TEK First try at making incense cones

[TransistorBass]

This is my first attempt at making Incense cones.

I followed the basic 'parts' structure from a Youtube Tutorial but my own choice of additions:

I use 1 Teaspoon as 1 Part here for simplicity, which made 7 small and 1 slightly larger cones.

1 Part Chopped and Ground Palo Santo wood
1 Part Ground Syrian Rue Seeds
1 Part Ground Rosemary
2 Parts Ground Copal Resin
2 Parts Joss Powder (Makko powder was more expensive and harder to get)
Deionised Water via a pipette, adding just enough to make a kneadable dough

Everything was separately whizzed up in an electric herb / coffee grinder, then all mixed and whizzed up again while dry, water slowly added until it came together like a small brown log aka Turd! It was wetted and mixed in a small bowl until I could form a dough and gave it a good kneed.

I formed the cones off the end of the log and carefully cut them off with a sharp knife, a little more hand forming before setting to dry in a warm place.



I'll report back when they are fully dry and I can burn one in the garage. I've no idea if these will be nice or not!

My fingers smell very much of Palo Santo now!

 

[Nydex]

Good job, those look artisanal! Do report how they smell, I'd be interested in making my own cones as well. I'm a very big fan of Palo Santo but basically all cones or incense sticks I've bought online aren't as good as the real deal.

 

[TransistorBass]

Good job, those look artisanal! Do report how they smell, I'd be interested in making my own cones as well. I'm a very big fan of Palo Santo but basically all cones or incense sticks I've bought online aren't as good as the real deal.

If they smell as good burning as my fingers smell now they'll be pretty good, I'll leave them a couple of days in our warm place, Where all the heating stuff is and the hot water tank.

 

[TransistorBass]

Couple of days drying in a nice warm place and they have set pretty firm, maybe too firm and maybe a more coarse grind needed so they have a slightly more open structure, they light well but sadly stop burning by themselves I may have to look for a different recipe.

My wife thinks they smell like Tobacco Pipe smoke and I think they smell more like having a garden fire.
I'm tempted to guess that less Resin and more Rosemary may work better, there is a slight chance they may need a few more days to dry out more but they feel bone dry.
These will no doubt burn really well stood on a lit charcoal disk.



I'll have another go at the weekend.

 

[TransistorBass]

Today's tweaked recipe:

1 Part Chopped and Ground Palo Santo wood
1 Part Ground Syrian Rue Seeds
2 Parts Ground Rosemary
1 Part Ground Copal Resin
2 Parts Joss Powder

Turd on a plate!


My slightly wonky looking cones, hopefully my mix was a little more course


Left to dry in a warm place, Fingers crossed for a better burn / smolder on these.

 

[TransistorBass]

My cones look kinda funky under UV, the light flecks are the Syrian Rue and I think the Purple may be the Palo Santo, annoyingly these still don't burn very well, I wonder if I do indeed have to get some Makko Powder? The cones still smell good, I'm wondering if I need to poke a hole through them as if I'm making a cone where the smoke flows out of the base?

 

[northape]

My cones look kinda funky under UV, the light flecks are the Syrian Rue and I think the Purple may be the Palo Santo, annoyingly these still don't burn very well, I wonder if I do indeed have to get some Makko Powder? The cones still smell good, I'm wondering if I need to poke a hole through them as if I'm making a cone where the smoke flows out of the base?

Strange, it should work. Maybe throw everything into the coffee grinder once again (if they are dry) and powder them to a finer consistency. You could use vodka to make a dough, too. Sorry, all my advice comes from my bottom nowadays. I'm keenly following your experiment, though

 

[TransistorBass]

I mean @northape Vodka could evaporate / gas-off faster than just water and whatever moisture content the Rue seeds have in them.
I'm thinking more coarse versus fine, there is the option to add a little honey as binder instead of the Copal Resin.

But yep, everything powdered again and re-mix maybe.

 

[northape]

I mean @northape Vodka could evaporate / gas-off faster than just water and whatever moisture content the Rue seeds have in them.

That's why I crossed it out right away. I left it there just to show how deep my ideas go
Re-powder it and try again. Usually, you get a finer powder the second time. I pray for your success