid woods that are challenging to ignite or produce excessive smoke. Pine, for instance, works well as a combustible, but other options like European Beech or Common Beech sawdust are also available.
Cleanliness:
Ensuring your sawdust is "clean" is essential. Avoid using sawdust that may be contaminated with dust from treated wood, as burning such chemicals can be toxic. Opt for natural, untreated wood sources to prevent any health hazards when burning your incense.
Availability:
Consider the availability of the wood source for your sawdust. Some options, like maple, apple, cedar, and cherry wood, may be readily available as woodchips for barbecues. You can also source branches locally or purchase specific types of sawdust online.
Burn Quality:
The burn quality of your incense is influenced by the type of wood you choose. Some woods, like cassia cinnamon, work well as a binder but require the addition of gum or gum-containing resins. Other natural resins like "Sakiz" or "Marshmallow Root" can be used, keeping in mind that they may need additional ingredients to burn effectively.
In summary, when choosing the right type of sawdust for making incense, consider the scent, combustibility, cleanliness, availability, and burn quality of the wood. Remember to wear protective gear when cutting wood to obtain sawdust, and always work in a clean area to prevent contamination.
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Preparing the sawdust
Preparing sawdust for incense involves several steps. Firstly, choose the type of wood you want to use. Pine, cedar, and cypress are popular choices and can be purchased online or sourced locally. If you're collecting branches yourself, ensure they are thin enough to be dried and cut into sawdust.
Once you have your wood, it's important to dry it thoroughly before cutting. This can be done naturally in the sun, or with the help of an oven if you're short on time. After drying, use a cutter to create small pieces of wood, taking care to wear protective gear and work in a clean area to prevent contamination. Collect the resulting sawdust in a bowl and use a sieve to remove any coarse particles, leaving only fine powder.
The next step is sifting the sawdust to ensure a smooth, even blend. Slowly sifting will prevent spillage and create a finer powder. After sifting, you can mix your sawdust with a binder like makko powder to create an incense powder blend. A typical ratio is 2 grams of makko powder to 10 grams of wood powder, which can then be stirred together.
Finally, you can form your incense cones by creating a smoke vent at the bottom with a stick or chopstick. Place the cones in the sun to dry, which usually takes 2-3 days. If there's no sunlight, an oven can be used to speed up the process. Your sawdust incense will be ready to light and enjoy once dried!
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Adding a binder
Wood binders, such as joss powder (also known as jiggit) and "tabu no ki" (sometimes mislabelled as "makko"), are easy to work with and act as a base material in addition to being a binder. They are forgiving binders, making them a good choice for beginners. However, they may require a larger quantity in your recipe, and they are not as strong as gum binders.
Gum binders, such as guar gum or xanthan gum, are much more potent than wood binders. They add no scent of their own to the blend, so you don't have to worry about their impact on the fragrance of your incense. When using a gum binder, a little goes a long way—a typical incense recipe will use just 1/8 teaspoon of binder for every 2 tablespoons of material. Be cautious, though, as adding too much gum binder can cause the incense to bind too strongly and affect its ability to burn.
To activate any binder you choose, you must add water or a water-based liquid to your blend. This can include water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, or other liquids. Keep in mind that essential oils are not water-based and cannot be used as a substitute for water, although they can supplement the amount of water used.
After mixing your sawdust with a binder and a liquid, you will create an incense powder blend. A common ratio is 2 grams of binder mixed with 10 grams of wood powder, which can then be stirred evenly with a spoon.
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Shaping the incense
Firstly, choose the type of wood you want to use for your incense. This could be pine, cedar, cypress, or other types of wood that can burn and shape well. Cut the wood into small pieces using a cutter to obtain the sawdust. Ensure you wear protective gear and cut the wood in a clean area to prevent the sawdust from getting mixed with dirt or debris.
Next, gather the sawdust and put it into a bowl. Use a sieve to strain and sift the sawdust, removing any coarse particles and retaining only the fine powder. This step is important to ensure the incense burns cleanly and evenly.
Now, it's time to create your incense powder blend. Mix the sifted sawdust with a binding agent such as makko powder, gum binder, or wood binder. Makko powder, a traditional Japanese blend, is a popular choice and can be purchased or made at home. It typically includes "tabu no ki" and clove, and sometimes sandalwood. The ratio of binding agent to wood powder may vary, but a common ratio is 2 grams of binding agent to 10 grams of wood powder. Stir the mixture evenly with a spoon until it reaches a consistent texture.
Once you have your incense powder blend, it's time to shape it into cones or sticks. You can use a mold or your hands to form the incense into the desired shape. If using a mold, remember to create a small smoke vent at the bottom of each cone using a stick or chopstick. This will ensure the incense burns properly.
After shaping your incense, place the cones or sticks in a sunny spot to dry. It usually takes about 2-3 days for them to dry completely. If there is no sunlight available, you can use an oven to speed up the drying process.
Finally, your incense is ready to be burned and enjoyed! You can light the incense and experience the unique fragrance you've created. Remember to always use a heat-resistant burner filled with ash, sand, or pulverized lava rock to catch any falling ash or embers.
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Burning the incense
Burning incense is an ancient practice that has been used for centuries in various cultures for spiritual, medicinal, and aromatic purposes. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to burn incense made from sawdust:
Choose a burner
Use a cup or bowl-shaped incense burner filled with ash, sand, or pulverized lava rock. The most versatile option is a burner filled with white rice ash, which allows for different burning styles and types of incense. Charcoal pucks, however, should be avoided as they may contain dangerous chemicals.
Prepare the charcoal
Light a piece of bamboo charcoal without any toxic chemical additives and place it in the center of the bowl filled with ash or sand. If using a stove-top, egg cartons, or a subitsm as a heat source, skip this step and proceed directly to the next one.
Add the incense
Sprinkle your incense mixture directly on top of the charcoal or place it next to it. Alternatively, use the Japanese mica method: place the charcoal in a cone-shaped mound of ash and use a flat butter knife or incense utensil to poke a vent hole from the top of the ash down to the charcoal. Place a small mica plate on top of the hole and mound of ash, then sprinkle your incense on the mica plate.
Enjoy the fragrance
The heat from the charcoal or mica plate will release the fragrances of your incense into the air. The mica method produces very little smoke while still filling the room with a rich fragrance.
Safety precautions
Always exercise caution when burning incense. Ensure proper ventilation and avoid inhaling any smoke or fumes. Be cautious when handling hot charcoal or burners, and keep them out of reach of children and pets.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use sawdust from wood types such as pine, cedar, cypress, European beech, common beech, elder wood, maple, apple, cherry, or Aleppo pine.
You can order sawdust on Amazon or find branches locally.
You will need a cutter to cut the wood into small pieces, a bowl to collect the sawdust, and a sieve to strain out the remaining sawdust. You will also need a spoon for stirring, a stick or chopsticks to create a smoke vent, and a mold to form the incense cones.
You can add makko powder, gum binders (such as guar gum or xanthan gum), or liquid scents such as tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, or herbal teas.
You can place the incense cone on a charcoal puck or natural charcoal in a bowl filled with ash or sand. Light the incense and enjoy the fragrance.
