I recently met Danny Hamsley by phone. What a helpful guy! He invited me to joint the Forum . . . Thanks!
I'll be attending the April event. Day 1 is particularly timely as I just took delivery of the working parts of a new L53. My dilemma is sizing for the box itself. My interest is primarily KD'ing slabs. I have access to an ongoing supply of "wide" material (hardwoods) . . . 48" is not unusual, and sometimes over that. I THINK I'd like to be able to KD material up to 16' long for table tops, as well as occasionally high quality dimensional material that length, but I don't know if those lengths are practical or marketable.
Basically, I"m looking for input regarding the inside dimensions of my kiln box, and, unfortunately, I must build it before the Event.
Thanks in advance
Downhill Cutter
Hi Downhill
I'll be glad to help.
Stan from Nyle
800-777-6953
Hey Downhill,
Keep us informed on your decisions and progress. I am currently planning on a similar build and also plan to be at the April Event.
Thanks!!!
Mossy . . . Thanks for the encouragement.
A couple of weeks ago, I finished the exterior of the chamber. I had a slab poured, nominal 14' x 8'. Dumb luck, I guess, but the dimensions meant that I had almost zero offcuts as I framed the chamber and sheathed the exterior.
, as called for in the instructions, with 1/2" cdx over 2x4 studs. I used typical sheet metal roofing as per Tennessee practice. I built it this large so I can dry 12' material. I might need auxiliary heating to heat that much air, but everything's a trade-off, right?
I'll finish the interior in mid-May, and I'll keep you posted. I'll put up a couple of pix as soon as I have any that are relevant.
Cheers
The key to a DH kiln chamber is to think of it as a swimming pool, with the liner to the inside. It must be perfectly air tight and so then water vapor tight. Since the kiln interior has a high and low pressure side due to the baffles and fans, any leak in the internal moisture barrier will allow slightly pressurized, warm moist air to infiltrate into walls of the kiln, causing mold and a loss of insulation integrity. So lots of insulation and water tight on the innermost wall and you will do fine.
The L53 is a wood drying machine. You've got a good one.
Yellowhammer ;
Thanks for the "pool" analogy. I'll be finishing the kiln over the next couple of weeks, and doing my best to keep all the moisture either on the inside, or going out the outflow pipe . . . NOT leaking through into the framing and insulation.
Really helpful mental image.
Muchas Gracias,
DHC