Building my first solar kiln

[doc henderson]

depends.    the width is across the channels and length is along the channel.  they are usually oriented top to bottom.

[Brad_bb]

Well I'm interested to see how the panels are installed.  I read the instructions:
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/content/files/pdf/Multi_Install.pdf

I understand the point fastening, but am not clear about joining panels together, and how the panels join at the sides and bottoms of kiln so water doesn't get in.

@etd66ss are you using the 8mm twin wall panels?https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/coverings/plastic-sheets/polycarbonate-sheets/easy-ship-2-ft-wide-twinwall-polycarbonate?returnurl=%2fcoverings%2fplastic-sheets%2fpolycarbonate-sheets%2f

[etd66ss]

Is this the twin wall stuff you were talking about?  If so, when it says 49.5 inches, is that the vertical, and then the width is 99"?

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

I bought the 6mm twinwall Polygal Tuftex from Lowes, it measures exactly 48 x 96. Which is kind of a pain, because I framed the roof 24" on centers. When using the H-profile to join, it ads 1/2". So I need to trim every panel along its length in order for the rafters to work out at the center of each H-profile. I didn't want to buy the glazing first because I wanted to see how the kiln build went before I spent that much money, but I should have. I would have framed the rafters differently so I didn't have to trim each peice.

[etd66ss]

Well I'm interested to see how the panels are installed.  I read the instructions:
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/content/files/pdf/Multi_Install.pdf

I understand the point fastening, but am not clear about joining panels together, and how the panels join at the sides and bottoms of kiln so water doesn't get in.

@etd66ss are you using the 8mm twin wall panels?https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/coverings/plastic-sheets/polycarbonate-sheets/easy-ship-2-ft-wide-twinwall-polycarbonate?returnurl=%2fcoverings%2fplastic-sheets%2fpolycarbonate-sheets%2f

From everything I have read, you do not join at the ends, only sides, and the sides run down the roof, not across. If you need 16ft lengths for the roof for example, that's what you need to order. I decided against 12ft because it was $3000 for the glazing 12ft long due to shipping being outrageous. The 8ft long was $560 for 6 pieces at a local Lowes to get me my 24ft wide kiln glazing. I had to change my design on the fly but I wasn't going to spend $3000.

[etd66ss]

Cleaned all the roofing tar off the second hand steel, scuffed it up and cleaned with acetone. Filled all the old holes with pop rivets and got two coats of KILZ primer on the steel.

 




 


 


 

I don't think I want to paint the whole thing black.
   

[btulloh]

Good progress. Thanks for the update. 

I painted the outside dark green. Absorbs heat pretty well but more attractive than black.

[etd66ss]

Good progress. Thanks for the update.

I painted the outside dark green. Absorbs heat pretty well but more attractive than black.

So with the walls insulated, I still want to paint the outside a color that absorbs heat?

[btulloh]

Not essential but does add some heat to the situation.  Depends on what you want it to look like too.  I liked the green because it made the kiln blend in with the landscape. 

[doc henderson]

It is looking very good.  remember that insulation slows the movement of heat.  so hotter outside means less of a gradient so less heat movement to the outside, so higher internal temps or more water evaporation.  I say or because if the heat is used to change water from liquid to gas, there is no increase in temp as the energy is used to do the "work" of the phase change.

[etd66ss]

I went with a dark green:



 

 

 

 

 

[doc henderson]

does that green have a specific name, it is very classy with the black trim.

[etd66ss]

does that green have a specific name, it is very classy with the black trim.

I just went to Home Depot and got the cheapest exterior satin base they had, Gliden. Color is a Behr paint chip called North woods.

[VB-Milling]

@doc henderson amazing lumber stacks never cease to amaze me. Talk about precision. I'll get there one day.

Any update on the build @etd66ss ?

[etd66ss]

Any update on the build @etd66ss ?

Yeah, I have some new pics, will post when I get a chance.