Dig a cone pit, build fire, when flames get low smother or water to start burn. Should be good to go.

looks like solid premise. hope to see how it works. if you want to upscale, go for 35 gallon drum (with holes drilled around the top) inside 55 gallon drum (with holes drilled around the bottom)

I'd you're making it for the soil, I think you're better off just making charcoal. Properly pyrolising the wood takes a disproportionately large amount of effort for the return that you get.

I use a kiln made from sheets of corrugated iron to restrict the airflow and reflect heat in. I add more feedstock as the top layer turns to charcoal & then quench with water when done.

If I really wanted I could put a small inverted drum in the middle to make bio char.

As a soil amendment I focus on creating as much charcoal as I can with my time. After a 6hr burn I might get 1/2 a cubic metre of charcoal. The stuff is incredible for the soil and has very little cost. I just use fallen branches & sticks which don't need to cut up much.

I understand that you're learning & it's fascinating. I been there making TLUDs & such. The open corrugated iron kiln was a game changer.

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Proof of concept batch looks good. This stuff crumbles like glass. I ran it through a old coffee grinder and made a fine powder I added to my worm bin.

Obviously I only made a small amount so now need bigger containers or just more of them.

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