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Kiln drying timber


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Hi all,

I was just wondering how many people on here kiln dry their timber?

What sort of kiln set ups do you have and what drying schedules do you use!

Are there any published drying tables or other resources online that you would recommend.

I am getting a lot of advise and help from big J (as it's his old kiln I'm using!), but am interested in other people's experiences and thoughts!

 

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Tik tok [emoji354][emoji6][emoji39]

Just got to move the last two tons of logs out the garden...[emoji848]
Then find time to mill a couple of ton of 2x4" and 1x6" then construct it, insulate it, get fans, dehumidifiers etc.
....
....,
Don't hold your breath. This will take months.
[emoji106]
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Be quicker and more profitable to just buy your structure timber in surely?!!

We have a local lad round us who sells tanalised stuff dirt cheap! You’d lose more by not doing a couple days normal work, ya not think?
Just commit and crack on [emoji106]

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Depends on the set up. I can take bulk loads to Wests at Petworth and use their kilns. Last time I spoke to them about it they said the kiln runs for 3 weeks. Albeit they are industrial scale sized kilns. I believe small kilns take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to get to
Get timber to useable moisture levels. Not too bad to be fair if it’s just hobby / small scale timber use. Any more demand and your production will bottle neck pretty quickly.

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I use the Logosol sauno kiln. Built an 8x4x4ft box. Will dry 2'' t softwood in two three weeks. Hard wood 2'' t i have the temp right down and takes between six to eight weeks to get to around 10% mc. I to was looking at the heater dehumidifier fans system but just like the idea of keeping it simple with one unit plugged in. I can mill and load timber in the kiln the same day but Oak and Sweet Chestnut need to be air dried for six months due to the tannin. I brought the 2kw vt3 from Logosol and got some styrofoam online for the box and in total cost me around £1100. 

Edited by 54gka
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I use the Logosol sauno kiln. Built an 8x4x4ft box. Will dry 2'' t softwood in two three weeks. Hard wood 2'' t i have the temp right down and takes between six to eight weeks to get to around 10% mc. I to was looking at the heater dehumidifier fans system but just like the idea of keeping it simple with one unit plugged in. I can mill and load timber in the kiln the same day but Oak and Sweet Chestnut need to be air dried for six months due to the tannin. I brought the 2kw vt3 from Logosol and got some styrofoam online for the box and in total cost me around £1100. 

That’s good figures. I’d be very pleased with that as a small set up.
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A lot can depend on air drying to reduce moisture content to around 20%.
This stabilises the wood better for kilning.
Burred and pippy wood will need a slower drying time due to vastly different densities in the same board.
A vacuum kiln will take 20% air dried 2" oak slabs to about 10% in two weeks.
Watch out for over heating this causes surface checking and case hardening.
Slower is better generally for hardwood.
Softwoods and less dense hardwoods like poplar and willow will all air dry quickly and kiln dry faster.
[emoji106]

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