Re-think My Kiln?

firefighter ontheside · July 20, 2022, 06:12:07 PM

I have nowhere separate from the kiln to store dry lumber, therefore until I use or sell all the wood I have dried the kiln is tied up. I built the kiln bigger than I need it at 10x16 and made some mistakes in construction. It occurs to me that I should build a new, smaller chamber that is just the right size for drying a good amount of lumber/slabs. Then I can move that wood to the storage shed and start drying more wood. What I have to decide is what is the right size. I can saw just over 10' long, so I'm thinking just a little over that and then have enough room in the front of the stack for my DH. I do not have an actual KD unit yet, but I want to someday. For now I use a dehumidifier, fans and sometimes a heater. I also want to make it with wide open sides so I can put lumber in there with the loader like normal people.
I'm open to suggestions and appreciate any you might have. I think I will plan to build this in the fall when its not so stinkin hot.

KenMac · July 20, 2022, 08:04:04 PM

If your plan is to get a DH kiln then aren't your choices kinda limited? Nyle, the obvious choice, doesn't market the L53 any longer as far as I know. The L200 would require a larger room to be efficient. I would suggest you build for the future and make the new kiln for an L200 and deal with the oversize for now. Just me thinking, which I know is dangerous. Good luck with your endeavor.

firefighter ontheside · July 20, 2022, 08:21:24 PM

I think they still sell the L53 and Woodmizer still sells the KD150 which is a Nyle L53.

doc henderson · July 20, 2022, 11:36:19 PM

for now i think they are having parts supply issues for the 53. call them. why not a solar kiln. a little slower and cheaper. you can sell organically dried wood.

@YellowHammer @WDH @GeneWengert-WoodDoc and anyone else who wants to chime in.

fluidpowerpro · July 20, 2022, 11:46:25 PM

When I read your first post, isnt your real issue not enough room for storage? If your kiln is too big, wouldn't it be simple to fab up some walls to make the chamber smaller? Maybe I'm over simplifying it. I've never built a kiln...

doc henderson · July 20, 2022, 11:50:06 PM

stored kiln dried dead stacked lumber takes up less space. so dry in the SK, and store in the climate controlled building.

WDH · July 21, 2022, 07:20:13 AM

Bill, lets face it. You are going to need more climate controlled storage. My L53 chamber is a little over 11 feet wide x 10 foot deep x 8 feet high. I built it under an old carport that already had a concrete slab floor and I did not have to build a sturdy roof so that limited how wide I could build it. However, it made it much easier and cheaper to build it. I dry wood 10'4" in it as my max length and I have come to find out that that (Tom) is just right because my hardwood customers very rarely ask for anything over 10 feet. 12' wide would have been dead on ideal. It opens in the front so I can load it and unload it with the tractor and FEL with pallet forks.

The L53 will dry 1000 bf of green oak, 400-500 bf of green fast drying woods like pine or yellow poplar, and about 600 bf of green hardwood like walnut and cherry. It will dry 1000 bf of any air dried wood below 20%. So, you might just want to bite the bullet and build a chamber that would be the right size for that type unit and use your current set up which increase your ability to dry and store the wood to below 10%, and if you decide to get a dehumidification kiln unit like the L53, you will be all set.

firefighter ontheside · July 21, 2022, 11:28:06 AM

Great thoughts guys, thanks. My problem with a solar kiln is that I'd have to put it very far from everything else to get sun. The size of my kiln isn't a big issue with drying the wood. It is an issue with sanitizing the wood. When I do that I section off a corner of the space with 2" foam to a space that's about 5x10. The biggest issue is not having somewhere to store the dried wood. I can take it to my wifes office building that has unused rooms, but that's about 35 miles away. Kind of inconvenient for meeting people there to sell wood. Still, I probably will start storing some stuff there.

WDH · July 21, 2022, 12:07:50 PM

Bill, it is inevitable. Don't fight it. You have already slid down the slippery slope. You are going to have to do it, and you know it ;D. You are going to have to have a building of some sort to store dried lumber.

firefighter ontheside · July 21, 2022, 12:14:08 PM

Oh, I know Danny, I know. The more difficult thing is to convince "the boss" of what I need. I have a location all picked out for a new building. That would be part wood shop, barn, lean to for mill, dry storage. Sounds big doesn't it.

taylorsmissbeehaven · July 21, 2022, 12:29:22 PM

This thread has my ears perked up! Im afraid there may be a kiln in my future. Please keep the info coming, Brian

doc henderson · July 21, 2022, 03:58:24 PM

Bill just tell her we said so! let us know how that works out! :D :D :D

samandothers · July 21, 2022, 09:06:54 PM

Quote from: doc henderson on July 21, 2022, 03:58:24 PM
Bill just tell her we said so! let us know how that works out! :D :D :D

What's this we stuff! You are on your own!

firefighter ontheside · July 21, 2022, 09:16:21 PM

Cindy could care less what I do with the money I make with my business, but the money it would cost to build said building is more than what is in my business account or probably ever will be.

Nebraska · July 22, 2022, 07:40:59 AM

Do it for the GOATs

.... the rest is just ancillary, storage etc you know. ;)

firefighter ontheside · July 22, 2022, 08:01:50 AM

My wife wants a llama. If I did it for a llama then she might say yes.

WDH · July 22, 2022, 08:29:30 AM

The llama can keep the wood company when it is cold out.

Nebraska · July 22, 2022, 01:13:46 PM

Well you could shear it and use the wool for natural insulation in the new kiln.... That would be super green and eco friendly.

firefighter ontheside · July 22, 2022, 02:30:40 PM

You guys are full of useful ideas.

samandothers · July 22, 2022, 03:38:12 PM

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on July 22, 2022, 02:30:40 PM
You guys are full of useful ideas.

Full of something that is for sure!

farmfromkansas · July 24, 2022, 09:44:34 AM

I was planning to buy a storage container, and empty out the dryer into the storage container. Then the price of containers has gone crazy, and I have not done it. Read how Doc uses his storage container with a dehumidifier, figured it would work for dried lumber.

firefighter ontheside · July 24, 2022, 11:14:29 AM

Yeah, this could be a good option. I know that Doc has done this with success. My problem with this is having a good location to drop one and have access to electric.

doc henderson · July 24, 2022, 04:36:01 PM

my container is not insulated but well sealed. I use the dehumidifier to get rid of ambient humidity after the wood is dry. If I open the doors or add some air dried (12% MC) then I run it for a day. no point in running it during the day, as the heat climbs and the RH drops below 35%. I plug it in at night maybe once a month for a night. I have a remote RH and temp gauge in the shop so I can monitor if the RH has climbed up. the drain has a hose to a 5 gallon bucket, and I maybe get a gallon so i know it is dry in there. depends if you are just drying the air or pulling water from thousands of pounds of lumber. It could be any sealed building and including wrapped in plastic to decrease water movement, in or out. i run a 100 foot cord from my shop. the DH has a humidistat and only run the compressor above 40% i think.