Logosol Timber kiln - what's your thoughts.

[Celtictimber]

Anyone got any experience with these or know any one who has. What's your thoughts on the set up.

 

Sauno Wood Kiln VT5, 4 kW | Sauno Wood Drying Kiln | More Products... | LOGOSOL

[Mike Dempsey]

I have had one for about 4 years now. Originally built the way sauno suggested with the insulation panels. It was very fragile and crumbly but worked fine for about 4 uses. Got fed up of it the last time because the door was warped and leaked like mad.

Eventually kicked it to bits through frustration and took it to the local tip.

I am nearly finished my second kiln now. I have used douglas fir as a frame and put 9mm plywood in to line it with . I have filled it in with 3 inch insulation board and skinned it with 12 osb.

My door and the insides have all been lagged with fibreglass to waterproof it which was a massive messy and smelly job.

Its well over engineered but I didnt want to warp anywhere, I cant even lift the door on my own. I am waiting for some kiln gasket to come in from the States and I need to buy some handles for the door in order to finish it but I am so busy with other jobs that might have t wait for 2 to 3 weeks.

In operation it works ok. There was a batch of kiln mechanisms which were faulty and mine had to be sent back but the replacement is good. It works quite simply and my timber was dry all the way through. Its better to give it too long rather than trying to rush it and take the timber out early. Most of my timber is now cut up into 10" planks and they are all tied down with ratchet straps - this saves you from having propellors when you open it up.

[Forest2Furniture]

I've had a solar kiln for the last 8 years but with the lack of sun we get in this country I'm after something a bit quicker and more reliable so I was thinking of getting one of these.

 

Do you air dry your timber before going in the kiln or straight from green, and how long does it take to dry a batch?

[Mike Dempsey]

I dont air dry my timber before I stick it in the kiln as I dont really have a lot of outdoor storage space, and the little I do have is not secure. The length of time that it takes depends on the thickness of the timber. On average it takes about 4 to 5 weeks to dry 45mm beech.

[Celtictimber]

I dont air dry my timber before I stick it in the kiln as I dont really have a lot of outdoor storage space, and the little I do have is not secure. The length of time that it takes depends on the thickness of the timber. On average it takes about 4 to 5 weeks to dry 45mm beech.

 

 

Hi Mike

 

What's it like when you put green oak straight in the kiln any issues? This is what I would be using in for mostly. Any other tips or problems you've encountered drying oak in it?

[Big J]

Hi Mike

 

What's it like when you put green oak straight in the kiln any issues? This is what I would be using in for mostly. Any other tips or problems you've encountered drying oak in it?

 

Green oak into any kiln is very difficult. We have heat vent, vacuum and steam (ie Logosol) kilns and they are all crap at drying green oak. You can dry almost any other timber from green, just not oak.

[Celtictimber]

Green oak into any kiln is very difficult. We have heat vent, vacuum and steam (ie Logosol) kilns and they are all crap at drying green oak. You can dry almost any other timber from green, just not oak.

 

 

Thanks for the advise John. What would you suggest would be the best set up for. Ideally I'm wanting to put green oak beams into it. I don't really need them to be down to joinery moisture just something similar to air dried.

[Mike Dempsey]

I square edge all my oak and dont do any bark/sapwood. Thats where most of the tannic acid is which will ruin any kiln heating mechanism eventually. You can also fit more timber in this way as well.

I do some waney edged planks some times as well if I need to do some big mirrors/ tables. I dont have a big workshop so storage issues are always around and square edged planks take up less room

[Celtictimber]

That's interesting Mike. Yea all my oak will be square edge so hopefully it will be ok. Have you looked at the woodmizer kiln system, how do you compare them to the logosol.

[njmusk]

I've had a solar kiln for the last 8 years but with the lack of sun we get in this country I'm after something a bit quicker and more reliable so I was thinking of getting one of these.

 

Do you air dry your timber before going in the kiln or straight from green, and how long does it take to dry a batch?

 

Is there asupplier or a link to solar kilns.