poplar in solar kiln

[Joey Grimes]

I haven't dried any poplar in my solar kiln before so I did a load about 250 bf 2 weeks ago green of mill when  I checked mc today I was shocked it was at 13 % it had to be pushing 150 degrees.

[Joey Grimes]

How many degrees above outside temp could a solar kiln get with a load?

[Joey Grimes]

50-60

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

With afternoon outside humidities running about 35% RH or lower (Such dry conditions are unusual indeed), the speed and temperatures are what I would expect for a large kiln with a small load. When you dry poplar sapwood this fast, you do need to wear sunglasses when you plane it as it will be very white.

[Denny]

"When you dry poplar sapwood this fast, you do need to wear sunglasses when you plane it as it will be very white."
;D Thats funny.

Poplar dries fast and easy...

[TCharters76]

Good morning! We just completed our first solar kiln, and will post a new topic based just on that. But i do have a question about your poplar. I recently slabbed a 50" x98" trunk into 3" poplar slabs. How thick was the poplar you were drying? Also, at my thickness, would you recommend waiting a year before introducing it to the solar kiln? Or should i just load it up and go for broke?

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Wow! that is a great looking pice of wood. What are your plans for it?

[Magicman]

I do not have the answer to your question, but Wow on the slab and Welcome to the Forestry Forum, TCharters76. 

[scsmith42]

Gorgeous slab (and welcome to the FF)!

If it were me, the safest thing to do would be to start the load in the solar kiln in November.   In the interim, air dry it under cover (but with good airflow).

Theoretically you should be able to go into a solar kiln green with 3" poplar.  I would cover the collector as needed until you had the ratio of 10 square feet per one bd ft of poplar (targeted 3 - 4% drying rate).

[TCharters76]

Thanks you guys!! Thats the middle slab. I ended up with 8 slabs after waste from that tree. (top right tree in the photo). I have it air drying right now in my yard. 

  With that being said, i don't mean to hijack this post. So i will start a new thread on my different logs and such. But the first thing i will post is a new thread on my Solar Kiln that we just completed. Thanks for the welcome and scsmith42, i have some more questions for you. Please find the new post and we can continue our conversation there. Cheers!

[Joey Grimes]

My poplar was 4/4  thickest I've ran through my solar kiln is 8/4 walnut and it took a while!  Those are some impressive slabs were they cut on a bandmill ?

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

Air drying with good air flow and a cover to prevent rain wetting is likely better for thick slabs of any species.  The VT solar kiln can take easy-to-dry wood, even thick slabs, at any moisture content without damage, but production will be slow, so predrying before kiln drying will usually get more lumber through the kiln annually.

[TCharters76]

My poplar was 4/4  thickest I've ran through my solar kiln is 8/4 walnut and it took a while!  Those are some impressive slabs were they cut on a bandmill ?

Thanks! I have air dried 10/4 Black walnut that is now down to 12-13% and is just over 14 months since the cut. It will go into the solar kiln tomorrow.   We use a guy locally with a woodmizer for anything under 24" But all these slabs were cut by me with my Alaskan mill. Stihl 880 with a 59" bar.