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sterilizing with solar kiln

Started by Joey Grimes, September 19, 2015, 10:26:18 PM

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Joey Grimes

How long and what temperature would it take to sterilize lumber in solar kiln? Would it be practical to hook a duct to a torpedo heater and pump heat through the vents? I. Mostly dry 1 inch through 2 inch thick
94 woodmizer lt40 HD kabota 5200 ford 4000 94 international 4700 flatbed and lots of woodworking tools.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

The legal requirement is that the wood must be heated to 133 F, through and through.  However, with a few export exceptions, there is no requirement for sterilizing (which really means killing insects and eggs so that they do not spread to other parts of the country or world) of kiln dried lumber.  In other words, the insects that are of concern do not inhabit dry wood.

On the other hand, sometimes lumber or manufactured products are heated to 133 F to kill the lyctid powderpost beetle and its eggs.  This can be cheaper than fumigation.  We would not call this sterilization in most cases.

In order to get the core of lumber up to 133 F, the air temperature in the kiln is typically 150 F or hotter.  This is most often done with wet wood that is used in shipment overseas, but sometimes, to be safe, they require all wood used in shipment (dunnage, pallets, bracing, etc.).
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

Joey Grimes

How long would you estimate I need to maintain 150 degrees kiln temp?
94 woodmizer lt40 HD kabota 5200 ford 4000 94 international 4700 flatbed and lots of woodworking tools.

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