The Forestry Forum

It doesn't take much reading on this forum category to become extremely paranoid about insect damage!

Since it is the rare solar kiln that can hold temperatures high enough, for long enough to completely sterilize wood, I'm looking to buy or build a small scale sterilization chamber.  This would probably be located in a shop and be sized to hold enough wood for a single "project", maybe a few hundred bf tops.

First, does anyone manufactuer hobby kilns this small?  Time is a precious commodity so I figure I should at least start here.

For the DIY route, I found this excellent thread from a few years ago.  Figured I'd link to it rather than bump it...

http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=86076.0 (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=86076.0)

I like the idea of it doubling as a layout table so something like 10' long x 4' wide by 30-36" high would probably be ideal.  

Based on that volume and assuming it s well insulated and you need a 100 degree temp differential, my cals suggest you would need about 3000 btus/900 watts.
https://www.calculator.net/btu-calculator.html (https://www.calculator.net/btu-calculator.html)

Inkbird makes an 1100 watt thermostat controller that would work well with an electric heating element of some sort but I'm not sure what heating element would be the safest and how to design everything to be as fire resistant as possible.  I'd love to get some input.  Thanks and Merry Christmas.

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Itc-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B011296704/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545664971&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=inkbird&dpPl=1&dpID=417y0W4HFmL&ref=plSrch (https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Itc-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B011296704/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545664971&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=inkbird&dpPl=1&dpID=417y0W4HFmL&ref=plSrch)



 

The Nyle kilns run electric elements and get to 160°F so, yes it can be done but you want to make sure whatever system you use it can handle those temperatures.  Most components out there have a 104°F / 40°C  safety cut off built in.  Also you would want to force circulate the air through the pile so you get the lumber equally heated, again most all fans have the 104°F cut off.  So - I do think it would be a good idea, just have to get the right components so it works the way you need it to.