I will be getting charcoals and copal resin. I have watched youtube vids and it shows where they usually just drop one piece on the coal; I was under the impression you needed more, I am quite excited as I have whated y lowly waste of time stick incense from time to time try to form something other than a steady stream, but due to the very tiny bit of smoke (if any) not much can form. I want the 'Copious billows of smoke EA talks about.
Once it gets started I try to evenly cover the entire surface, so I can go for as long as possible before having to add more, which will probably be necessary. At least in my case, because I also like “copious billows” and once I get ‘in the zone’ my apprehension of normal time/space becomes pretty unreliable.
I found little tests, assuming you are able to get some at a place easy to get back to (local store, can get 'bulk' ingredients- oft in jars with scoop type, vs just pkgd)... ie if you can only get mail-ordered, or if you have to drive a long time to get to- clearly would be a bit diff.
-so if you can drop in and get some, I'd try a couple different types of incense (as you mention copal, at times there are a few different types, or which they have- more 'waxy'-resinish, or drier-more 'pebble-like'... will burn different... but also say copal, compared to "dragon's blood" <of which a little 'pinch' goes a ways... vs say frankincense...)
(thus if it is close-by, and you can get "in bags" -can just get like ounces/gram or so, of a couple different... vs a bigger amount of a single kind).. plus charcoal (types? &fire-match/lighter :), and bowl for it (comment below)... then can try else, get more.. once see how combos work- I'd figure upon it being a nudge-tweak process (IF that works for your process- it can be made a Working methodology, integrate this sampling with <doing>
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Thus not only are the different types “different” scent, and qualities of… but also an amount the size of a “raisin” or ‘green-pea’ may melt and bubble and produce a good amount [one kind], or less…
depends two factors, how quickly the incense melts and “boils” (~converts to smoke) (some will slowly: part is smoking, while part of incense isn’t… sort of like steam rising from a “slow-boil”… vs a “roiling-boil” or lighter-fluid tossed onto flame= whoosh… if “converts” (seems weird-word to use, but make sense) fast, much smokes but then the amount put on is “used up” quicker… so better to sprinkle a bit… and then a bit more… and then a bit more… (if take the same amount, instead of sprinkled mult-times, and put on all at once would go up all-at-once… so its not all equal… but other types of incense, you can put on all at once, and it will only change at the ‘bottom’ and the above sort of work down to the charcoal…
[so depends upon how that kind- not even the “type” but try a sample- a ‘green-pea’ sized… can always add more- watch how it reacts to the heat… vs a big chunk… -and, below, depends upon the charcoal-base state]
as well as how much smoke (like “dry-seasoned” firewood, vs “wet-green” branches… in same campfire, the same amount of each kind of wood= different…)
spoonful of Dr’sBlood: boils and fumes- and you’ll have hazy-fog everywhere (even find a slightly dust-like floating mist hiding in cupboards, drawers :)… while the same amount of Copal (or even a less powery DrsBlood), may produce less smoke (the qual look/feels different- drier/waxier/wetter… dusty-powder/crumbly sandstone-like/more substantial rock like/piece of wood,twig-like…
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also- if you haven’t done incense before (this may seem way to detailed a post for most- but anyone that wants to read a page or two of typed… got me thinking back on this when I read)… the charcoal base: bowl (ceramic…pottery), with a filler (sand, could be dirt- but best is “ash”- from incense and charcoals used… when they finish, results in a powery-ash… enough of that, you can fill the bowl- which charcoal then sits upon: protects the bowl-bottom from “heat”… and joins it… -tradition, if you get from another’s bowl: then the prior Workings they did… trick is if you haven’t had your own bowl- where get “started”? as once you have burned charcoal a handful of times, you’ll have some… so starter… if sand-base: keep top ash on top… eventually as it fills, either take off ash on top <so doesn’t overflow, if you like the sand base>, or scoop at all ash into a holding-container, then bowl out sand and then ash back in. Voila) -ok bunch of detail, but there you go (hope that makes sense)…
the key, I was shown was getting used to lighting and letting the charcoal fire-up, before putting incense on. -need wait a bit, let it “start up” after lit (lights- but like incense-stick it shouldn’t be on-flame… but smolders… so starts dark, then looks a bit changed, but still dark, then gets lighter- greyish… then more white… and then a different grey as it goes out, as it starts to crumble… can recog the heat, and where it is in time-wise, by appearance…
-depends upon charcoal type of disks (so I’d say it is test- lit and watch and see, without incense, get a sense… etc)… depends if they are “self-starting” or whatever the kind are called that are infused with like lighter-fluid (light those and they sparkle-spark, and start)… or if you need add that (ie flame to them, doesn’t do much, but if add to start them, burn a bit different)… ie both kinds are like “BarBQ” briquettes… (can use “incense” charcoals- but don’t need to- some I know use, “cook-out mesquite” that they soak-prepare in veg-lamp-oil, then let sit-dry in a sealed jar for like a month- etc… a recipe, preps ingredient conditions, but also part of the Working-itself… the system.
-Key, I think, is know the ingredient you use, and how they are likely to behave with each other, so you can adjust… thereby.
I tried to add in a bit, hope gives what you seek- plus other angles… I was recalling as I wrote, so might have rambled a bit 
[like the Econ advisor’s line: what do we do? what does this mean? “It depends.” -on the one hand… a set of different variables so, hotter charcoal, and more incense put on at once, light and let charcoal sit longer till almost out-crumbling, then put incense all on -Or- light and charcoal barely starts, and sprinkle only a bit, and then as it starts to smoke, a bit more, and then… or even put a bit of incense-type A, and after that starts to smoke a bit, then put a bit of incense-type B: the two combining to produce the result you seek…
In other words- with the above vars- its not just amount of ‘Copal’ more or less… a few others (plus if use/try different kinds than copal- plus if you have a rich supply-choice, a handful of different “Copals” in terms of form it comes in… not even including diff copal-types white vs blue, etc… but also, you can add- a wax base, of tiny-bit of olive oil onto/mix and sit a bit before use… or contrarily crush it a bit, even mortar and pestle to a powder before use… which will affect how it burns: all based upon a single kind of incense purchased (change source, as well as type of charcoal and how you light/let it warmup or not…)
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not beyond making sure charcoal has a chance to warmup after light (and test to note how hot charcoal will get, make sure the bowl -base you have it in will insulate it enough)… also test to find out, charcoal as well as incense, will work in the room you have (might require airflow- may headache… or be ok). If watching-test, can note quicker… if caught up doing something else, a full rite, let alone even laying out the Items you might be using/arranging “trial-walkthrough”… still can be enough to focus your attention and not notice that fumes in air are building up… (not “scent” of incense but CO2 or even CO… or other invis-gases… oft those inhaled are interpreted as “trance-state” I felt whoosy from the spirit, it was attacking me- giving a headache from the Presence… (or need airflow)… or even not bad for you, but it flows up or over, and another person is affected- and knocks on door during… if tested- in your space/ time (day vs eve or night… per people/animals being around or it being a solitary time)
<< espec as once started and put on the coals.. you're sort of committed, and it may take a few minutes to produce the results. Might seem like not enough, so you add more, and then "the rest" billows up.. and keeps coming :) >>
luck
I used 2 pieces of frankincense yesterday and it was way too much. Use one to test it out.