Yes a burn barrels will rot out faily quick. However the reason is most leave them in the rain. Rain mixes with white ash and creates an acid that eats the metal. This is more like a barrel drum wood heater, you never want to allow rain water or moisture inside the unit. This is why you will want to keep a lid handy and place the lid on it after every use. We had a wood barrel drum heater in our last shop that were well over 10 years old. They were there when we got there, we used them every year and they were left behind when we left in still perfect working order. These retorts are no different. Keep the water out and they will last many years. Also if and when you need to replace the drum you only need to replace the drum. So not a huge investement when that time comes.
Any changes in design you'd suggest now that you've used it a while? I was wondering about possibly lowering the cost of the valves by using screw in or on reducers?
Yes add a second stage. Basically build another retort just like the bottom but build the lid of the bottom retort into the bottom of the top retort, So there is a hole in this lid for the vent tube for the top unit. The top unit is a fuel dryer pre stage unit. If you have pre seasoned wood it will dry it and partially torify it. So when you transfer it to the retort it takes very little wood input to get it gasifiying on its own to sustain its own process heat. For the valve no absolutatly not spend the money on the lever valves. That thing gets hotter than the sun!! You need the levers so you use a stick to adjust them. When this thing shifts into supernova mode you dont want be anywhere close to that thing. Let alone fiddling with crazy hot knobs to adjust each gate valve.
So the steam vents out into the fire as it warms up? Would that not cool the fire down?Once the flammable gases start I can see how this would work quite well.
Yes but its not really enough steam to deter normal combustion mode. But yeah it works quite well once it shifts into " Hype Mode " When used as a heater its crazy efficient. We burn very little wood to heat the shop while it processes the charcoal. So effciency can be a matter of perspective. As just a charcoal producer it does well there as well. This can easily produce a 1:1 or better yeild if using seasoned fuels. Also you can use junk wood for combustion process like used pallets. pine and other wood fuels that will make burning those off less painfull :)
I thought I did explain this in the video. You do know what a retort is correct? All Im doing that I think is different then others is Im venting the Pyrolysis gases back to the combustion chamber and burning off that gas for additional process heat verses wasting it out the top.
@@Thrive-Off-Grid The pipe is different than most designs. I've seen exterior pipes, which seem to work poorly. I've seen retorts that simply have holes in the bottom as well. Given the level of care you exhibit in your designs, I'm certain this interior pipe makes a significant difference. Inspiring as always.
@@williambronson2935 The point is to use the pylyis gas as fuel for the process. This retort is very efficient. The dryer the fuel the more efficient it will be. But that is the point of my design. The fuel in the retort supplies gas for the process heat. The last 1/2 of the process the retort is supplying its own heat without need for external fuel input.
Sure but why? Much easier to just skip chipping and put your fuel directly in the retort. It will break apart on its own reguardless you have to screan the fuel.
@@Thrive-Off-Grid Where I live, you can get truckloads of free woodchips. No need pay for gas to haul logs, no need to cut chunks to fit to fit into the barrel.
@@williambronson2935 That works then, we have chips here as well but I have not tried running them yet. I think they may reduce to far but wont know for sure until we try :)
Great work, design and explanation. Thank you
I have wanted to build a retort just to say that I can but have never gotten around to doing it that’s a nice looking setup
Nice and simple.
Only real problem is those barrels seem to rot out so fast when used for fire
Yes a burn barrels will rot out faily quick. However the reason is most leave them in the rain. Rain mixes with white ash and creates an acid that eats the metal. This is more like a barrel drum wood heater, you never want to allow rain water or moisture inside the unit. This is why you will want to keep a lid handy and place the lid on it after every use. We had a wood barrel drum heater in our last shop that were well over 10 years old. They were there when we got there, we used them every year and they were left behind when we left in still perfect working order. These retorts are no different. Keep the water out and they will last many years. Also if and when you need to replace the drum you only need to replace the drum. So not a huge investement when that time comes.
Great setup! Thanks for the detailed help!
Any changes in design you'd suggest now that you've used it a while? I was wondering about possibly lowering the cost of the valves by using screw in or on reducers?
Yes add a second stage. Basically build another retort just like the bottom but build the lid of the bottom retort into the bottom of the top retort, So there is a hole in this lid for the vent tube for the top unit. The top unit is a fuel dryer pre stage unit. If you have pre seasoned wood it will dry it and partially torify it. So when you transfer it to the retort it takes very little wood input to get it gasifiying on its own to sustain its own process heat.
For the valve no absolutatly not spend the money on the lever valves. That thing gets hotter than the sun!! You need the levers so you use a stick to adjust them. When this thing shifts into supernova mode you dont want be anywhere close to that thing. Let alone fiddling with crazy hot knobs to adjust each gate valve.
So the steam vents out into the fire as it warms up? Would that not cool the fire down?Once the flammable gases start I can see how this would work quite well.
Yes but its not really enough steam to deter normal combustion mode. But yeah it works quite well once it shifts into " Hype Mode "
When used as a heater its crazy efficient. We burn very little wood to heat the shop while it processes the charcoal. So effciency can be a matter of perspective. As just a charcoal producer it does well there as well. This can easily produce a 1:1 or better yeild if using seasoned fuels. Also you can use junk wood for combustion process like used pallets. pine and other wood fuels that will make burning those off less painfull :)
It would be nice if you would explain the overall design theory before going through detailed description of how to build.
Its a retort what is there to explain?
I thought I did explain this in the video. You do know what a retort is correct? All Im doing that I think is different then others is Im venting the Pyrolysis gases back to the combustion chamber and burning off that gas for additional process heat verses wasting it out the top.
@@Thrive-Off-Grid
The pipe is different than most designs.
I've seen exterior pipes, which seem to work poorly.
I've seen retorts that simply have holes in the bottom as well.
Given the level of care you exhibit in your designs, I'm certain this interior pipe makes a significant difference.
Inspiring as always.
@@williambronson2935 The point is to use the pylyis gas as fuel for the process. This retort is very efficient. The dryer the fuel the more efficient it will be. But that is the point of my design. The fuel in the retort supplies gas for the process heat. The last 1/2 of the process the retort is supplying its own heat without need for external fuel input.
@@Thrive-Off-Gridoperating principles?
Can you get the retort to self fuel with one full firebox, or do you need to feed the fire for a while?
Can you use wood chips in the retort?
Sure but why? Much easier to just skip chipping and put your fuel directly in the retort. It will break apart on its own reguardless you have to screan the fuel.
@@Thrive-Off-Grid
Where I live, you can get truckloads of free woodchips.
No need pay for gas to haul logs, no need to cut chunks to fit to fit into the barrel.
@@williambronson2935 That works then, we have chips here as well but I have not tried running them yet. I think they may reduce to far but wont know for sure until we try :)
Dog...