I have been drying in my shop that is heated by wood. I use the heat that is at the ceiling. A box window fan 24 inch on medium forces the air through the lumber. The last batch was down to 8%.
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/000_0006a.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/000_0007a.jpg)
I only run the fan during the day. At night it will cool down to 40 degrees.
hi Bill
Similar approach here
This is my air / solar / dehumidifier setup in the back shed.
Works well in summer but a bit slow during the winter and the d/h unit ices up under about 10C
I wouldn't like to be drying tons of timber with this lowtech aproach, but with the pine and assorted cypress I've been sawing it's working good
Since that picture was taken another stack of Monteray cypress has been loaded in there too :)
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/ianab_drying_shed.jpg)
ian
Low-tech works well for small operations. I only use my setup in the winter. For summer I air dry in the barn.
HA! You guys think you're low-tech?
I had a rain day, today, so I was puttering in the shop, cleaning up and such. I cut a few 3/4x2 cedar boards from a slab, on the table saw. They were so wet, I was getting water spray from the saw. I cut some 5/16 sq stickers, 10" long so I could stack them on a shelf to dry. Of course the stickers were just as wet, so I stacked them in a beer box and set up a hair dryer to blow into it. In 30 minutes, the little pile went from 33 ounces to 25 ounces. Having neither time, nor inclination, to continue the experiment, I stacked my little treasure on the shelf and went on to more important, but mundane tasks. I hope my little boards will be ok. They sure are purty. :)
now hair dryer sales is going to go up . :o ;D time to buy stock :D :D
DanG, I would like to build a wood drier like yours if you haven't already got a patent on it. :P I need to know the brand of beer box and the wattage of the hair drier. ;D
Bob the wantabe kiln owner
Well, Porky, I don't rightly know the eggzackt specs of the hair dryer, and I ain't goin' out in the rain to find out right now. The beer box was a 12 packer from AB Natural Light. I'll try to get the "Born-on" date tomorrow, when I'm retrieving the hair dryer stats. :D :D
I'll be talkin' to tha Perfesser to see about getting the plans included on that other site. You may have to get his permission to use it, but I ain't plannin' ta patent it myself. ;D
Bill_B
I also have a low-tech kiln, well insulated 12' X 25' attic space with two electric heaters, dehumidifier, and a 20' fan.
I air dry for 3-4 months (pine) then bring 400 - 500 fbm per load. Wood moisture content drops down from 12% - 16% to 6% in four or five days depending on outside humidity.
I don't turn on the dehumidifier until the room temp hits 70F or so.
Does anyone know where I can get a good electric heater, I got one 220 volt and one 110 volt but I can only get the attic temps up to 90F it's not quite enough. What do they use in like the Nyle for supplemental heat.
thanks,
tim
Bill is that a Farm-all A cause I got one ??
Termite. Yes if is a Farmall A. It is one that my Dad used.
I have dried mostly hardwood.
Oak, Hard-Maple, Elm and Hickory.