I was gifted some glazing that may force me into a solar build. I have 4 pieces of 1/4" clear tempered glass that are 26x80". I think that may just be enough for a vt style kiln. I don't need massive capacity. Most of what I have is 10' or less. So I'm thinking 12'x?. What's the best way to flash those glazings8sor the roof. I'm thinking rafters 26" oc with a strip screwed over the 2 panels for where the panels butt each other. But not sure how to handle the top and bottoms.
once upon a time there was a post on the forum about a builder who did an entire end of a TF building with glass. and that post had a lot of good details and links to good glazing methods, but i can't seem to find it in the search, maybe someone else knows how to find it...
found it.
read this thread, it might have some helpful info, and if it doesn't help, it has lots of pretty pictures...
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,52270.0.html
Thanks for the link. The guy I got the glazing from can also order me another the same size for about $100. Current collector would be14x4=56sf. If I add another glazing it would be 70sf. I'm not in a hurry to dry loads and have been air drying first.
Another question. This build will most likely be on farm that is 70 miles away from home. Is there such thing as load and forget? It will most likely be check once a week or 2 scenario. I have been air drying for about 9 months. So the load won't be going in wet.
After air drying, you can safely load and forget.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5754&pid=179240#top_display_media)
Thinking of something like this for top and sides of glazing panels.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36215/New_Image.JPG)
The glazing does require substantial room for expansion. This seems like the small spacing between panels is too little.
Scot wolf - That detail could work. If you didn't have the edpm handy you could use a fat bead of a high quality silicone instead. My favorite brand is Lexel (or maybe Lexal) -bulletproof. But I'm sure there are other good brands.
Didn't really scale out the clearance on the drawing. I will most likely allow 3/8" clearance on top and 1/4" on sides. The bottom of glazing will sit on solid glazing blocks in a rabbit with edpm seal under glass cover with aluminum flashing caulked to top side of glazing.
That sounds good. I have seen many glass covers crack when they expanded without this clearance.
More supplies scavenged.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36215/20150501_100618.jpg)
Hoping to get started soon on the kiln. It will be based loosely on this design:
http://forestandwildlifeecology.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/98.pdf
Except that I will be making it 12' long. I will most likely be drying 500bf or less. How many fans will I need? And what is a good scource? I was thinking about Attic gable fans because I assume they will withstand high heat.
Note that this design and the Virginia Tech design are the same.
Two fans with enough capacity (cubic feet per minute or cfm) will be ok, especially for air dried lumber, but three smaller are better than two larger, especially with wetter lumber.
what cfm would be adequate?
CFM = (sticker thickness in inches / 12) x (length of the load in feet, often 16 feet) x (number of layers of lumber) x (100 feet per minute minimum velocity for a small kiln) x (1.5 to allow for air leakage)
Example. (0.75" / 12) x (16) x (24) x (100) x 1.5 = 3600 cfm from all fans
Thanks Gene. It looks like 2 gable fans @ 1100cfm might work ok for me. My loads will be 9.5 to 10' long and most will never get over 20 layers high (that would be 2 lifts).