Track-Loaded Industrial Wood Drying Kilns: Questions

[AdamD]

           First off, I’m a novice woodworker. I understand the process of drying, generally. I have some beautiful quarter sawn Scarlet oak drying in open air right now with about six months left to go. I’m also a lawyer trying to understand this industry (thats why this is a health and safety post  )

 

My questions concern track-loaded drying kilns in industrial applications. Specifically, the types of kiln where the wood moves in one direction through the kilns, on carts, which are on tracks. I understand that kilns of this type can be generally categorized into automatic and non-automatic types. A progressive or continuous kiln would be an example of an automatic kiln (because there is a machine doing the pushing/pulling) and a batch-style kiln would be an example of a non-automatic kiln (because it requires a person to do the pushing/pulling). If I am wrong on terminology (or on any point), I’d like to be corrected.

 

From this, would it be fair to assume that a kiln that was 50 yards long (for example) and had tracks extending 50 yards out of both ends (for a total track length of 150 yards) was designed to be an automatic kiln? My assumption is that, if the tracks are long enough to load a full kiln’s-worth of green wood on the carts at once, the tracks must have been laid with the assumption that there would be no human involvement with any of the wood until it all came out the other side as dried wood. This may not be a safe assumption. 

 

This question comes from the fact that there are some kilns with outbound runs of track shorter than the overall length of the kiln. This leads me to think that those kilns were designed such that carts would be loaded one at a time and unloaded on the other end in the same order, while also keeping the kiln full. A procedure like this would require more human interaction. However, it could also mean that those kilns were not designed to be loaded to full capacity. 

 

A better question may be: Are there any conclusions (as to the specific type of kiln) that can be made based only on the length of the track going into and coming out of the kiln? Or maybe the presence/absence of doors on the kiln?

 

Second set of questions: Are there different types of carts for different kiln applications? If so, how do they differ? Do carts of any type connect to each other? If so, how do these connections work? Are they anything like normal trains?

 

Ultimately, I’m trying to learn all I can about this industry. Literally any information will be more than welcome.

 

Thanks, 

Adam. 

[Old Greenhorn]

OK Adam, I will bite. Where are you going with this? What is your knowledge goal. You explain that you understand a bit about wood and air drying but your questions all relate to high production thru kilns. I don't understand the connection here.

[customsawyer]

I will add that any continuous kilns I have seen are for drying soft wood to 18 or 19 percent. You mentioned having oak. Hardwoods are a lot different to dry than soft wood. Especially when you start drying to 8 percent for furniture or flooring.
If you let us know where you are at by filling out your profile it helps us to be able to answer your question better. 

[beenthere]

Profile gives the reason this attorney is here. Not understanding the questions posed here, and think our responses should consider the severity (or not) behind the questions if someone lost a limb doing something around a tracked kiln. 

[Andries]

Nice catch there BT.
The phrase that comes to mind is: “hidden agenda”, . . . even though it’s slyly posted under the seldom viewed ‘Reason for Joining’ tab.
Is someone billing out at $500.00 per hour for information garnered from FF members?

[Jeff]

So I suppose the dude has the right to pose his questions, but y'all also have the right to, knowing what we know why he's asking, to not touch it with a ten ft pole. As I am also a forum member, I see any attempt of adding anything to this as non constructive.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, I was suspicious about the questions posed and the way they were phrased. Something seemed funny. Hence my response and given the hour of the day I did not go see what I could find out not would I have looked as far as Beenthere did.
Sure he can ask his questions, but given the light of day coloring added to his questions I'd like to point out two things.
1) This forum was designed built and is supported for the purpose of exchanging information and knowledge in the timber, logging, and sawing industries and has grown to much more. Exchanging denotes a two sided conversation. It full appears to me that this poster feels he can use us to supply our knowledge and wisdom for his free use or worse, to charge for it. That sir, is plain rude. Why not get your knowledge the way the rest of us do, hard work?

2) The timber, milling, and lumber industry are inherently dangerous. It wasn't long ago that serious injuries and fatalities were all too common. Modern equipment, better engineering, and safety regulations have reduced that considerably. However rare these accidents might be and at the great cost they present physically, financially, and they still do happen. Sometimes things come out and bite the most cautious and concientious person. Machines do fail sometimes. But most times there is human error or neglect involved. Sometimes it's the victim, and sometimes another that is the root cause. Just because something is costly doesn't mean somebody deserves to file and win a lawsuit.

Here's a piece of free advice: Mike Rowe has a theory he calls "Safety Third" it is widely available for free on the internet. Look for the long version. It's an interesting theory but likely doesn't give you the answer you want. BTW, I subscribe to his theory after working nearly 50 years in industrial settings. I have yet to drive a person to the hospital that didn't say "Man that was really stupid, what I did."
That's all I got to say about that. Good luck to you.