natkova Posted September 1, 2022 Share Posted September 1, 2022 Here how it is still done and made in ancient time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 1, 2022 Share Posted September 1, 2022 *One* of the many ways it was made in earlier times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 There used to be a lot of commercial charcoal kilns here in Adair county, I’ve thought it’d be cool to buy a couple acres and rebuild one for a living history type thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 There is a description of a charcoal kiln in Foxfire #9; I's probably go with a ground clamp if I was making it for use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 I like the indirect kiln myself. More work on the front side but I think it’s easier on the backside and generally makes a high quality product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Indirect has a better return, it's not consuming the wood for heat. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 You still need fuel, generally about 1/3 of the wood to be pyrolysed must be fed into the fire box, assuming your burning the exaust gasses. Commercially they generally use natural gas, but with the amount of construction scrap and papers available I see no reason to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 5, 2022 Share Posted September 5, 2022 1/3 sounds about right but a lot of the reduction is shrinkage not carbon loss. I've only been involved in charcoal retorting a couple times, once with a cinder block enclosure around the drum, the other we dug a trench. We used the same sheet steel cover. Laying small wood, sticks, etc. in the bottom of the retort began charring very quickly and the retort began producing flammable gasses. In both cases we got the process started started with slash wood say thumb size and smaller. Once started it was self sustaining until it was almost completely pyrolized. We used a hoe to mound dirt and ash over the exhaust pipe to exclude oxygen from the retort while it cooled. It wasn't my operation, he wanted it for BBQing but it was more than interesting and I've kept it in my book of tricks. The trickiest part of the whole operation was finding a clamp lid 55 gal drum that wasn't used for hazardous materials and had a bung in the lid. He ended up using a 2" through hull pipe fitting a couple nipples and elbow to direct the released gasses into the draft under the drum. Unfortunately steel 55 gal drums are getting scarce, plastic drums are cheaper and less reactive to what they carry. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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