iDRY Vacuum Kilns

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Started by schwanee, August 04, 2018, 07:41:26 PM

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Just Right

Glad you made it Stephen.  Safe travels home.
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Stephen1

Home safe! Had a nice visit with the boys from IDRY, Jim, Rick, and Brian. Busy place as they transition to a new shop and office.
I had to reposition the kiln on the trailer after I left. It had a little fish tail to it about 50. I pulled off the interstate and pulled it forward on the trailer. It's nice having the ratchet chain binders.
The crane comes in the morning to offload and maneuver the kiln into the shop.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Stephen1

The Kiln landed. I hooked up the electric yesterday  and finished up the plumbing hook up today.
 loaded the kiln with 2" EWP slabs on the bottom.   
<br live edge 4/4 Poplar and Maple for charcutie boards. I threw is some Cherry and Birch ovals, some walnut small pieces. I want to see how the ovals do in the kiln.  My thoughts are to change out the 4/4 on the top with different stck next week . Then reload with more 4/4 and back in the dry the EWP
All different moisture from 19% for the 4/4 to %26 for the pine. >
 

 
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

tule peak timber

Stephen 1, Thanks for taking the time to document what you are doing, it is appreciated.  Rob
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

Just Right

Looking good Stephen.  lm interested in knowing how your ovals did too.  We will be leaving Tues to pick mine up on Fri.
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Stephen1

Have a great road trip!
I had a small water problem at the kiln with a pin hole leak in the 3/8 water supply line. I called and a new line is on the way. Brian's comment was that "we paid extra to get a braided high pressure line" 
The kiln runs at 130-140 F as it cycles thru the heat and the fan. 
I hope to be there tonight when it drops the vacuum. I want to pull out the load and see what is and what is not dry. 
I also have my 1st customer 8)coming on Thursday with a small load of fresh sawn maple
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

flatrock58

Been keeping up with this post.  It has been mentioned that oak is harder to dry with this kiln than other woods.  Has anyone dried red or white oak yet.  If so how long did it take?  Thanks
2001 LT40 Super Kubota 42
6' extension
resaw attachment
CBN Sharpener
Cooks Dual Tooth Setter
Solar Kiln

NC Daniel

I think I saw a post on their website where someone dried a load of 5/4 White Oak, 1 month air dried then took 13 days in the kiln 
iDRY Standard

Stephen1

Quote from: flatrock58 on March 26, 2019, 09:50:23 PM
Been keeping up with this post.  It has been mentioned that oak is harder to dry with this kiln than other woods.  Has anyone dried red or white oak yet.  If so how long did it take?  Thanks
I am opened the kiln on Teusday night. The temp of the kiln was at 140F. I pulled some cookies out to test. ( some were still solid and some were checked) I also put in some air dried Walnut pieces,  to fill up the space in the kiln. A full load is better or you need to baffle a partial load. 
They seemed very dry and they were at 8%. I am also trying to learn the moisture meter. 
I am opening the kiln this afternoon as I have my 1st customer coming with a small load of maple. I plan to pull the maple and poplar and cookies out. I will leave the pine slabs. I will update for everyone.
I will load more of my air dried Walnut-Elm. I will load the customers maple and fill the space with more cookies and ovals.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Stephen1

Well here is an update. I fixed the water leak, replaced the line. I pulled out the load on Friday morning. I left the kiln shut down from Thursday night. The 4/4 poplar and maple were dry, also the birch and cherry cookies, all down to 6-8%
The EWP was mixed %. The 16" x2" pieces  were down to 8.8%. I pulled them out of the kiln.
The bigger 24" were mixed, some probe locations were8% some 12% , some 18% I only used the hand held probe.
I loaded the kiln with customers 300 bd ft of 7/4 maple on the bottom filled by new EWP 24" x2" then the almost dried EWP . On top of all that I placed air dried  coffee table live edge walnut and elm. To fill the empty spaces I loaded about 100 birch and cherry cookies/ovals. A real mixed load.
I would like to put other wood in but winter will not quite up here and a lot of my wood is still buried in the snow and ice. What isn't buried my little bobcat can't lift with the added weight of the snow and ice on top.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Just Right

 

 

Got back with the kiln after 2 flats and a sick Ford.  Injection pump is going.  But all that behind us now.  Going to start on the concrete pad this morning.  Hoping to pour Wed or so.
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Southside

Is the pump throwing metal into the tires and causing them to go flat or something?   :D
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Stephen1

Quote from: Just Right on April 08, 2019, 08:53:57 AM

Got back with the kiln after 2 flats and a sick Ford.  Injection pump is going.  But all that behind us now.  Going to start on the concrete pad this morning.  Hoping to pour Wed or so.
I'm glad your home safe. nothing like an adventure to get started with. How many miles was your road trip, mine was a total of 1000 miles there and back, since my truck is american I am still in miles, I never switched it over to Kilometers
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

briankingsbury


Just Right

LOL Southside you made me laugh.  I wish it was a coordinated group effort to do me in.  One flat on trailer and one on the truck.  Just luck of the draw on the truck.  But the trailer . . . . . it is evil 8 new tires with less than 6000 miles on them.  And I have had to replace 4 already.  Axles must be tweaked.  And the injector pump is just time for a new one.

Stephen,  it was about 2500 miles round trip.  Took a week to do it,  but me and lil Wiffie made a good road trip out of it.  Figured I'd prepay her before she figures out that she will be helping me load and unload that kiln!
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Just Right

And Brian,  Now that I know the vacuum pump and the drain from the inside of the kiln are two different things that is a good idea.  Problem is I just finished the ditch to bury my water supply.  LMAO
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Southside

Just Right, I got sick of crappy trailer service tires and went to 14 ply G's in 16", keep them at 100 PSI and never had a flat again. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

YellowHammer

Me too, 100%, take off the E's and roll with the G's. I get mine at the local farmers COOP.   
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Just Right

Thanks for that advice.  I don't like that trailer anyways.  It is a tag along.  I love the goose necks.  

 

Had a decent day yesterday getting the slab and underground utilities ready.  Worked till dark getting this 100 ft ditch dug.  Then it stormed all nite and I am sure flooded it.  Good thing I took the time to make sure it could flood all my ditch and not just a part of it!  LMAO.
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

Stephen1

My only problem, is the 100psi and I find my tires are going bald in the Center as I run empty half the time. How do you guys get around that or is it the nature of the beast? 
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Southside

I have not had that problem with my G's, they are hard as rocks so not much difference loaded or unloaded. It is fun to watch the tire guy try to put them on the rim sometimes.
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

YellowHammer

My biggest problem is that people always seem to want to pull out in front of me and I have to end up standing on the brakes, occasionally smoking the tires.  Unfortunately, standing on my horn and giving them what for doesn't do anything about the new flat spots.  
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Stephen1

YH Flat spot are the norm when its empty especially
I asked Brian at IDRY about sterizlizing or Heat Treating wood in the kiln. He mentions remote units so I do not have to drill a hole in the the kiln. 
Anybody using one of these units ?
who does HT and how do I find out more info?
Stephen
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

PA_Walnut

Quote from: YellowHammer on April 10, 2019, 10:07:09 AMUnfortunately, standing on my horn and giving them what for doesn't do anything about the new flat spots.  


I had a neighbor complaining about the same thing until one day he came home and was super-excited to tell me that he had someone pull out and try to block him in a cattle-chute. Said, I had enough and mashed'er to the floor (big F350 beast). Explained, "I docked with him and pushed him down the highway about 100 yards or so...when the cops came, said I told them that idiot swerved in front of me and when I stabbed for the brakes, I accidentally hit the throttle and it stuck". Said the cop kinda smirked and continued on with paperwork. I'm assuming that they no longer attempt lane-blocking. :o I have a couple stories of my own, which include going "agricultural". :D
I own my own small piece of the world on an 8 acre plot on the side of a mountain with walnut, hickory, ash and spruce.
LT40HD Wide 35HP Diesel
Peterson Dedicated Wide Slabber
Kubota M62 Tractor/Backhoe
WoodMizer KD250 Kiln
Northland 800 Kiln

Just Right

PA I love your style!  I so wanted to do that on several occasions!!!!!!!!!
If you are enjoying what you are doing,  is it still work?

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