Got an idea for kiln drying logs. Any feedback appreciated.

[Fentiger]

We use vented bags but mainly only for transporting logs in. They are very good because when you turn up at the customers house they can see they are getting a quality product right down to the bottom (and not just a layer of premium wood on top, as previously experienced by one customer I delivered to yesterday!).

If you are storing under cover to dry then the space becomes an issue, by stacking, although there is an increase in handling it allows storage of at least 50% more in the same space compared to filling barn with bags.

Yes, obviously you need some kind of handler to load etc. We like to dleiver multi loads on a tri-axle trailer and can get easily 4 1M3 bags on.

[Chris Gagen]

We use vented bags but mainly only for transporting logs in. They are very good because when you turn up at the customers house they can see they are getting a quality product right down to the bottom (and not just a layer of premium wood on top, as previously experienced by one customer I delivered to yesterday!).

If you are storing under cover to dry then the space becomes an issue, by stacking, although there is an increase in handling it allows storage of at least 50% more in the same space compared to filling barn with bags.

Yes, obviously you need some kind of handler to load etc. We like to dleiver multi loads on a tri-axle trailer and can get easily 4 1M3 bags on.

 

spot on, also you have an accurate measure of how much firewood you've got at any one time:thumbup1:

[Big J]

The issue of mould has already been brought up in this thread, but I think it merits another mention. I think you might genuinely struggle to inhibit mould growth in the kiln (it takes very little time for timber to become permanently discoloured).

 

As has already been said, spend the money on some good, secure, under-cover storage for split timber. Once up, there are no running costs and it should prove a better investment than a kiln.

[Fentiger]

Our pole barn cost about £300 for the roof sheets, free coppiced poles for the frame and about another £50 for sawn timber for roof supports.

Pallets were free as they are an American size the reclaim boys can`t sell!

Gives us enough storage for about 200 cube at any one time!

[gensetsteve]

I once gave this 5 minutes thought which was a container, a dehumidifier, a heater, a ventilation system and alot of energy it might work. But allowing the sun to do its job through the summer is much greener and its free.

[Big J]

My sawn timber kiln costs £5.50 a day to run. It will hold about 9 cubic metres of boards (maybe a little more for firewood?). Take 6 weeks to get the timber to 15% MC. So if I were to run firewood through it, it would cost a total of £231, or about £25 a cubic metre just in electricity. Not worth it, especially if you are small scale and the contribution to turnover puts you over the VAT threshold.

[djbobbins]

I'd have to plump for adding my name to the "air drying undercover" voters, but if you did want to think about some kind of kiln drying in a container, might it be worth thinking about the type of system that used to be used in chicken sheds?

 

My next door neighbour had a former chicken shed as his workshop, it had an externally built solid fuel fired stove, with a feed and return 3" pipe natural convection (so no pumps or need for electric supply) hot water radiator system. That way you could burn wood as your heat source. Reckon it would take a while to dry though, and you'd definitely need some way of venting off the damp air.

 

How much weight of water would you be looking to remove from your container load of wood? It should be possible to work out how much energy will be needed to do this, and assuming an efficiency for the boiler system, to come up with a rough idea of how much wood you'd need to burn.

[firewood]

I season my wood outside in vented bags, sitting on pallets with the top only covered with tarps or old corrugated sheets.

 

a barn to dry stuff is nice if you have it but it is not essential.

 

 

I would say that the most critical thing is airflow and then temperature. get the wind howling thru it but keep the rain off.

 

 

a container kiln could work but as mentioned above uniform airflow would be a problem. I dont think you could just load it up willy-nilly. you would need to stack every piece of wood that went into it to ensure channels for the air to circulate . that is a cost in itself.

 

there would be a cost to power your fan or fans. with regards to heating if you could use woodchip or sawdust waste (from your processor?) that could be cost effective. If you have to use your own firewood to burn I would say forget it and stick to normal airdrying unless you can sell your final kilned product for £160m3 as some seem to do.

 

Also i would not place the fire inside the kiln. one little spark and your wood is gone. burner outside / heat transfered inside as hot air or use radiators.

 

if you already have the container , burner and fans and fuel source go for it. if you have to buy them in i would say do not bother

[Danny Boy]

Thanks for your replies so far.

 

What resources I have:

3 shipping containers (20 ft). 1 is free to use. NOT currently insulated.

A wood burner & some flue. (we ARE in a smokeless zone)

My little yard is on an industrial estate with a fairly good supply of pallets lying around for fuel.

I'm a tree surgeon so I have Arb waste timber & chippings.

No cage trolleys but I do have about 50 x 8 ft (2-3mm) of 2" square mesh fencing spare.

NO electricity supply.

A petrol genny not diesel (waste veg oil would have been perfect).

 

So... I'd need to insulate the container, build some cages from the fencing or acquire some cage trolleys. Devise a method of airflow, which would have to involve a power source.so either my petrol genny or buy a diesel one & use waste veg oil.

 

I'm trying to be objective about the whole exercise. The whole point is to have seasoned wood to sell this year having moved up & set up here last year.

 

I pay around £145 a month for this yard in East Kilbride (about 1400 sq ft) & have the option to renew or move on at the start of mar '11.

 

Is it worth me setting up the kiln where I am given I'd ideally like a bigger yard on a farm somewhere?

 

(talk about detailing your own thread!)

[djbobbins]

Do you think you can find comparable space (without getting involved in e.g. planning issues) at the same sort of monthly money elsewhere?

 

If so then maybe consider it; personally I'd be wary about putting a load of time and investment into a kiln drying system which relies on you being able to burn wood in a smokeless zone. Unless of course your stove is an approved appliance??

 

Also a power supply would be useful - if needs be you can buy ex-electricity board billing quality meters to sub-meter a supply (we have done it with a tenant).

 

You could always insulate all of one of your containers apart from one section (e.g. one of the doors). Then rig up a piece of guttering at the bottom with a drain. As the warm damp air circulates around, the water vapour condenses out on the cold door - effectively the door performs the same role as the chiller coil in a dehumidifier.