The 'Pope' Charcoal Kiln

• Perfect for coppicing
• Make Charcoal and kiln dried wood in the Pope Charcoal Kiln.
• Making charcoal in a Kiln is fun as well as environmentally good practise.
• Drying wood logs this way will extend their burning time and intensify the heat given off in your wood stove or wood burner.
• Sizes upwards from domestic and portable - fits in an estate car.

 How to make charcoal -  instructions below.

Practise makes perfect and soon you will be able to make Home Made Charcoal from spare wood offcuts and Kiln dried wood logs to your choice. This activity is becoming more popular as people have desire to become more self sufficient.

The Name

The Pope Charcoal Kiln gets its name from the white smoke rising from the chimney when the election of a new Pope is announced.

Made from

Solid steel portable charcoal burner suitable for charring logs for burning on log fires and for charcoal making.
The Portable Pope Charcoal Kiln in these picture measures 90cm high and 80cm in diameter.The weight of the solid steel body is about 23 Kg so the Pope is good for moving to a different site when coppicing in different areas.
Parts include four feet, two chimneys, a lid and a kiln body. Depending upon the size of the kiln and the nukber of feet supplied, the Pope \kiln comes with half as many chimneys as feet. During burning alternate chimneys are used for drawing off the white steam before closing down the kiln for the closed burn.
If you want a kiln of a different size we will be happy to give a quotation on request.
 

Points to remember. Personal safety
Use Safety goggles for cutting the wood and, later if you are likely to be in the line of smoke
Wear a mask if you are likely to inhale smoke.
Wear Gloves
Wear Suitable shoes/boots
Keep small children under control

Before you begin
Make sure that the kiln is not situated near a well used path or near anything that could be affected by the heat and smoke given off.

Process of lighting the kiln

• Charcoaling wood has no precise rules as the circumstances and the contents of the kiln will vary with every burn. Experience is the best teacher.
• Try to use the wood as dry as possible
• Wet timber drive off more vapour
• Newly coppiced wood will also drive off more vapour
• Mature wood burns more quickly
• Evenly sized logs and the same type of wood will give a more even burn.
• Fill the kiln above the top rim of the body to allow for initial shrinkage and settling down at the start of the burn.

1. Clear the foot vents and base gaps from loose sand resulting from previous burns.
2. Rebuild an airtight seal of sand all round the base keeping the feet clear for the moment.
3. Lay a base of ‘fines’, that is kindling, in the centre of the kiln. Build this up as you fill the kiln to about half way and keep a narrow chimney-space up the centre for circulation.
4. Lay the timber in radials up the fines towards the centre of the kiln.
5. Lay the next layer of timber in concentric circles, keeping the logs as close as possible.
6. Continue with the alternate layers until the wood is well above the rim of the kiln as the wood will drop as the kindling burns.
7. Make sure the base is airtight with sand (leave the feet open for the moment).
8. Place the lid loosely on the top of the burn.
9. Use an old cloth twined round a piece of stick for lighting the burn. Douse it with paraffin and light the fire by pushing the cloth through one of the feet.
   The kiln will start to steam as the fire takes hold.
10. Wait for the wood to settle and the lid to drop before sealing the lid round the top of the kiln with sand.
11. At this stage you can regulate the air intake by alternating the chimneys on the feet using opposite vents to ensure consistency.
12. Once the steam changes and gets a blue tinge the timber is dry. At this point the timber could catch fire, so close the kiln down for 24 hours. That is, remove the chimneys, seal all the feet entrances with sand and check all the top and bottom seals are airtight so no oxygen gets in.

DO NOT OPEN IN UNDER 24 HOURS
If the kiln is opened too soon it could ignite or even explode if the temperature is too high. 

Delivery about 2 weeks. Cost of delivery not included. Can collect. Shipped on one pallet charged at cost to destination, contact us for quote 01254 820088.Normally about £45.00 - £50.00