Forced Air Wood Furnace vs. Nyle 200

[OregonTimberWerker]

After 20 years of milling with an LT40, it's time to build a kiln.  I will be drying, almost exclusively, Douglas Fir 1x's and 2x's.

Does anyone have experience with an Outside Forced Air Wood Furnace, such as a Hyprotherm 4000?  200,000 BTU.  Two 2000 CFM blowers. No water. 12" air ducts into the kiln, exhaust outside.  I have an overabundance of softwood milling waste to burn that needs to go away.

The other option is a Nyle 200.  Obviously a proven system.

Is a conventional kiln better for Douglas Fir than a DH kiln?

 

The initial cost of each is relatively close.

Any advice for helping me make a decision would be appreciated.  

As there was for milling in the beginning, there is a lot to learn about kilns.  The wealth of knowledge on this forum is invaluable.  When I started milling over 20 years ago, this forum saved my butt!

[Southside]

Welcome to the Forum.  Can't comment on drying Doug Fir, but @Wudman has a forced air, outdoor, wood furnace he uses to heat his home and might be able to give you some input on that part of your question.  

[farmfromkansas]

I have a wood burning furnace to heat my shop.  Have to load it every 2 or 3 hours, especially with lower grade firewood. Would have to load it late at night and early in the morning to keep it going all night.

[Crossroads]

I'm kicking the same rock down a similar path. Except, I'm thinking of building a rocket mass heater to use with a dehumidifier. I'd really like to make good use of the scraps to improve the process.
How's the weather over on the wet side? I moved from Toledo about 3 years ago to north Idaho. I can work in a lot of rain, but the snow has my mill buried right now....

[K-Guy]

If you thinking of forced air in a conventional kiln, you need to think of 400,000+ btus/hour or it's not going to give much capacity. You vent a lot of heat that way, so you need a way to replace it.

[OregonTimberWerker]

I'm kicking the same rock down a similar path. Except, I'm thinking of building a rocket mass heater to use with a dehumidifier. I'd really like to make good use of the scraps to improve the process.
How's the weather over on the wet side? I moved from Toledo about 3 years ago to north Idaho. I can work in a lot of rain, but the snow has my mill buried right now....

Good luck with your project. A kiln is a new adventure for me and need to wait to reinvent the "wheel" after I learn more. I am tending toward a Nyle, but still want to find a use for my waste wood.
Weather here in western Oregon is wet, sunny, foggy, muddy, nasty, awesome.  We get everything.  Just wait a few days for what you prefer.  I wouldn't want to live anywhere else - we just need to fix the political climate.  Idaho is where I would escape to, if necessary.  Thanks for the reply!

[OregonTimberWerker]

If you thinking of forced air in a conventional kiln, you need to think of 400,000+ btus/hour or it's not going to give much capacity. You vent a lot of heat that way, so you need a way to replace it.

Thank you for the input.  That is exactly what I need.  I think the idea of a forced air furnace has merit, but the details need attention.  Maybe for my second kiln I will know enough to make it work.  Again, your input is much appreciated.

[K-Guy]

Oregon 

The heater you were looking at will work very well as a replacement heat source for the electric heater in a  L200. This cuts your power usage quite a bit and done right speeds up your preheat and sterilization time.

[Don P]

Hopefully not too far off topic, @K-Guy, an OWB hookup to an L200 must be old hat to you guys, is there a sketch and parts list somewhere of the best way to hook those two together?

[K-Guy]

@Don P 
Hi Don
No. It is not something that we supply parts for but I can advise you, it's not difficult.

[K-Guy]

@OregonTimberWerker 

I was wrong in an earlier post, You can use a OWB to supplement the heat not a forced air unit.