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Kiln made from Semi-trailer

Started by hydeoutman, April 23, 2003, 11:24:18 AM

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hydeoutman

I am in the process of moving and at this time it is cheaper for me to buy a used semi-trailer or reefer for storing and hauling my goods.
I thought I could use the trailer at a later date for a kiln. Has anyone turned one of these into a kiln? Any success or failures doing this? I noticed Frank_Pender's post in an earlier thread saying he used a reefer for this, please tell me more.

Frank_Pender

I got it for a shoe string price and was able to recycle the string.  It is a 24' unit.  It all began as experimental to see if it was economically worth the effort to use such a unit.   I am here to tell you that it is more tha paid for itself over the last three years.  I reinsolated just the walls but not until I rewired for electric plugs and such.   I have a twenty four inch heat  exchanger hanging in the middle at ceiling height.  I use a Taylor hotwater unit for heat and as I mention before an Ebac 800 to remove the moisture very slowly to as to creat a steam typoe set up to help the wood dry slowly.  I do not allow any lumber inthe kil until at least a 30 day wait from sawing.  I prefer to have more if at all parctical.  I also use 6  24" box type fans to keep the aid moving in the kil. I charge $.50 a board foot.  Running Western Wild Cherry at this time.  It will be finished this week end.  
Frank Pender

Fla._Deadheader

Hey Frank. Ya GOTTA work on the pitcher postin thingy !!  Ya got too much goin on to keep the windows all fogged up !! ::) ;D :D :D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Frank_Pender

Ya know, Fla, retired teachers are the slowest learners in the world.  I guess.  I just have not been able to get some of the steps down right to get the pictures sent.  I must have 25 disks of digital taken.  I will get there soon I hope.  the wife has given up on trying to learn me the process.
Frank Pender

Oregon_Rob

Frank,
How many board feet do you get an an average load using the 24' trailer?
Chainsaw Nerd

hydeoutman

That definitly sounds like something I need to look more into. You mentioned you have a 24' I was looking at a 45'-48' trailer. How do you calculate what size equipment that is needed?  Does a half a load take just as long as a full load?

Frank_Pender

Rob I can put as much as 2,000 board feet for a real full load.  Yes it takes just as long for a half load as a full load; 30 days.
I am preparying to remove about a 1000 feet on Sunday.  Half is mine and half is some that a fella brought in from about 65 miles away.  
Frank Pender

johncinquo

In our sunday paper was an article about how in our ports, specificly around NJ and the eastern seaboard we have a huge stockpile of shipping containers.   Literally hundreds of acres of containers stacked as high as they can go.  This is from the massive imbalance of trade into the US,,, regardless I was thinking man those would make great drying kilns.  They are already using them for temporary storage, job site offices, and one group of greenies has come up with a plan to make them into housing for the homeless.  Hmmm, wonder how much to have one of those delivered....  
To be one, Ask one
Masons and Shriners

Furby

Johncinquo,
 If you find anything out for real, will you let us know? ???
I might take a couple.

Neil_B

Johncinquo,
There is a guy up here in Ontario doing just that. He strips and repairs then lines them with insulation and all that jazz. Outfits with the controls and fans and sells them for a fortune. Price I got was 40000 to 80000 delivered. Yikes :o
Timberwolf / TimberPro sawmill, Woodmizer edger, both with Kubota diesels. '92 Massey Ferguson 50H backhoe, '92 Ford F450 with 14' dump/ flatbed and of course an '88 GMC 3500 pickup.

Oregon_Sawyer

In Oregon 40 ft containers sell for about $2000 delivered.  So if someone repaired, insulated and put controls in it $4000 would probably be an excellent price.
Sawing with a WM since 98. LT 70 42hp Kubota walk behind. 518 Skidder. Ramey Log Loader. Serious part-timer. Western Red Cedar and Doug Fir.  Teamster Truck Driver 4 days a week.

Kevin_H.

I was thinking that the 20 footers are around $900 to $1000 del. here.

you could build a 16 foot chamber on the inside and have room for the controls or something.
Got my WM lt40g24, Setworks and debarker in oct. '97, been sawing part time ever since, Moving logs with a bobcat.

hydeoutman

Here is a website I have been looking at for different containers, storage and kiln ideas. Makes it easier you can search by state and kind of unit your looking for.

http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/search.asp?guid=qdif0cs0&etid=1&catid=22&bcatid=28

Furby

 I just want some place to put my stuff so I can get into my garage. ::) :D :D :D

Frank_Pender

Furby, do they make containers that large? 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D ;D ;D
Frank Pender

Furby

 Maybe not thAAAt big. :o You think maybe I should throw out some stuff? ???  NOT!  Day after you throw it out, you find a use for it. Every time.  8) 8) 8)



 Does anyone know who to talk to to get a container?

ElectricAl

Hydeoutman,

We have a 48' semi trailer kiln.
The kiln holds 4000' and has trucks that roll on tracks.
There are 8 - 3500 cfm fans and 2 hot water heat exchangers.
Heat is provided by a Heatmor Outdoor Wood Burner.
Water temp is set at 180 and the chamber we limit to 145.
A Nyle Wet/Dry bulb controler keeps the chamber at the correct depression according to standard kiln operating schedules. Venting is by a 500cfm blower triggered by the Nyle.

In the photo below you'll see the one heat exchanger and the vent blower (black) on the far wall. Each heat exchanger has a 24" x 30" core plus 4" tanks on the top and bottom. Both were hand built by a local shop the does custom one off Hot Rod and Race Car radiators. Big BTU's for only $200 each.




Next photo is some of the fans. Each fan has sheet metal between them for baffles.



We build each pack 48" wide and 30" tall.
(16 rows with 3/4" stick)
Two packs high with a 3" skid.


We also use a gram scale and a toaster oven. These two things are just as important when drying wood. ;)


ElectricAl


Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

BBTom

Great pics, thanks.  What did you do for insulation in that puppy?
2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

johncinquo

Oregon, that read $40,000 not $4,000!   No, I have not come across anything as far as how to get one.  Looks like a couple good threads there, will go check them out.   Al, that is monster and looks too professional for a wannabe sawyer like me.  I just want one to hold one load of wood for my own use at a time.  Those 16-20 footers look great.  
To be one, Ask one
Masons and Shriners

johncinquo

Well heres the deal that I found.   I can buy a container for $1,000.   20ft'r.   Delivery is $850 -900 depending on exact mileage.  Near me they will come from detroit or chicago, but they have places in every major city that has shipping.   Two will fit on a truck, so if two people want one and are near each other they could split the price of delivery somehow.   The 40ft'r are more, but I did not get the exact price.  If anybody wants to find out more you can try emailing gregg_schoenborn@hotmail.com at on site storage solutions.  I have to wonder how much to just build an outbuilding yourself....   So much the desire to recycle.  JB
To be one, Ask one
Masons and Shriners

hydeoutman

ElectricAl,
Thanks for the info, great looking pics. That seem to be exactly what I am looking to do. I'll keep your info in the back of my mind and get back with you when and if I decide to do something with a kiln.

Thanks

ElectricAl

BBTom,

Sorry for the delay :-/

Our trailer is an insulated trailer, but it is a 1987. When I called the manufacture about the "R" value he laughed. He said semi trailers loose 1R per year because the product brakes down in time. The trailer had R8 in the sides and R12 in the roof. Well, it's 16 years old now.
So, it's R -8 and R -4 now :D

We did glue some 2" pink foam board to the walls and top.

We can maintain 145 degrees even in Jan and Feb. :o

I'll try to get a few pic of the track and trucks posted soon.

Hydeoutman,

You let us know when your ready, we'll help you spend your money ;D


ElectricAl
Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

hydeoutman

That's precisely what I was afraid of :D :D

Come out of hiding and everybody want's to spend your money ;D ;D

Grappletractor

Updates please . Pics of the tracks and trucks, also of the fans vents and outdoor heater . What does it cost to run it for 30 days ?
Thanks

Wyatt

you might check out a trailer place in town. I found a wrecked refer trailer which they were going to scrap. I bought last 14' with doors for $300 delivered. I added insulation (1" alum both faces, $400). I use ebac 800 and two house fans and have added 1 1500w heat strip as it will not get up to 125 in winter. I too, AD 30 days and then it takes about 30 days for 1000'. You can't go wrong. I only wish I had some kind of rail system, as loading/unloading gets to be a pain.

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