Continuous Dry Kiln

[Stephen1]

I have been offered a kiln from a good friend. Bernard, who owned Canadian Cheese boards, has sold the cheese board part of the buisiness, and at 79, he thinks its time to slow down a bit. 
The kiln is a 20' shipping container, tracked in and out and 2 8' carts 6' wide. It hold 3000 bd ft. It is heated with a new  propane tankless water heater and 1/2 horse power fan for venting. It has vents, and a  wet bulb and dry bulb at each vent. I have not seen this kiln. I believe he drys 4/4  in 4 weeks. 
Bernard is the builder of the the Enercraft Mill and quite the character. Bernard and I have hit it off as good friends and he wants me to have the kiln. He does not know what $$ he wants for the kiln and has left it in my lap to decide if I want to it, and how much will I give him. 
I am in the midst of building my new house and money is tight. 
I know I can very easily fill this kiln and turn $$$, it can be stored outside and hooked up to 110 to run the fan, a large propane 250 gallon propane tank for the heater. so minimum cost to get it up and running.  
My thoughts are I would come up with a price for the kiln and give him a royallty on each load till the amount is reached. 
What is such a unit worth?

[Southside]

Not sure about there but the propane fired part scared me, especially right now.  Could you tie it into a wood fired boiler instead? 

[Stephen1]

Not sure about there but the propane fired part scared me, especially right now.  Could you tie it into a wood fired boiler instead?

I agree SS, but I do not have an outdoor boiler. He has used this kiln for 10 years, used up 1 on demand boiler, so he must have done something right. It is still working. 

[rusticretreater]

Pictures needed on condition of equipment.  Price things out by looking online and what it would cost you to build it.  Are the rails adequate or really good?  Same for the carts, etc.  The propane stuff may be bottom of the line or a premium unit.  Is the wiring a good job or a disaster waiting to happen?  

[Southside]

The on demand unit dosen't scare me, we have one in the milkhouse. It's the feed for that unit that would scare me. Here propane has doubled plus in a year.

[firefighter ontheside]

I have a feeling that Bernard would be happy with a case of beer and handshake the way you describe him.  I would think that your idea about paying him as you go would also make him happy.  I got my mill from a former member here, who had brain cancer and has since passed.  It was hard to talk on the phone with him because the cancer and 2 surgeries had made it hard for him to talk.  While talking to him one day, which was 2 days before a planned visit to Oklahoma, he told me that he wanted me to have his mill and many others of his tools.  I tried to offer him money and he wouldn't take it.  I even talked with his wife, separately and she assured me that that was what he wanted and she was fine with it.  I think of him fondly every time I turn on the mill.

[Stephen1]

FF I bet you do think of him fondly. . We invite Bernard over for lunch when ever he calls. It usually turns into a 2-3 hour lunch. I think he likes the social prt. His wife, 84 years old asked him for a Divorce last year, so lives on his own. A proud man, who wants to be independent. I really like talking with him as he is so knowlegable of the wood industry.

[Clark]

I echo what firefighter said and ad that he probably wants you to have it. I've been in similar situations a couple of times and the fact that his kiln is being used by someone he trusts is worth more to him than the money.

I think your payment plan is reasonable but unless things change buy the kiln from him. If you want to switch the heat source he'll probably be happy to help you with it. But he'll be happiest seeing you use it.

Clark

[Stephen1]

Since I am in an industrial building, my space is limited. I have been sawing wood for a young man for the last 4-5 years. He loves the sawmill. I have him in taping and mudding my house and I was talking of this kiln. He has 30 acres, a tractor, a great location. I asked him if he was interested in the kiln and helping me on the sawmill this year.  8) I'm all in he says. He has an outdoor wood boiler, asked me if we can convert it from the propane, sure can, I say. I just might have found a buyer for my buisness, someone to carry on. He is going to start coming on portable sawmill jobs as my helper this season. I will aslo bring him in to help with the in house sawing jobs. He is a talented individual who buys run down houses, renovates, rents and then sells.