24 Foot Frozen Food Body

[Ga_Boy]

Hello to all,

I have a lead on a 24' frozen food body with a roll up door on the back and a single side door for $1500.

Is there anyone out there using a body with a rool up door as a kiln chamber?  If so please let meknow how it is working.  

I am wondering how to seal around the door tracks.

Any help is appreciated.




Mark

[DanG]

I'm a'thinkin if that door seals good enough to keep food frozen, it's probably good enough to dry boards.  You probbly oughta jump on it, while you can. If you can't use it, I can. ;D

[ToddC]

Not trying to change the subject, but how many board feet can you dry in the 24 foot bed.  

[Ga_Boy]

Todd,

I've been told I could do 3-4 Mbf per charge.  The plan is to use the Nyle l-200 and the truck body.  I was talken with Joe at Nyle a few weeks ago, he suggested the 24' body as a good option.


DanG

I also found a 42' insulated shipping container if'n your insterested, not sure how much for this one.  I aint laid eyes on either box yet but the one that cost the less will end up in my woods.



Mark

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Dan, there was an ad in the Trader  not long ago, for several 24' reefer boxes, for $350.00 each. They were on the left coast of Fl, near St. Pete. If ya want, I could dig up the phone number. We almost went for 1 till the "Vac" kiln idea came up.

[Don_Lewis]

A 24' body will hold closer to 2500 BF when drying. The lumber is on sticks and the space for air circulation uses up room. If the seals worked as a freezer, they will probably work as a kiln but often the hardware is galvanized steel and that corrodes quickly in a kiln.

[DanG]

Don, this may be a good spot to ask this question.  What is the importance of insulation in a kiln, other than the obvious reason of energy efficiency?

A number of us like to throw stuff together ourselves, rather than paying big bucks for commercially built equipment, such as kiln chambers. The cost of insulation is a big part of such a project. I'd like to know what the minimum R-value would be, considering that I can generate any heat I need for free.

[Don_Lewis]

Actually the big reason for insulation is to make sure that no inside surfaces are below the dewpoint. Energy saving is important but, if you are burning wood residue, it not such a big deal. However, condensation causes you to lose control of the humidity and ruin lumber. Also condensation is pretty fatal as far as corrosion goes. R20 is the minimum that should be used to prevent condensation and humidity problems. Energy saving means R30 may make more sense. I frequently have people say, "I'm down South so I don't need as much insulation as you guys up there in Maine." WRONG

[Tom]

This doesn't even deserve comment so I don't expect anyone to reply.  But, when I read the title of this thread the other day, "24 Foot Frozen Food Body", all I could picture in my mind was the chilled carcass of a huge steer hanging in a cooling house.  Like the jingle that you whistle all day, I can't get it out of my head.

Now that I said it, maybe it will go away. :D

[OneWithWood]

There you go CK.  The answer to your nagging question! :D

[DanG]

Thanks, Don. I knew there must be more to it.  The question had been bugging me for some time. I started to post a new topic for it a while back, but my connection went away and I had to reboot before I could get back on. :-/

[rerednaw]

R20 is the minimum that should be used to prevent condensation and humidity problems. Energy saving means R30 may make more sense.

What exactly mean R20 or R30 ???  : :P

[Ga_Boy]

R= The rate at which heat is conducted through a material divided by the thermal conductivity of that material.

Now, the insulation used in most homes exterior walls is a R-14, that assumes we are talking about a 2X4 wall.

Stated another way the R value is a measure of how much insulation you have.  The higher the R number the more insulation you have.



Mark

[WH_Conley]

Don't even try to seal around tracks. Split the tracks, inside and outside, make a small section that can bolted in place when loading and unloading.

[pep]

FDH

How about alittle more info on the vacuum kiln idea.  I too am interested in building a kiln.  I have access to 42" N. gas pipe, upto 40-50 ft.  Is that big enough for a vessel.  How does a vacuum kiln set the pitch?  I have a few vacuum pumps, what size do you need?

Any info will be greatly appreciated.


Pep

[Frank_Pender]

Ga-Boy, that is the size of unit that I use for drying.  I have been drying with this unit for 7 years.   I removed the old insulation and replaced it with batting and placed psaper covered chipboard over the top.   That was the end of actual materials other than putting ten electric plugs on one side of the unit.  I sealed over the side door.  the door on my refer unit are swing hinge doors.  I did not replace the seal material at all.  Iuse a Taylor hot water furnace for primarely heat along with an Ebac 800 to remove the moisture.  I have not had any deteriation of the aluminum or steel on the inside of the unit.  The floor and the ceiling were not reinsulated.  the floor has diamond plate and works well for the railroad type wheels on the two 9' x 54' dollies used to roll the lumber in and out of the kiln.   The temps begin a 75/80 and go to 165 over a 30 day period.  I paid $1000 for the unit with the rear axel and the landing gear all intact.   Both are still attatched.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Pep, have ya read ALL the posts on this drying board ??  There is a LOT of info available. Only thing I would think you might have a problem with, is building a domed door and getting the edge near perfectly flat. I have looked at large PVC Pipe for the chamber, but, the door design always comes to mind.

  Once the wood is dried, you have to take the heat up to 160° for 12 hours?, and that would require an extra heat source. No big deal to me. ;D

[pep]

FDH

I've read alot of posts by sergei, but I have a hard time with his english.  What size of vacuum pump are you going to use?  I don't have a problem with heat,  plan on fabricating an outdoor wood furnace out of a piece of gas pipe, 42" and build a fire box inside with a 36" piece, with the water jacket in between.  How much vacuum are you pulling. 28#?

If your interested in some gas pipe, it can be arranged.   

Pep

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Pep, look for the threads about Discontinuous Vacuum, and "I got me one".

  I do not have a kiln working, or even started , yet. Den Socling is the vacuum Guru here. He has offered lots of info in those 2 threads.

  Serg's info is more for a continuous vacuum kiln. I had trouble with his dialogue at first. The more you read, after reading the threads I mentioned, the more you will grasp Serg's info.

[pep]

Thanks Harold!!!!!


Pep

[rerednaw]

Pep, i was build vac kiln like serg design. You can ask me about his design if you want. for my kiln (27m3 volume, 8m3 of load) i (by serg recomendation) use liquid ring vac pump (2m3/min or 120m3/hour). it take near 50-70 minut to pull from atmospheric to 76 torr (100mbar)

[Doc]

This doesn't even deserve comment so I don't expect anyone to reply.  But, when I read the title of this thread the other day, "24 Foot Frozen Food Body", all I could picture in my mind was the chilled carcass of a huge steer hanging in a cooling house.  Like the jingle that you whistle all day, I can't get it out of my head.

Now that I said it, maybe it will go away. :D

I was thinking the same thing....or someone dug up a giant or something....hahahaha

{{{{{{I wonder if it came back into Tom's head}}}}}}}

Doc

[Tom]

Yep!  :-\ :D

[Patty]

Yep the title put visions of a huge frozen guy into my head.  :D Now THAT is a mental picture! :D

Electric Al is now using one of these reefer containers as a kiln. You may want to ask him his opinion before you run out and buy this one.

[Doc]

I am certainly no expert, but I woudl think loading/unloading the thing would be a pain unless you cut the long side out of it, and that ruins the whole idea somehow.

Doc