Mobile Retorts

[MartinN]

I'm on the case it's all I dream about these days.

 

Your thoughts on my taking the following approach to said wildlife trust or failing them anyone interested.

 

I dispose of the wood thinnings on site and in situ using my revolutionary wonder machine and give them 30% of production bagged up in those nice Selway Charcoal bags for them to do with them what they like. Or I get myself trained up to do coppicing and help them out.

 

I try and sell the remaining 70% to see what the market is like and if the figures add up.

 

The wood is marked on the map as a coppice though from what I can read it does not look like it is managed as one. I could be wrong.

 

Am I right in thinking if you coppice wood less than 150mm then you don't need a felling licence? How do you get on bringing back old coppice if over150mm, if that is the case.

[the village idiot]

I'm on the case it's all I dream about these days.

 

Your thoughts on my taking the following approach to said wildlife trust or failing them anyone interested.

 

I dispose of the wood thinnings on site and in situ using my revolutionary wonder machine and give them 30% of production bagged up in those nice Selway Charcoal bags for them to do with them what they like. Or I get myself trained up to do coppicing and help them out.

 

I try and sell the remaining 70% to see what the market is like and if the figures add up.

 

The wood is marked on the map as a coppice though from what I can read it does not look like it is managed as one. I could be wrong.

 

Am I right in thinking if you coppice wood less than 150mm then you don't need a felling licence? How do you get on bringing back old coppice if over150mm, if that is the case.

 

You wouldn't need a felling license to cut small coppice material but if there is an existing management plan you would have to fit in with that. If the coppice is very overstood (big) you would need a felling license. Hazel does sometimes reach a large diameter but it is generally considered exempt from the licence.

 

If the wildlife trust has a retail site of some description they may be interested in your idea. or perhaps you could volunteer your services in return for wood?

 

You will need to be clear if approaching woodland owners what you mean by thinnings. Normally thinnings are the trees removed in phases to benefit the final crop and are a very saleable commodity. You might be better off going into sites after the contractors have been in. You can then 'clean up' the huge amount of charcoal sized material they leave behind. They really shouldn't charge you for this as in most cases you would be doing them a favour.

I started out by going into overstood coppice woodlands before the contractors. They are generally very happy to have the small diameter (under 10cm) out of their way before they go in to cut for firewood and timber.

[steve collins]

I can't go into specifics but there is more to the Oxford Charcoal/ Waitrose arrangement than meets the eye.

 

It is not a realistic price point and I doubt you will find British charcoal in any other supermarket at that price.

 

We produced quite a lot of those grab bags last year and were a right pain in the ass!

The price mentioned is about right for bagged charcoal, for large scale its keeping cost down and getting your timber at lowest rate possible but you need quality hardwood timber which is expensive!! and it hauled in right next to where your burning.

 

I think the mobile retort is a good idea but i wouldn't like to be hauling it around stumps etc

 

its all down to how much you want to produce and if you want to do it full time or as a side line

[steve collins]

just looked at the exeter retort video and looks like a few tweeks are needed but apart from that seems good, has anyone had any problems with them at all?

[charcoalman]

Interesting! I was aware of the viper, but not this one. As Mr Timbernut points out the issue with most retorts is excessive cost. To produce something that can tolerate the extreme heating and cooling you end up with a very costly machine.

My other main charcoal customer 'Treewood Charcoal' spent mega bucks on their double chambered pressvess retort and even they are having warping issues, among others.

 

Bridgebrooke, who produce hotties compressed logs had huge thick stainless retorts made up to produce their 'barbies' charcoal ( which they elected to call lumpwood charcoal:thumbdown:) Even those warped.

 

I think that until someone has a major breakthrough and produces an affordable non warping kiln, the best you can do is get one that is designed to be simple and easy to work on. In my view, despite it's shortcomings, the exeter is the best retort option available at present.

hi guys

just reading what you said about "John's" at treewood retort, why it has a small buckle in the boiler plate is due to a faulty temperature gage, which has been sorted, the max temp for the retort is 600-610degc.But John's was saying 600c but the real temperature was 700c but hasn't got any worse. if you speak to Nick Harris @ four seasons fuel he designs charcoal retorts he working on upright continuous retort, top loader that will produce 1 to 2 ton per it's only on paper at the moment but a US company funding it.

[charcoalman]

At £16 for 3kg someone is laughing, and it won't be the maker, the one who actually does all the work!

 

I believe Bioregional were bought out by Rectella (the big boys) a while back. Bioregional had ethics but still couldn't pay the producers very much so I very much doubt whether Rectella (non ethical) are doing any better. Does anyone know what 'bioregional' producers are paid now? I would imagine that the producer is not seeing much more than a pound of the £5.30/kg selling price.

 

Almost all my charcoal goes ungraded in bulk to other wholesalers. I get around £1.20/kg for this.

I would be well advised to push for more but I am a terrible businessman!

 

To retail customers (graded and bagged hardwood) I sell by volume (large selway 'coppice

association' bags) £7.50. They sell on for around £10. I can't remember exactly what these weigh but it is around 4kg. I'll try and put one on the scales later today.

Rectella are paying £1.20 per kg i have been offered "graded" which suits me as i get £5 per 5lt bucket (£1.20 worth of charcoal finnes)+(bucket costings of £0.65) of bio char, which makes up for it. Bio char is the next best thing i can see most charcoal burners making this in the winter as extra production i sell about 3tons per year which brings in an extra money

[steve collins]

id be interested to see what treewoods looks like and also what fuelwood come up with as rumor has it there yard is full of burnt out retorts!!

[the village idiot]

just looked at the exeter retort video and looks like a few tweeks are needed but apart from that seems good, has anyone had any problems with them at all?

 

The retort in the video is the prototype. There have been some alterations since then. My experiences with the Exeter are documented earlier in the thread. I'll try and put together an update in the next couple of days.

[the village idiot]

hi guys

just reading what you said about "John's" at treewood retort, why it has a small buckle in the boiler plate is due to a faulty temperature gage, which has been sorted, the max temp for the retort is 600-610degc.But John's was saying 600c but the real temperature was 700c but hasn't got any worse. if you speak to Nick Harris @ four seasons fuel he designs charcoal retorts he working on upright continuous retort, top loader that will produce 1 to 2 ton per it's only on paper at the moment but a US company funding it.

 

Very interesting posts charcoalman.

The treewood kiln is still warping all be it very slowly. It is a good machine but it's high cost and lack of mobility make it unsuitable for most burners. It is also quite heavy on the brown ends. I'd be interested to see what Nick comes up with next. There is another arbtalker looking into getting one of his new designs so hopefully in time he can join the information exchange.

I too am a Biochar Bore. Very excited by it's potential:thumbup:

[MartinN]

id be interested to see what treewoods looks like and also what fuelwood come up with as rumor has it there yard is full of burnt out retorts!!

 

Is that Fuelwood in Warwick?