I love the design that utilizes the wood gas reburn to assist in the pyrolosis. So many of these retorts waste that heat by burning it off into the atmosphere. Huge amount of energy there captured by your design.
Thanks for posting! Would a flapper valve cap similar to what’s used on a tractor exhaust stack work to self-seal the retort pipes once things cool down?
@@FeatherHorseforge Illicit Metalwork (the group has my weird projects, the page is just the finished ones) ask to join and i will tag you in the photos!
Fantastic video Lee. Very informative and even though at first sight it looked a bit weak, it is one of the greatest videos I have seen. Would you mind explaining a bit on the use of the dirty oil? How many times did you refilled it? If my fire pit has bricks, would it be advisable to use oil? I have a ton of dirty oil that I would love to recicle... Thank you so much for sharing this incredible video.
I have watched a number of videos on making charcoal, and this setup seems to give the most thought and care to making efficient use of the heat being generated with the cowling and the re-direction of the gasses from the top chamber. It seems quite efficient. Others commented that it takes a lot of wood to run, but it's a big box on top and a much bigger payload than one 55- or 30-gal drum. ;) So, you use all of the charcoal that you make for your own blacksmithing work? If you were to sell charcoal, how much would you sell it for?
hi lee could the process be intergrated into your normal forge routine eg building a smaller vessel on top of your forge/furnace with a overhead chimney / extraction of gasses or smoke ? it seem's a lot of fuel and energy could be cycled in onto itself to compliment your forge running [ not trying to change your creation i'm just new to forging ] my idea is a simple hand crank coal forge built into a lpg style forge with a speed control electric fan backup plumbed into the hand crank piping and have lpg gas into that same line [between fire and fan] with the coal being heated aided by air induction and gas assisted the box of unburnt wood on top [large piping to prevent blockages] the gasses from that feed back under the coal forging fire = so your working forge is assisted by the wood you burn off for the forge ? hope it makes sense and i'm not making a uncontrollable cycle of flame [ heat fuel air ] take one away and it's controlled so air flow control is key
@@leesauder969 i had my first trial of making charcoal with steel barrel, actually my very first of any system of charcoal making.....when some old man came he told me about ive used more fuel than what im supposed to make into charcoal, which he has a point when compared with the traditional way they do here, the wood burns itself..but i like this baking type and i think i have to adjust..could you just peek into my upload and give some advice?
Funny you should mention it.. Ken Koons, Steve Mankowski, Shel Browder and I have been working for several years on a dvd about steelmaking (a project that had lots of interruptions!) I'm finally at work on the narration script, so we hopr to have it done this summer. The Aristotle furnace is one of the 4 techniques we cover. This will be a dvd for purchase, not a youtube thing.
Lee Sauder I will gladly buy this dvd and can't wait for it!!! There's plenty of written information but VERY few videos on the Aristotle. Plus I'm one of those people that loves having tangible reference materials.
@@leesauder969 i tend to look at the carbon going up in the fuel that makes what you call good charcoal. i think saving it from polluting the atmosphere is an important element in why make charcoal, no matter the quality you categorize it as. For example it could just be worked into the soil or used as water filtration in drainage ditch or in rail barrels or just put in barns for oder control even. is there such a thing as bad charcoal? You do not capture the heat but do burn very hot so most harmful gases are destroyed, but all in all i must say good job except for wasted heat and wasted fuel. Have you thought of insulating? Is burning used oil a good thing for our atmosphere? Its just that I don't see your operation as clean burning, sorry
"Efficiency" is situational. This is one of the methods that works well for my situation. It consumes about as much wood in the firebox as is in the coaling chamber, and the wood used in the fuel box is wood that is not suitable for charring. I have made about a ton of charcoal a year for the last 20 years, using a wide variety of different methods. If it doesn't make sense to you, that isn't my problem.
Believe me ,you don't need to waste that much wood but if you like burning wood for nothing it is ok . it actually exist a similar device where you only burn the wood that become charcoal , whitout such a forest fire risks. Best regards.
@@leesauder969 well , it is in spanish (my mother tongue) , but you'll surely understand the design by watching it, good luck with that. th-cam.com/video/q-PLdJAeT3g/w-d-xo.html
I love the design that utilizes the wood gas reburn to assist in the pyrolosis. So many of these retorts waste that heat by burning it off into the atmosphere. Huge amount of energy there captured by your design.
Thank you Sir for patiently explaining each purpose for the operation. Good results and great video.
definitely a very nice video... It's nice feeling to get a real success in 6 hours ... God is with you
One of the best videos iv ever seem nice job on the charcoal and the video 👍
Thanks for posting! Would a flapper valve cap similar to what’s used on a tractor exhaust stack work to self-seal the retort pipes once things cool down?
Thank you sir. Captivating...
That’s a wild retort.
amazing. intelligent presentation.
Use of exit gasses is extreme idea thanks.
Wicked! Definitely more elaborate than the setup im building. I may attempt your unit you posted on the facebook group if my retort doesnt work
Illicit Metalwork which Facebook group?
@@FeatherHorseforge Illicit Metalwork (the group has my weird projects, the page is just the finished ones) ask to join and i will tag you in the photos!
Saludos desde Cuba.
Thanks man 👍👍👍
Yup it worked
I like this you give the machine?
How many hours of burning is required and what temperature to be maintained for complete carbonisation of the charge.
Fantastic video Lee. Very informative and even though at first sight it looked a bit weak, it is one of the greatest videos I have seen. Would you mind explaining a bit on the use of the dirty oil? How many times did you refilled it? If my fire pit has bricks, would it be advisable to use oil? I have a ton of dirty oil that I would love to recicle... Thank you so much for sharing this incredible video.
It seems I only fill that funnel once or twice- after a while the drip tube gets clogged with burnt oil junk.
thank you !its helpfull .
Is there any possibility of explosion?
Only if there arent the fairly large, but not huge, breathing holes that channel gasses back into the outside fire.
Impressive!
I have watched a number of videos on making charcoal, and this setup seems to give the most thought and care to making efficient use of the heat being generated with the cowling and the re-direction of the gasses from the top chamber. It seems quite efficient. Others commented that it takes a lot of wood to run, but it's a big box on top and a much bigger payload than one 55- or 30-gal drum. ;) So, you use all of the charcoal that you make for your own blacksmithing work? If you were to sell charcoal, how much would you sell it for?
What purpose dose roasting the iron ore service?
It makes it easier to break up into small pieces, and converts the limonite to hematite.
hi lee could the process be intergrated into your normal forge routine eg building a smaller vessel on top of your forge/furnace with a overhead chimney / extraction of gasses or smoke ? it seem's a lot of fuel and energy could be cycled in onto itself to compliment your forge running [ not trying to change your creation i'm just new to forging ] my idea is a simple hand crank coal forge built into a lpg style forge with a speed control electric fan backup plumbed into the hand crank piping and have lpg gas into that same line [between fire and fan] with the coal being heated aided by air induction and gas assisted the box of unburnt wood on top [large piping to prevent blockages] the gasses from that feed back under the coal forging fire = so your working forge is assisted by the wood you burn off for the forge ? hope it makes sense and i'm not making a uncontrollable cycle of flame [ heat fuel air ] take one away and it's controlled so air flow control is key
How many degrees Celsius to become charcoal
did you use more firewood than what became charcoal?
No, I didn't use all that pile. It usually takes about half as much wood ass the coaling wood, sometimes a little more.
@@leesauder969 i had my first trial of making charcoal with steel barrel, actually my very first of any system of charcoal making.....when some old man came he told me about ive used more fuel than what im supposed to make into charcoal, which he has a point when compared with the traditional way they do here, the wood burns itself..but i like this baking type and i think i have to adjust..could you just peek into my upload and give some advice?
@@leesauder969 th-cam.com/video/P5srFK4CGe8/w-d-xo.html
Really like the video, Lee, and the retort! Some really good ideas you've incorporated into your system. Be well!
Excellent video Lee!! Love the information that you share with us. Have you ever considered revisiting the Aristotle/teeny tiny bloomery?
Funny you should mention it.. Ken Koons, Steve Mankowski, Shel Browder and I have been working for several years on a dvd about steelmaking (a project that had lots of interruptions!) I'm finally at work on the narration script, so we hopr to have it done this summer. The Aristotle furnace is one of the 4 techniques we cover. This will be a dvd for purchase, not a youtube thing.
Lee Sauder I will gladly buy this dvd and can't wait for it!!! There's plenty of written information but VERY few videos on the Aristotle. Plus I'm one of those people that loves having tangible reference materials.
nothings easy. damn it.
great work . Do you think I can charlice twigs tall trees? Greetings from Iraq
Even small twigs should char.
โอ้ .!เสียดายถ่านทางล่างเด้
Nice, how long have you had this particular rig?
I built it in May 2014.
I loved it all... right up to the begging.
is it true that in the 19th century they made charcoal by burying the wood underground?
Charles May they still do all over the world
@@KimballCody It is sometimes done as an earth covered mound also.
sure us a lot of fuel to bake the wood but if it works for you great.
Yes, it takes a lot of wood, but it's all junk wood that isn't good to make charcoal from.
@@leesauder969 i tend to look at the carbon going up in the fuel that makes what you call good charcoal. i think saving it from polluting the atmosphere is an important element in why make charcoal, no matter the quality you categorize it as. For example it could just be worked into the soil or used as water filtration in drainage ditch or in rail barrels or just put in barns for oder control even. is there such a thing as bad charcoal? You do not capture the heat but do burn very hot so most harmful gases are destroyed, but all in all i must say good job except for wasted heat and wasted fuel. Have you thought of insulating? Is burning used oil a good thing for our atmosphere? Its just that I don't see your operation as clean burning, sorry
@Whoop!!
Nice coal
That process is inefficient , you spend too much wood to obtain a little amount of charcoal, it doesn't make any sense .
"Efficiency" is situational. This is one of the methods that works well for my situation. It consumes about as much wood in the firebox as is in the coaling chamber, and the wood used in the fuel box is wood that is not suitable for charring.
I have made about a ton of charcoal a year for the last 20 years, using a wide variety of different methods.
If it doesn't make sense to you, that isn't my problem.
Believe me ,you don't need to waste that much wood but if you like burning wood for nothing it is ok . it actually exist a similar device where you only burn the wood that become charcoal , whitout such a forest fire risks. Best regards.
@@Suricatamigo Sounds great, how about giving me a link or two of something you think works better? This retort will soon be worn out.
@@leesauder969 well , it is in spanish (my mother tongue) , but you'll surely understand the design by watching it, good luck with that. th-cam.com/video/q-PLdJAeT3g/w-d-xo.html
@@Suricatamigo : Looks like the primary fuel is corn cobs. The video did not have closed captioning so I was unable to use auto translate.