timber drying kiln

[gobbypunk]

Hi guys I a while ago I got myself an arrow smith drying unit and have been looking for a place to build a box for it to go in but no space in my workshop and I just cant afford a shipping container or an old freezer box , so was thinking about using an old caravan board over the windows cut a big door in the end remove all the stuff inside , way to go , now the question is do you think it will work , it will be some work but should all the bits and pices I will need , looking forward to your thaughts

Thanks Mark

[Woodworks]

First thought is you will need to substantially reinforce the floor.

[Forest2Furniture]

By the time you've reinforced the floor, boarded and waterproofed it inside, reinforced the side where you've cut a loading hole etc, I don't think you will have saved much on buying materials and building from new.

Just my opinion.

[gobbypunk]

Hi guys the thing is I prob have all or most of what I would need to to do the work , and the thing is I have room in the yard but not inside so I need a waterproof box and just thaught it would do until I can afford something better as I need to be able to dry my planks any other very cheep ways of getting a box sorted I am all ears

Cheers Mark

[Mike Dempsey]

How about using doug fir for a frame and sterling board for the sheathing. I then used fibreglass on top of plywood for the inside to waterproof it. You could always waterproof the outside of it with fibreglass as well

[gobbypunk]

Hi guys with the arrow smith unit I do not need it to be waterproof on the inside at least I dont think I do I am sure it just came out of a big wooden box will have to find out

Cheers Mark

[Mike Dempsey]

If you are using any sort of wooden panels on the inside you will have to waterproof them. Acidic moisture and heat will destroy any panel product quite quickly, probably even marine plywood which would last just a bit longer. The yanks paint the insides of their kilns with aluminium roofing paint. I went down the fibreglassing route with mine as I didnt want to be doing it every couple of years. I run my kiln about 5 times a year which would equate to about 6 months of heat and moisture. Thats a lot of time for the moisture to be attacking the insides and slowly eating them away.

I have a sauno kilnand they recommend builing a kiln structure from insulated panels. I did this the first time (as I didnt know any better!). It didnt last too long as any wee nudge of the panels when putting in or taking out the timber caused a puncture in the side walls allowing moisture penetration. Didnt take long for it to distintegrate.

The other way to do it is to look for a specialist breakers yard who may be doing aluminium bodies from vans. Waterproof, rustproof and with a door seal to die for! On some of the yank sites they have guys who have 40' aluminium shipping containers with railway tracks going right inside them. This is timber drying at the top end but there isnt any harm in downsizing to suit your own needs.

 

Mike