Any new small charcoal retorts out there?

[richardwale]

Good luck Richard, fingers crossed for you

 

Retort of kiln?

 

Just a smaller barrel upside down inside a larger one, so a kiln I guess. What's the difference?

[openspaceman]

Just a smaller barrel upside down inside a larger one, so a kiln I guess. What's the difference?

 

With a kiln the fire is inside with the raw material being carbonsided and with a retort the fire is outside the container with the raw material inside.

[HertsWood]

My single barrel Pressvess Retort is delivered this week 🙃😁

[SteveA]

My single barrel Pressvess Retort is delivered this week 🙃😁

 

I'd be very interested to hear lots more about that.

I contacted Pressvess for a small charcoal kiln quote a while back.

 

In the village idiots retort thread somebody mentioned lots of burnt out retorts in their yard so that kind of put me off + they never got back to me with further info or prices.

 

cheers, steve

[richardwale]

With a kiln the fire is inside with the raw material being carbonsided and with a retort the fire is outside the container with the raw material inside.

 

Cheers 👍

[HertsWood]

Hi Steve,

Best bet with regard to Pressvess is talk to the designer of all of their retorts - Nick Harris at Four Seasons Fuels, what he doesn't know about retorts and charcoal couldn't be written down on a nanobots knee.

 

I talked budgets with Nick and then decided on the Specification I wanted. Build time is about 12 - 14 weeks, depending on the spec, size etc.

 

I decided that for me, a single barrel retort was the best way forward to start - and if demand is there, I can upgrade to a double barrel retort later.

 

This was the retort at Christmas, just before the holiday shutdown..

 

Matt

[HertsWood]

With regard to burned out retorts, I'd say talk to Nick Harris. He's just retired a retort after 15 yrs service, he said it could have gone on for a few more years if he had been desperate.

[richardwale]

My very first charcoal! Ok, so it's a bit small, and a bit of ash on a few but it still sounds like glass when you drop it back on itself ( by all accounts this is the acid test)

 

Got another load in with different size wood...

[SteveA]

With regard to burned out retorts, I'd say talk to Nick Harris. He's just retired a retort after 15 yrs service, he said it could have gone on for a few more years if he had been desperate.

 

 

Hi Steve,

Best bet with regard to Pressvess is talk to the designer of all of their retorts - Nick Harris at Four Seasons Fuels, what he doesn't know about retorts and charcoal couldn't be written down on a nanobots knee.

 

I talked budgets with Nick and then decided on the Specification I wanted. Build time is about 12 - 14 weeks, depending on the spec, size etc.

 

I decided that for me, a single barrel retort was the best way forward to start - and if demand is there, I can upgrade to a double barrel retort later.

 

This was the retort at Christmas, just before the holiday shutdown..[ATTACH]218436[/ATTACH]

 

Matt

 

 

My very first charcoal! Ok, so it's a bit small, and a bit of ash on a few but it still sounds like glass when you drop it back on itself ( by all accounts this is the acid test)

 

Got another load in with different size wood...

 

Thankyou Matt, I'll try contacting them again.... looks like a good size & made from thick metal.

Do you mind my asking what you paid for it? (no worries if not).

 

I like that tinkling charcoal sound, yours looks like good charcoal to me. Did you find any brown ends amongst it?

Are the six square posts in your photos for the legs?

Please keep us posted with your findings.

cheers, Steve

 

p.s.... Do I spy lifting eyes in your photo too?

Edited March 29, 2017 by SteveA

[Marko]

We need a like button! It is inspiring to see all these attempts - I need to pull my finger out.