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

[firewood]

Thanks for your replies so far.

 

 

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!)

 

 

maybe stating the obvious but you can lift the container if and when you move:thumbup:

[renewablejohn]

I would not bother with a kiln for drying logs when you can get the same results for free using a polytunnel. Having said that we will be putting in a type of kiln for drying arb waste down to 3-5% moisture. This is only economically possible because the main output is electric generated for the grid and the waste heat from that process will be used to dry the arb waste. The main components are a Stak 100 gasifier and a capstone turbo prop generator.

 

Biomass Gasification and Pellet Mills

 

In your circumstances a small stak 10 linked to a generator could provide your power on site and the waste heat for your container.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

If you have space then a simple pole barn with slatted wood sides (like Yorkshire boarding) is ideal. Problem with 20' ISO's is cost of a decent one and the running of it compared to natural wind and sunshine.

 

I encourage people to purchase fresh wood and season themselves for a discount. Think the US is somewhere that wood is often kiln dried.

[Fahrenheit]

I know this thread is a couple of months old but thought i'd put my input.

 

I'm just starting out in the firewood business......mostly as i'm sick of cowboys selling wet wood as seasoned. Also we have a stove shop and installation service and get called out many times a year due to stoves not working properly. Every time it's down to wet wood. Also the only local guy who does sell seasoned wood is so ungrateful for the work (i give him about 350 new customers a year and he does nothing but moan) and he wont take on any more new customers so i really have no option but to do it myself and take them all back. I have around 4000 customers who we've installed stoves for over the years so it should be an instant business if i just give them a call/drop them a letter.

 

Now obviously i'm lacking experience but i've done a lot of research and asked a lot of questions to people in the trade......obviously there will be mistakes made but that's life.

 

Anyways........to start with we're going to cut and split a load of wood and dispense into ventilated bulk sacks...........i want to be able to start selling some wood pretty quickly so i can get some money coming back in to buy the next load of wood.........I have a 45 foot insulated (ex refrigeration trailer). I plan on fitting a workshop stove at the far end which will burn all the rubbish and sawdust from processing the timber. I plan on installing several air vents at the far end near the wood burner and then at the other end of the trailer i'm going to install several bathroom extractor fans......these are very low power consumption but if i install enough it should help distribute the heat around the trailer and also circulate air through the trailer and dry the wood.

 

Anyone got any idea how long the wood will take to dry if i can maintain the trailer at around 35 degrees C?

 

Once the trailer is full i plan on filling up our barns and leaving that to season naturally for next year.......once i get a year in front then i'll stop using the trailer to artificially dry it.....it's just so i can get selling some this year.

 

That's the plan anyway.......anyone see any reasons why it shouldn't work?

 

Cheers,

Chris

[gensetsteve]

I know this thread is a couple of months old but thought i'd put my input.

 

I'm just starting out in the firewood business......mostly as i'm sick of cowboys selling wet wood as seasoned. Also we have a stove shop and installation service and get called out many times a year due to stoves not working properly. Every time it's down to wet wood. Also the only local guy who does sell seasoned wood is so ungrateful for the work (i give him about 350 new customers a year and he does nothing but moan) and he wont take on any more new customers so i really have no option but to do it myself and take them all back. I have around 4000 customers who we've installed stoves for over the years so it should be an instant business if i just give them a call/drop them a letter.

 

Now obviously i'm lacking experience but i've done a lot of research and asked a lot of questions to people in the trade......obviously there will be mistakes made but that's life.

 

Anyways........to start with we're going to cut and split a load of wood and dispense into ventilated bulk sacks...........i want to be able to start selling some wood pretty quickly so i can get some money coming back in to buy the next load of wood.........I have a 45 foot insulated (ex refrigeration trailer). I plan on fitting a workshop stove at the far end which will burn all the rubbish and sawdust from processing the timber. I plan on installing several air vents at the far end near the wood burner and then at the other end of the trailer i'm going to install several bathroom extractor fans......these are very low power consumption but if i install enough it should help distribute the heat around the trailer and also circulate air through the trailer and dry the wood.

 

Anyone got any idea how long the wood will take to dry if i can maintain the trailer at around 35 degrees C?

 

Once the trailer is full i plan on filling up our barns and leaving that to season naturally for next year.......once i get a year in front then i'll stop using the trailer to artificially dry it.....it's just so i can get selling some this year.

 

That's the plan anyway.......anyone see any reasons why it shouldn't work?

 

Cheers,

Chris

 

 

I would say if you have referals from 4000 installs leave logs well alone. Buying cord to turn into dry logs is going to be alot of work for little profit.

 

Things will now go quiet and sales will dry up so no rush to build a kiln if you are determined to do logs just dry it in the sun you have 6 months to do it.

 

If you are determined to use a kiln what about an iso container painted black left in the sun all day. Solar panels to run vent fans. I have a black container and the temperature is unbeliveable in summer. Or as someone has said a poly tunnel.

 

The only way to make money out of logs is to educate the public into taking their wood now for next year and getting a good supply of free timber. Other wise at £75 a tonne 3/4 of your turnover will go in expenses. Just my view but good luck with what you intend doing.

[renewablejohn]

Dont do it you will kill yourself. Wood smoke is a killer if in a confined space such as your container.

 

Please do some research on professional kilns and you will see the safety features which are built in.

[Stu3k]

Vote for container painted black but open slatted ends and solar powered fans,wee 4 inch ones; six on top near middle ,three either side,but air flows the main dryer,as long as stack's have space in between .

Wood mainly dries from the ends

[Fahrenheit]

The black container is a good idea. Maybe that and a couple of fans would suffice. I'm really wanting something now though so I can get some sold before summer and also I'll offer a discount if bought in the summer.

 

As for the wood smoke being a killer........the stove will be flued outside so no smoke within the container. Also nobody is going to be in the containe.

 

I'm not massively bothered about making big money from it. The main issue is that a lot of customers I see when quoting for an install are concerned about getting dry wood and when they ask me where they can get wood I have no answer for them as it's all wet around here. If we supply our own wood I can solve that problem which should sell us more stoves. If I can set a guy on and make some money from it then great.

Edited February 11, 2011 by Fahrenheit

[Fahrenheit]

Gensetsteve - when you say £75 per ton........is the price your selling a ton at, processed, seasoned, delivered? As it goes for way more than that around here. Unless I've misunderstood.

[iainarkle]

Anyone come across these guys: Firewood for Sale, Kiln Dried Logs, Briquettes, Pellets | Real Firewood Company I saw them at a show last year in Perth. They operate out of Duns in the Borders (I understand) but I haven't ever seen any of the results form their kiln dry wood nor gone to have a blether with them yet. Certainly looked the part at the show...if you can afford the logs!