Primitive Technology: Making Charcoal in a Closed Pot

Primitive Technology: Making charcoal in a closed pot, small scale success but failed to scale up

Follow Primitive Technology:

Watch More Primitive Technology:

About This Video:
I made charcoal in a clay pot by putting wood in it and heat the pot externally effectively making it like a retort. Previous methods of charcoal making directly heat the wood by burning a portion of it to create the charcoal. But this method applies the heat indirectly to the wood with it completely sealed off from oxygen. The wood successfully turns to charcoal on a small scale but fails to scale up due to the larger pot cracking during the firing and letting air in which burns the wood to ash. The theory is sound but more work needs to be done on the pot to stop it from cracking.

About Primitive Technology:
Primitive technology is a hobby where you build things in the wild completely from scratch using no modern tools or materials. These are the strict rules: If you want a fire, use a fire stick - An axe, pick up a stone and shape it - A hut, build one from trees, mud, rocks etc. The challenge is seeing how far you can go without utilizing modern technology. I do not live in the wild, but enjoy building shelter, tools, and more, only utilizing natural materials. To find specific videos, visit my playlist tab for building videos focused on pyrotechnology, shelter, weapons, food & agriculture, tools & machines, and weaving & fiber.

#PrimitiveTechnology #Charcoal #Pyrotechnology

[primitivetechnology]

The first attempt on a small scale was promising and made good charcoal. But the second experiment failed catastrophically as the method failed to scale up due to the large pot breaking. I've fired large pots before but it was in a solid wall kiln that probably let in less cold air. It still made some charcoal but the mound method is still the better choice as it produces charcoal on scale, or the pit method for quicker low quality charcoal.

[driverjamescopeland]

Often imitated... NEVER duplicated.

Best channel on YouTube.

[cypressz]

I'm so glad you show everything that doesn't work and not just show everything working perfectly. It shows how much work this actually is and how impressive our forefathers were for figuring it all out.

[_InTheBin]

The little dose of primitive technology every now and then keeps me from deleting my youtube app. There's just nothing comparable.

[sheldonaubut]

Everything he does, including making fire, is incongruous with the idea that we are viewing this through high-tech cameras on site. His videos are so entrancing that they just keep you coming back for more.

[EliseGray-rxdl]

I'm always happy when the episode takes a moment to feature a special guest animal. Primitive Technology knows what's really important.

[fantasia]

I actually really enjoy the failures, its so nice that you just post them as a lesson learned rather than an actual mistake. Learn move on, do better, repeat. Good life lesson right there. Bravo <3

[tulipalll]

Don't forget to turn on subtitles / closed captioning!!! He uses those to tell everyone what he is doing.

[tmilesp]

I love it that after so many years I still find it very exciting and soothing at the same time when he ignites a fire with friction. It also shows that all the advancements he made still requires the one key element done the same way!

[LateralTwitlerLT]

During WWII, many people converted car and truck engines to run on wood gas. Very potent, as shown in this video.
Great stuff as always. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[sirsplintfastthepungent]

"Multiple cracks appeared and luminous flames now shoot out of them" might be the most relatable sentence I've ever read.

[sockeye]

Every video feels like a newly unlocked portion of a tech tree

[paulsyeager]

Humbled by failure, like everyone is. Love to see it put on display.

[liamjohnston]

One thing I love about this channel is how he never hides his failures. He always shows everything he does, whether or not it works, and is willing to test new ways of doing things.

[vladimirpain]

It is almost decade since I start to watch this channel and in those years this guy managed several thousands of years of progress. From mud hat to brick house, from handmashed pottery to ten gallon pot. From stick tool to iron. It is amazing journey and I am glad I can watch it happen.

[Bedrock_Blaster]

You made charcoal in a closed pot because you need a reliable heat source.
I made charcoal in a closed pot because I forgot to turn off the stove.
We are not the same.

[gavdrans]

watching you pour that clay onto the grog and then fold it all together was so satisfying

[ruturajyadav]

7:54 we went camping this weekend and we struggled for 30 mins to light fire with match sticks and a cigarette lighter, just because we forgot to carry starter fluid - and this guy just flexes with 2 twigs.

[opuser]

You videos never get old. I simple love that it does not shy away from showing the failures too.

[DreadX]

@2:45 thank you for laying out the result of the first firing so that we were able to see the proportion of good versus undercooked. That attention to detail is very much appreciated.