iDRY Vacuum Kilns

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solar klin

Started by steve marek, February 21, 2012, 04:19:58 PM

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steve marek

  Hi I would like to start drying my own lumber. I am would to try to build a solar kiln to dry lumber on a small scale my ? is anybody using solar klin and how well do they work. I have small sawing buss. and would like to dry some lumber for my own use and if works well start drying for other cumstomers
WM LT40HD logrite ach 718 woodmaster timber framing tools 3000 ford tractor 359 395 husky chainsaw woodmizer e50 single blade edger woodmizer 260 moulder 2538 mahindra tractor kd 250 kiln

Buck

use the search feature and type in solar kiln. There are a few really nice project threads here.
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LOGDOG

Steve,

Get a hold of this guy Jim Birkemeier (AKA Birky) at: http://timbergreenforestry.com/

He's not far from you in South Central WI. He knows what he's doing. You can actually arrange a trip down to his place to check things out first hand and I believe he even does training sessions.

WDH

Forum member Pineywoods has built several, and his design creates higher temps to set pitch in softwood and kill insects, something that most solar kilns will not do.  Hopefully, he will chime in.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dan_Shade

I built one based on the VT design several years ago.  I've been very happy with it.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Dave VH

 I'm glad this thread was started, I've read several of the other ones on solar kilns.  My question is wether they should be built differently up here in the northern states like michigan, and wisconsin.  We don't get quite as consistant sun as you southern guys.  Does everything work the same, just slower?  does it work to slow to be effective?  If it is worth it, I would also like to build one.
I cut it twice and it's still too short

LOGDOG

You guys up North may actually have an edge on us because your relative humidity is lower than ours on average. I'm from WI, living in the South now. The humidity here is a world different from there. Solar kilns up North will still generate decent heat in the winter but you may want to add a little back up heat to them.

I was just talking with a guy at Bailey's today about kilns and told him I'd like to build a big one like the one Timbergreen Forestry uses. I'd probably need to add a dehumidifier to it though. I think Pineywoods has a dehumidifier that he put in his if I remember right.

Bill Gaiche

You can look at the one I built in my gallery last year. I have seen temps of 168 degrees in it. Good luck, bg

LeeB

Heck Bill, that's only a couple of degrees above a normal OK summer day.   :D
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

Handy Andy

  Tell you guys something crazy, my sheds are all about full of wood, so started stacking in a couple of old grain bins. First I put some boards in one that had some powder post beetles in them.  Found the beetles were dead, so tried stacking some boards in there.  And seems like it works fine.  Only trouble is the small door, and round sides. A metal quanset building would be better.
My name's Jim, I like wood.

daleeper

Quote from: Handy Andy on March 06, 2012, 07:13:32 AM
  Tell you guys something crazy, my sheds are all about full of wood, so started stacking in a couple of old grain bins. First I put some boards in one that had some powder post beetles in them.  Found the beetles were dead, so tried stacking some boards in there.  And seems like it works fine.  Only trouble is the small door, and round sides. A metal quanset building would be better.

Those empty bins do get hot in the summer, but not so much in the winter.  I have wondered if they would be of use for lumber storage.  Probably not enough control of air temp and humidity to really do good drying though.

WDH

Not enough air flow for drying without some type of ventilation.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

markd

I'm for air flo, I sticker a couple of units in my shop down wind from my wood stove with a fan blowing and ooowee I can't keep up with all the dry lumber.
markd

Handy Andy

  Yes, tin bins do get hot in summer.  I just propped the doors open for ventilation.  They have a gap around the top under the roof.  Not exactly a kiln, but too many projects right now. 
My name's Jim, I like wood.

Dave VH

"build solar kiln",  is right there on my midsummer to do list.  now I only have to finish my winter to do list, and stop adding to my spring to do list, and take my wifes pen away so she stops adding to my right now to do list..... but it's right there on my summer list "build solar kiln"  Its gonna happen (I hope)
I cut it twice and it's still too short

treenail

Built a modified VT design solar kiln about two years ago, and have been pretty happy with it. It was built with two large ash skids under the structure, and sized so that it fits into my landscaping trailer for mobile use. It has a conventional breaker box for the electric fans, but also has a 12/120 volt inverter so that it can use solar voltaic panels to power them if grid power isn't available. It uses an inexpensive bi-metalic snap disc thermostat to control the temperature/fan on off. It holds about 5-600 BF of stickered 4/4 lumber. It is not uncommon to see kiln temperatures of 150F+ degrees from April to late October, even in central New England. It has dried loads of pine, oak, birch, cherry, maple, and hemlock, with excellent results. I'm considering building another one just like it, and keeping two running to maximize drying season. 

 
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 sawmill , Ford 4wd tractor,Grimm/Leader maple sugaring equipment, Ford F-350 12' flatbed truck

Buck

Treenail, that is a very nice looking build. Would you share some more photos showing more detail of your kiln?
Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.

Live....like someone left the gate open

pineywoods

Treenail, if you want to really soup up that nice kiln, get some old sheet metal, paint it flat black, and fasten it to the bottom side of the rafters. A pile of lumber is a lousy solar collector, plus the top boards get much hotter than the rest of the stack...
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

treenail

Actually, I do use a corrugated piece of metal roofing that has been painted with high temperature black paint, as a heat absorber. It is suspended over the top of the lumber where the sun heats it and the fans blow air down through the stack. It also uses the drop air baffle similar to the VT design that is dark colored heavy duty tarp, to keep the air pressure headed around the stack. I keep an oven thermometer inside the chamber to monitor inside temps.  Will post some more photos when I get a chance to get back. This photo was without the absorber and baffle so that one could see the inside.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 sawmill , Ford 4wd tractor,Grimm/Leader maple sugaring equipment, Ford F-350 12' flatbed truck

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