iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Vacutherm iDry input

Started by schwanee, August 04, 2018, 07:41:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

WDH

If there is more water in the wood than in the air, the water moves from the wood to the air.  If there is more water in the air than in the wood, the water moves into the wood.  If wood kiln dried to 8% is placed in a humid environment, say 80% humidity and held there constantly, the wood will gain mositure until it is in equilibrium with the humidity in the air.  This may take a while.  What complicates things is that the humidity in the air changes frequently, even daily from day to night. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Bruno of NH

My question is.
How did the old timers make and build so many beautiful pieces back in the day. 
They had no kilns.
I have worked on many old homes with some beautiful wood and woodworking .
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Bruno of NH

Don't get me wrong. 
If I can hobble around with my walker this summer I will be building a kiln.
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Bruno of NH

I live near two of the Shaker villages and they made some stunning stuff
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

WDH

The old timers did not have climate controlled homes. They constructed their pieces to allow for seasonal movement.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Busysawyer

Green 4/4 hard maple rough sawn 1 1/8" right off the mill and into the kiln. 7% mc in 6 days. Pretty impressive from where I'm sitting.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

btulloh

Indeed it is.

How's the color?
HM126

nativewolf

Quote from: Busysawyer on December 05, 2018, 07:14:58 PM
Green 4/4 hard maple rough sawn 1 1/8" right off the mill and into the kiln. 7% mc in 6 days. Pretty impressive from where I'm sitting.
Wow
Liking Walnut

PA_Walnut

Indeed. All construction must still consider wood movement. I have a 2 board curly maple table I built with breadboard ends. I have witnessed it moving at LEAST 1/2" from summer to winter.

I have a good chuckle when I see Facebook and Craigslist "master craftsman" building tables that are trapped or surrounded by material that doesn't allow movement....thinking about some crazy soccer mom gunning for them soon-enough as the table has a big crack down the center.  :o :D
I own my own small piece of the world on an 8 acre plot on the side of a mountain with walnut, hickory, ash and spruce.
LT40HD Wide 35HP Diesel
Peterson Dedicated Wide Slabber
Kubota M62 Tractor/Backhoe
WoodMizer KD250 Kiln
Northland 800 Kiln

Busysawyer

Btulloh,  I couldn't really say about the color. I've never dried maple before and I have no base for comparison 
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

btulloh

The desire is to maintain a light color close to the way it came off the saw.  My guess is the iDry would do a really good job of that.  Your customers will let you know if it's right.  :)
HM126

btulloh

Going right from the saw to the kiln should help with color.  The longer it sits around the more it oxidizes. 

Impressive results with that thing.  
HM126

YellowHammer

For maple, it should be as white and bright as it looked coming off the saw, excluding any slight oxidation on the exposed faces.  Even if the rough sawn faces are a little darker due to air exposure, under the surface after a very light 1/16" skip plane, it should be "Wow" white.  
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

PA_Walnut

Quote from: YellowHammer on December 07, 2018, 08:51:19 AMven if the rough sawn faces are a little darker due to air exposure, under the surface after a very light 1/16" skip plane, it should be "Wow" white.  


Yes indeed!! "Wow white" is alright! I do CRAZY diligence to ensure my maple is white...our motto is "snow white or it ain't right!" 
I own my own small piece of the world on an 8 acre plot on the side of a mountain with walnut, hickory, ash and spruce.
LT40HD Wide 35HP Diesel
Peterson Dedicated Wide Slabber
Kubota M62 Tractor/Backhoe
WoodMizer KD250 Kiln
Northland 800 Kiln

Busysawyer

I haven't had any maple planed yet.  I have the builder that ordered it coming tommorow morning to pick it up. Hopefully I get some good feedback and he brings more business my way.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

japarker4

We're looking for a load of slabs to use in a marketing photoshoot here at our factory in Barre, VT.  We would dry them for free.  Let me know if anyone is interested in supplying some.  Hardwood preferred (12ft x 4ft x 5ft pile)

Merry Christmas!

scsmith42

Quote from: japarker4 on December 10, 2018, 05:26:08 PM
We're looking for a load of slabs to use in a marketing photoshoot here at our factory in Barre, VT.  We would dry them for free.  Let me know if anyone is interested in supplying some.  Hardwood preferred (12ft x 4ft x 5ft pile)

Merry Christmas!
Jim, I could probably send you a load of 10/4 black walnut live edge slabs; enough to fill up a kiln load if interested.
Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

japarker4

Quote from: scsmith42 on December 10, 2018, 07:26:29 PM
Quote from: japarker4 on December 10, 2018, 05:26:08 PM
We're looking for a load of slabs to use in a marketing photoshoot here at our factory in Barre, VT.  We would dry them for free.  Let me know if anyone is interested in supplying some.  Hardwood preferred (12ft x 4ft x 5ft pile)

Merry Christmas!
Jim, I could probably send you a load of 10/4 black walnut live edge slabs; enough to fill up a kiln load if interested.
Scott


Thanks Scott! We actually just had someone commit to getting us what we need for next Tuesday.  If that falls through I'll let you know. 

nativewolf

Quote from: Busysawyer on December 09, 2018, 07:50:00 PM
I haven't had any maple planed yet.  I have the builder that ordered it coming tommorow morning to pick it up. Hopefully I get some good feedback and he brings more business my way.
what did he think?
Liking Walnut

nativewolf

alright guys, how are the idry's doing?
Liking Walnut

Glenn1

From my standpoint, things have gone well.  My first 2 loads were 4/4 and 6/4 walnut.  The boards came out straight with no checking. I did make a mistake on my third load by mixing green black cherry and green red oak.  Initially, Cherry has a moisture content of 58% but red oak has an 80% MC.   The cherry was drying more quickly but also picked up moisture from the red oak.  After 8 days, the cherry was at 8% so it was time to remove the boards.  Because they picked up moisture during the drying process from the red oak, there was minimal cupping.  The lesson learned is to not mix woods that have a distinct differences in the moisture content.
Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

ellmoe

I placed my order and look forward to not having to air dry 2" material for a year before kd'ing. Sounds like Jim and crew are going to have to work like Santa's elves post Thanksgiving , but without the break after Christmas . I think this will be my final piece of my new mill operation. (Probably lying to myself  :D  ).
Thirty plus years in the sawmill/millwork business. A sore back and arthritic fingers to prove it!

jfric

Quote from: Glenn1 on December 16, 2018, 08:55:11 PM
From my standpoint, things have gone well.  My first 2 loads were 4/4 and 6/4 walnut.  The boards came out straight with no checking. I did make a mistake on my third load by mixing green black cherry and green red oak.  Initially, Cherry has a moisture content of 58% but red oak has an 80% MC.   The cherry was drying more quickly but also picked up moisture from the red oak.  After 8 days, the cherry was at 8% so it was time to remove the boards.  Because they picked up moisture during the drying process from the red oak, there was minimal cupping.  The lesson learned is to not mix woods that have a distinct differences in the moisture content.
How did the red oak turn out? My iDry is scheduled to ship the first week of January. Can’t wait.
iDRY vacuum kiln, Nyle L200m kiln, Woodmizer LT15-Wide, Bobcat S300, Stihl MS880, 36" and 60" Granberg Alaskan Mills, Ford F550 flatbed.

Glenn1

After one week in the kiln, the red oak was at 55% MC.  Since the maximum moisture loss per day should be less than 3%,  I decided that it needs some time air drying.  Next to go into the kiln is a full load of quartersawn sycamore.  


Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

Busysawyer

Native wolf, feedback on the maple was all positive and they have put in another order this time some 8/4 walnut slabs which I already have dry but I need to cut them a few hundred feet of 6/4 walnut lumber. 
Jfric , Ellmoe good for you guys , I'm sure you will be pleased. Pretty sure I helped push a few customers into pulling the trigger on these idry. I have been getting calls from my fb posts about the kiln. Lots of curiosity surrounding these units. If it keeps up like it has been the last few weeks I will probably be ordering another in about 6 months or so. I've been getting a lot of people wanting me to dry their wood. I'm pretty sure I could keep one busy for my retail and another kiln drying others.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

Thank You Sponsors!