Seasoned timber is heated indirectly by a fire that’s lit in the separate firebox. There is no flame-wood-contact at all.

At a certain temperature when wood gases are being emitted a process of vent closures forces the highly volatile Syn gases into the charge drum (left-hand picture above), which due to indirect heating from the firebox, is hot and the gases self-ignite and start to ‘cook’ the wood in an oxygen-free environment. If you remember the lessons at school that told you that for fire, you need 3 ‘elements’: Fuel, Heat & Oxygen - well (and this is where the magic part comes in), when you make charcoal, you don’t need oxygen! You just need heat & the charge-wood.

A charcoal ‘cook’ or burn takes approx 8 - 10 hrs and once all the wood gases have been consumed, the charcoal is allowed to cool in the drum until it is safe to open - normally below 40C with the RTS1000 and then the retort is emptied (right-hand picture).

The charcoal is then graded and bagged in to paper sacks, which are stitched closed with a special bag stitcher - no glue or staples here!