The kiln is operational

[Kingcha]

I snow shoe'd  out back last week.   I forgot to walk over and check everything at the Solar Kiln but it looked fine.


  

 

We had a 2 day warm up with the sun out yesterday, so I am assuming the snow fell off.   I hope to take another  trip Outback tomorrow. 

Matt

[Kingcha]

I finally got started on my back doors for the kiln.   I had been just using foam boards to seal up the back.     

  

 

I still have to make the adjustable doors for the vents and possible cut a few lower vents into the door panels.    The back is made up of 3 door panels that just lift into place.

The photo below is my start of hopefully flooring boards for my next house.   I hope to get them into the kiln in about 10 days.


 

Matt

[WDH]

Matt,

That is a nice stack of lumber. 

[Kingcha]

Thanks WDH I think I need about 30 more 1x8x12' boards and I will have enough.  Of course to get that many 8" boards out of my small trees I end up with a whole lot of smaller stuff as well.   I have been only getting the 8" boards out of the first 2-12' sections then I get 3-4 8' logs.   

I am getting some much lumber I know have to build a wood shed.       I am guessing it never stops once bitten.   :D :D

Matt

[Peter Drouin]

Nice Job ,

[red oaks lumber]

nice stickering 

[WDH]

Now that is a nice compliment coming from the Sticker Master  ;D. 

[Kingcha]

Well thanks for the stickering compliment.   Just glad it ain't a close up   :D    It might not be that neat of a job, but hey if it looks good to the pro's I am happythen.    8)

Matt

[glassman_48]

kingcha,
I live in kalkaska, and am pondering on purchasing a sawmill, I just purchased 6 acres of commercial property.  If you are ever over this way I own kalkaska window and glass right on m-72 as your coming into kalkaska.  My work number is on my profile, I would like to ask some questions about purchasing a sawmill, kilns etc.   thanks, ed

[glassman_48]

kingcha,
I got your pm, left you my phone numbers, hoping I can talk to some of the guys at the pig roast, I have a lot to learn.   thanks ed

[Kingcha]

Got the first load in for the year.   800 bf of 1x8's and another 25 smaller 1x's all 12 footers.    All pine with some of it already air dried a little.



 

I am hoping to get down to 8-10% in about 10 days or so.     

I forgot to check moister % before closing it all up but will do so first thing tomorrow.

These are the ones in that earlier photo that I plan to use for flooring if the  turn out good.

Matt

[Den Socling]

Picture perfect!

[beenthere]

Agree with Den, looks to be a picture perfect job of placing stickers for drying.

Thanks for the pic.

[WDH]

Very nice.

You are brave to post a pic of a stickered stack  :D.

You did good. 

[Kingcha]

Well thanks........   You do know Brave and Stupid are real close together.

I actually was looking at the pic thinking......Oh @#%$ there are a few off the mark.

Matt

[glassman_48]

matt, the picture makes me understand what we talked about on the phone today.   Thanks for your telephone time and great job on your kiln.         ed

[Kingcha]

I got my first load of wood for the season in a few weeks ago.  The weather hasn't cooperated very well.    It is a small load as I did not wait for more boards.  Works out good as the next load is all ready to go in.    Sunday morning will be unload and reload day.

Today it got up to 133 with 1%RH on the front side of kiln, I measure the heat as it is blown down and into the wood.   Very happy to see it that hot as It only got up to about 67 in the shade today.   For some reason my temp gauge on the back of the stack was not working(thinking I need ne batteries) but it was looking good yesterday with only about a 15 degree drop and a low RH.

Matt

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

Indeed, nice stickering.

I am just a bit curious...will the vent openings have lids or covers so that you can open or close them as much as needed?

Let me assume that you have the fans blowing from top back toward the front.  So, a little (the key is a little) cool air will enter through the vents on the back top.  Then this air will mix with the rest of the air in the kiln as it travels down toward the front and will be heated by solar heat.  Now, if you have vents in the front, some of this air that is ready to do some drying will exit the vents before it does any drying.  It might be best to have the exit vents on the bottom rear, in which case the exit air will have just left the pile after doing a bit of drying.  Make sense?

The more venting, the cooler the air and the more it will be like outdoors.  Oftentimes, if the humidity does not get too high, we prefer to maximize heat, so venting is not a lot.  However, a lot of heat at very high humidity is not the best drying situation for many white colored woods, but would work well for many oaks, if the temperature is jot too hot, and will work well to achieving the low final MC.

[Kingcha]

Gene I really do appreciate your comments as it helps me a ton.

Yes the vent openings do have covers and I can open them all the way or close them down tight.

You are correct about the fans.    I have no front vents at this point.   I was going to make vents in the doors near the bottom(as your just stated) but have not done that at this point.   

When the wood goes in I keep the top vents about 3/4 open(most of the wood gets air dried some first) so I can get the humidity out.   As my reading show that the humidity is going down I close the vents down some.

Today reading the vents where almost closed as I knew that the wood was becoming dryer and the humidity was low.   I am sure that is why I was able to get such Hot temps on a cool day.    I really try to know where my wood is at before I close up the vents.   I often open the kiln in the morning and take check the wood with a moisture meter. 

The one reason I have not bothered with additional vents is because I am drying almost only Red Pine and occasionally some white pine.

Thank you again...that last paragraph really helps me understand.

Matt