Drying logs in kiln

[ScottCC]

I am going to start drying logs soon and came up with the best building type I could.  I want to use a hoop building carport of sorts and spray foam the inside.  The nudge is I will put building on rubber wheels in a track and move on and off of log sitting area, heated concrete pad.  This way my fork lift can move logs and I don't need a building any bigger than the volumn of logs I wish to dry.  Thoughts?

[Den Socling]

Did I miss something? Maybe you are drying logs for a log home? Otherwise, only the ends are going to do reasonably fast drying and that will result in end checks unless you really have them coated with wax. And getting water from the core to the bark is going to depend on diameter and species but will take months if not years.

[longtime lurker]

As Den said good luck with drying whole logs in any sort of hurry: you might shave years off the drying time of logs but it's still going to tie up a kiln for a long long time.

WIth regard your arch frame roll on roll off kiln design it's already been done on a commercial scale by these guys:
http://solarkilns.com/

[ScottCC]

I am drying logs for log homes. The logs will be flattened on top and bottom, about a 5" flat on both.  Then the bark will be pressure washed off.  I like the idea of sealing both ends.  I need to get help in developing a best suited drying schedual to meet industry log home standards.  They are then put in carport kiln, heat turned on and dried.  After drying, logs are returned to woodmizer molding machine and a matching groove in a now 7" flat are put on.

[Den Socling]

That sounds better. What species do you want to dry?

[ScottCC]

I should be almost always drying red pine.  I want to secure them through bids with the dec/state of NY.  The big dream also includes possibly drying logs molded to final shape then thru bolted together in wall panels to be dryed.  I think then the stress cracks would tend to form along the grooves.

[Darrel]

I would think that the stress cracks from drying would tend to form along the grooves anyway. When you put a groove in a log, you have in effect started a crack anyway. I would think that bolting the walls together prior to drying would only slow the drying process. It might also encourage cracking in other areas because there would be slowed drying in the area of the grooves where you want the cracks to form.

[bucknwfl]

What percent moisture content are you looking to get to.  Sounds like you might look at a utility pole mill.  They dry the poles down to 20-25 % before treatment.   That is for SYP species anyway

Buck