Which retort?!

[Newbie Forester]

Hi all, thank you so much for your input. I'm going to check out the presvess and the Exeter in action and then make a decision! All the best
Dave

Hi all, not sure if using the old thread is wise but I'm going to go for it! Having done the sums a few times and read from many people that charcoal isn't a great business, I'm thinking of making a retort....is this crazy?
Plan is to use an old self bunded oil tank with most of the base cut away. Then have a smaller single skin oil tank with screw bolt door internal to this that houses the wood. Have 2 x chimneys at either end of the internal tank. Each chimney has a butterfly valve with return ducting that can be used once VOCs produced.
All to be constructed on block work to get height for work and to allow 2 x fires to be lit underneath until closing of butterfly valves.
I'm worried that the steel might warp heavily but its heavy gauge as far as I can tell. I figure I can add/remove wood from the fire to control temperature and then use the butterfly valve for the same once VOCs. I'm wondering if I need to line fire chamber with kiln bricks, thoughts?
I'm also a little concerned about pressure build up and volatile gases...but think the butterfly valve can just be a little looser to allow self release?
Am I being crazy? I'm guessing this will cost about £1,000 and will make about 1000L of wood space = 250 L charcoal more or less.
Anyone got any thoughts? Also at the numbers above I'm happy to replace this every 3 years or so of required. If anything this will allow for new ideas and versions!
Cheers Dave

[richy_B]

I had a exeter retort for a couple of years when I made charcoal. If you have a strong market and very low life costs then you might be ok but I found its an incredibly hard to make any return.

[Woodworks]

If you are making a retort use fireproof bricks where you can and protect all the steel from the worst of the heat. It will get very hot and it will distort if exposed to the full force of the burning gases. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Woodworks