Making Charcoal in a Retort with Lee Sauder

Рет қаралды 89,435

6 жыл бұрын

This movie shows the construction and operation of a charcoal retort to make fuel for smelting, forging, or cooking. It is a fairly simple design built of scrap 275 gallon oil tanks. This retort will make 160 to 180 lbs of charcoal in about 6 hours. Cameo appearances by Shadow Bug the Amazing Ore Dog.
You may notice that this video is unburdened by advertisement. But if you feel moved to thank me with a few bucks, you'll find a donation button on the Research section of my website: www.leesauder.com/smelting_res... You'll also find there other interesting things to read about iron smelting and blacksmithing.

Пікірлер: 58

@jamesl.harris4239 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Sir for patiently explaining each purpose for the operation. Good results and great video.

@crocodiledondii 4 жыл бұрын

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.

@craigsymington5401 11 ай бұрын

Thank you sir. Captivating...

@hsntrkmnturkiye5326 6 жыл бұрын

definitely a very nice video... It's nice feeling to get a real success in 6 hours ... God is with you

@MrBenjaminCole 6 жыл бұрын

amazing. intelligent presentation.

@uglyfacebutthead2446 4 жыл бұрын

One of the best videos iv ever seem nice job on the charcoal and the video 👍

@alzal6483 3 жыл бұрын

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?

@mohamadhasanpour4762 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks man 👍👍👍

@loldarian 4 жыл бұрын

Impressive!

@nickaa121212 3 жыл бұрын

That’s a wild retort.

@randalmoroski1184 8 ай бұрын

Yup it worked

@Tabor5354 3 жыл бұрын

thank you !its helpfull .

@josemanuelmartinellreynald5785 Жыл бұрын

Saludos desde Cuba.

@alejandroquinones5439 6 жыл бұрын

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.

@leesauder969 5 жыл бұрын

It seems I only fill that funnel once or twice- after a while the drip tube gets clogged with burnt oil junk.

@waskasoometalworks3329 5 жыл бұрын

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

@FeatherHorseforge 4 жыл бұрын

Illicit Metalwork which Facebook group?

@waskasoometalworks3329 4 жыл бұрын

@@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!

@ashishmane3915 3 жыл бұрын

Use of exit gasses is extreme idea thanks.

@Ghostridergt 6 жыл бұрын

Excellent video Lee!! Love the information that you share with us. Have you ever considered revisiting the Aristotle/teeny tiny bloomery?

@leesauder969 6 жыл бұрын

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.

@Ghostridergt 6 жыл бұрын

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.

@JohnDoe-ki6fm 5 жыл бұрын

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?

@blb7130 3 жыл бұрын

โอ้ .!เสียดายถ่านทางล่างเด้

@ClickinChicken 4 жыл бұрын

nothings easy. damn it.

@tengu190 6 жыл бұрын

Nice, how long have you had this particular rig?

@leesauder969 6 жыл бұрын

I built it in May 2014.

@urskasusnik3230 Жыл бұрын

Is there any possibility of explosion?

@craigsymington5401 11 ай бұрын

Only if there arent the fairly large, but not huge, breathing holes that channel gasses back into the outside fire.

@kanthavelkv 2 жыл бұрын

How many hours of burning is required and what temperature to be maintained for complete carbonisation of the charge.

@user-fo1tx5bk7b 5 жыл бұрын

great work . Do you think I can charlice twigs tall trees? Greetings from Iraq

@garywheeler7039 3 жыл бұрын

Even small twigs should char.

@user-tw6jf1hp6b 2 жыл бұрын

I like this you give the machine?

@bradpalmer6098 3 жыл бұрын

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

@mattmichael5345 3 жыл бұрын

What purpose dose roasting the iron ore service?

@leesauder969 3 жыл бұрын

It makes it easier to break up into small pieces, and converts the limonite to hematite.

@sayanagefeng7547 3 жыл бұрын

How many degrees Celsius to become charcoal

@sandmanbub 2 жыл бұрын

@Whoop!!

@activate43 Жыл бұрын

did you use more firewood than what became charcoal?

@leesauder969 Жыл бұрын

No, I didn't use all that pile. It usually takes about half as much wood ass the coaling wood, sometimes a little more.

@activate43 Жыл бұрын

@@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?

@activate43 Жыл бұрын

@@leesauder969 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hpujpal8mamrlWw.html

@radt0005 Жыл бұрын

Really like the video, Lee, and the retort! Some really good ideas you've incorporated into your system. Be well!

@murrayrunge5602 5 жыл бұрын

sure us a lot of fuel to bake the wood but if it works for you great.

@leesauder969 5 жыл бұрын

Yes, it takes a lot of wood, but it's all junk wood that isn't good to make charcoal from.

@murrayrunge5602 5 жыл бұрын

@@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

@charlesmay8251 6 жыл бұрын

is it true that in the 19th century they made charcoal by burying the wood underground?

@KimballCody 6 жыл бұрын

Charles May they still do all over the world

@garywheeler7039 3 жыл бұрын

@@KimballCody It is sometimes done as an earth covered mound also.

@moekakke 3 жыл бұрын

Nice coal

@brianbassett4379 4 жыл бұрын

I loved it all... right up to the begging.

@Suricatamigo 4 жыл бұрын

That process is inefficient , you spend too much wood to obtain a little amount of charcoal, it doesn't make any sense .

@leesauder969 4 жыл бұрын

"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.

@Suricatamigo 4 жыл бұрын

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 4 жыл бұрын

@@Suricatamigo Sounds great, how about giving me a link or two of something you think works better? This retort will soon be worn out.

@Suricatamigo 4 жыл бұрын

@@leesauder969 well , it is in spanish (my mother tongue) , but you'll surely understand the design by watching it, good luck with that. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p5OAf8d7psu4Y5s.html

@garywheeler7039 3 жыл бұрын

@@Suricatamigo : Looks like the primary fuel is corn cobs. The video did not have closed captioning so I was unable to use auto translate.