New kiln

[Big Beech]

Something I've thought about for a long time now, finally decided that 2022 is the year of action 🤪

Took a long day trip from Sussex to North Wales and back with the collection of a three roller shutter van back.

I had looked at the insulated varieties, though with the like of Asda, tesco and sainsbury having these new smaller multi function backs finding something suitable was few and far between.

Today saw the start of the project and look forward to getting things underway!!

Currently fitted out with 4" insulation boards. Roof section yet to be added in.

Will do 90% of my boards, dimensions internally are going to be around 3300 x 1550 x 1250.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Big Beech

[lux]

Mr Parsons bringing home my new kiln ……. I’ll be over with some boards Mr P [emoji106]. Good job.

[arboriculturist]

As we all know there have been numerous Threads about Kiln Drying timber for woodworking and the consensus seems to be that unless you have an absolute state of the art computer program commercial drying unit, then everything that goes in that Kiln needs to be air dried 1st.

So 2" slabs kept for approx. 1 year, 3" slabs 2 years, 4" slabs 4 years etc. etc.

 

Does that not make Kiln Drying not something to be undertaken lightly?

 

Perhaps if you quarter saw everything resulting in the timber being far more stable, then you could reduce this lengthy air drying time ? There again quarter sawing is a major pain even with a Bandsaw Mill. 

[Big Beech]

3 hours ago, arboriculturist said:

As we all know there have been numerous Threads about Kiln Drying timber for woodworking and the consensus seems to be that unless you have an absolute state of the art computer program commercial drying unit, then everything that goes in that Kiln needs to be air dried 1st.

So 2" slabs kept for approx. 1 year, 3" slabs 2 years, 4" slabs 4 years etc. etc.

 

Does that not make Kiln Drying not something to be undertaken lightly?

 

Perhaps if you quarter saw everything resulting in the timber being far more stable, then you could reduce this lengthy air drying time ? There again quarter sawing is a major pain even with a Bandsaw Mill. 

Yes indeed.

I will have a good selection of timber in the coming months that will be nearly eligible for the kiln.

A small kiln like this doesn't require much work based in some simple principles of mainly a dehumidifier to get temperature on the box initially to around 35° and is a gradual process with a dehumidifier that is smaller rather than bigger and rush through things.

Only requiring a final heat cycle at the very end for bug life etc. There are countless YouTube videos of such simple setups like this and I've watched nearly every one and there is a couple of great fb groups for wood kilns on any scale. Problems and issues happen as the scale gets involved as the dehumidifier for instance isn't big enough to produce its own heat in a container and then that is where the Nyle systems and schedules get much more involved.

I'll post some videos up of some simple builds in a bit.

For the volume I produce and sell, which of late has been getting more and more this is an ideal size for me.

[Big Beech]

 

 

The latter video is of a similar size to mine, mine being just a bit smaller in volume.

Fb groups have been great in advice as it seems much more prevalent in the states than over here.

This is just a small selection of videos the YT has to offer.

The middle video is basic just randomly placed insulation boards taped together.

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by Big Beech

[arboriculturist]

I would be interested to know the internal plank centre MC level.

[Dan Maynard]

They were air drying the boards for 6 months I think on the chair program, seems it still makes sense to air dry for a while to get some of the moisture out even if working at industrial scale.

[Big Beech]

12 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

I would be interested to know the internal plank centre MC level.

If you watch some of the videos, I think they show content.

I am sensing skepticism in your posts 🙂

[Big Beech]

8 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

They were air drying the boards for 6 months I think on the chair program, seems it still makes sense to air dry for a while to get some of the moisture out even if working at industrial scale.

Yes that is the way forward for sure, I have no interest in wasting good wood I have milled or oak at this stage.

I do however have some air dried oak I may use in my test runs.

[gobbypunk]

Good luck following this with interest .