firewood kiln - How do you build one? does anyone know

[Big J]

I haven't tried milk trolleys, but that might be a neat idea assuming I can move them with a forklift. I would only loose fill the firewood, not stack it.

 

I'm west of Edinburgh.

[arboriculturist]

I haven't tried milk trolleys, but that might be a neat idea assuming I can move them with a forklift. I would only loose fill the firewood, not stack it.

 

I'm west of Edinburgh.

 

You could do with bundling up that slabwood into tight billets Jon. U could band up lengths then crosscut into 0.5m billets, then easy throw in.

 

Those hourly fuelling visits are crazy - 2 hrs will be possible if you take my advice.

 

Your fires are not intense enough - loose slabs, burn in a flash - get fuel condensed and watch temp. rise.

 

More importantly - HOW GOES THE MILL ?

[Big J]

Mill goes good! We cut 6 cubic metres of waney edge 16mm cladding in 8 hours today and yesterday. Pretty tedious, but easy enough. Hydraulic handling is superb, headrig movements could be quicker, bands are a bit crap, but I'm setting Monday aside to learn how to use my sharpener and setter to address that. It's very quiet and refined compared to the Logmaster.

 

The firebox is very small compared to most biomass boilers. I believe it uses intense airflow to achieve the KW rating it has and consequently requires very regular stoking. It's not an issue when we are in the yard. I've also sited it on the edge of one of my neighbour's yard and he gets a small amount of the heat from the boiler in return for stoking it when he's in.

[arboriculturist]

Mill goes good! We cut 6 cubic metres of waney edge 16mm cladding in 8 hours today and yesterday. Pretty tedious, but easy enough. Hydraulic handling is superb, headrig movements could be quicker, bands are a bit crap, but I'm setting Monday aside to learn how to use my sharpener and setter to address that. It's very quiet and refined compared to the Logmaster.

 

The firebox is very small compared to most biomass boilers. I believe it uses intense airflow to achieve the KW rating it has and consequently requires very regular stoking. It's not an issue when we are in the yard. I've also sited it on the edge of one of my neighbour's yard and he gets a small amount of the heat from the boiler in return for stoking it when he's in.

 

I think you will have to condense the fuel in order to achieve the output you require. Was the fuel product guidance that came with the boiler specifying specific fuel / specs. Dense fuel ever more crucial with small fireboxes and fan assisted combustion. Getting close to a chip boiler.

 

If bugs me everytime I order a stack of milled timber when we could easily run a mill ourselves with the facilities we have. Their double edge bander look the works! Did you get to see it in op. when over there?

What edger do you use at present?

[Big J]

I saw their multirip saw (which I hope to invest in next year at some point) which looked excellent. I didn't see their edger, but did see their vertical bandsaw too. I didn't see them in operation as I was just at the factory - I saw the sawmill in action in June before I ordered mine.

 

I use an ancient old Finnish edger (the make eludes me) which is generally very good. Cuts widths of 65 to about 280mm and is very quick. We much have put 30 odd tonnes of material through it in the past 2 months.

[arboriculturist]

Agree - they make solid engineered equipment.

 

The Kiln.

 

You will be amazed how much timber you need to burn and at what rate to get the temperature up, especially in the early stages of drying.

 

You are going to need that firebox at full tilt for some time to achieve anywhere near the drying times you wished for.

 

Remember - dry fuel < 20% and condense the fuel. Some may have other views.

 

Keep us posted.

[Danny Boy]

That was a good read! You still running the kiln Big J?