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arboriculturist

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Everything posted by arboriculturist

  1. arboriculturist
    Take a look at the Farma W700. I can't comment on the price perhaps someone else can? More efficient on a machine with a blade to push lengths of roundwood against. The video below is speeded up towards the end. [ame] [/ame]
  2. arboriculturist
    Thanks for posting 'A highly valuable black walnut tree' - Hilarious !!!
  3. arboriculturist
    Very sorry to hear that John - I know that sickening feeling well. The landowners theft is sure to be linked.
  4. arboriculturist
    It appears that this year has taken its toll on several with kilns due to slow sales. The kiln still has to be paid for in the good and bad times. Also as more kiln dried appears there is sure to be a price war for 'kiln dried' but this time all the kilners will be on a level playing field as they are selling the exactly the same dry product, unlike some air dried retails some of whom sell green/damp wood. The established kiln dryers with assets can afford to drop their prices for a couple of years and that will destroy several of their competitors. This could follow a similar model to the supermarkets and small retailers - not a great situation for the independants.
  5. arboriculturist
    To those with solar PV panels on the roof - YES
  6. arboriculturist
    I think you are the only person in the UK using solar. I researched this intensively and after costing the Tubes, Insulation and installation costs it was negligible if it was worth it. Air drying seemed a lot easier. I have not ruled it out but found it hard to source credible data on the drying time required using an insulated structure and solar to dry green Hardwood down to 20-25%. Seasonal I know with Solar. Can you comment? Thanks
  7. arboriculturist
    Yes, that seems the case. It appears that some retailers who signed up for the higher tariff of 8.8p/kWh before 1st July 2014 can make kiln drying work, even though there will inevitably be those who complain that it burns too quickly.
  8. arboriculturist
    If that is the case, perhaps those who have invested in Kiln Drying systems are finding sales are falling? We only ever hear of wet wood issues.
  9. arboriculturist
    Incredible - people have moaned for decades about being delivered wet wood - finally they are given a quality consistent dry product and they continue to moan !
  10. arboriculturist
    Your can always stop drying at 22%.
  11. arboriculturist
    6.8p / kWh now and likely to be down to 6.2p by April 2015.
  12. arboriculturist
    I am inclined to agree. Air drying the bulk of sales and use your own small kiln with no RHI just to react to seasonal demand. Most firewood retailers would have enough dry waste about to fuel the kiln for a limited time.
  13. arboriculturist
    I think fortunately you got in early on the RHI with the higher payments - now that the tariff has dropped and will decrease further over time, the capital investment required to recieve the tariff may make it far less attractive.
  14. arboriculturist
    How many tonnes do you air dry annually ?
  15. arboriculturist
    That's impressive nick and up to 15" down to 25% in 12 months, must be a breezy site with plenty of sun!
  16. arboriculturist
    How much roughly do you air dry?
  17. arboriculturist
    Sorry, massive firewood cubic meterage output. I assumed you had a kiln as I guessed you processed 2-3000 cu m of firewood annually. Had no idea you air dried that amount?
  18. arboriculturist
    I know what you mean - perhaps it is just so much easier and more efficient to kiln dry, as you are dealing with such small amounts of timber at any one time and can have a massive meterage output on a very small footprint?
  19. arboriculturist
    Ah, more usefull data thanks. Without a RH stat and associated extraction fans, the fan speed settings to give the required frequency air changes are all down to the individual's experience. I expect you spent many hours checking RH levels in prototype kilns before arriving at the settings you use today. I suppose if you are in your 20s' buying an Australian or American style of kiln with programmable humidity control and associated drying schedules, insulation, heat recovery etc etc. and a hefty price tag may be a worthwhile long term investment, that said I am sure 'most' UK kiln packages are very much hit and miss as far as efficiency is concerned. Without the RHI incentive can it ever be viable to kiln dry firewood for sale?
  20. arboriculturist
    Air drying is ideal for those that have the space, capital to invest in containerisation, undercover storage, stocks of roundwood and associated processing costs. The kiln dryers can instantly react to demand with little yard/storage space and minimal capital. Enviromentally not great, but how many profitable businesses are.
  21. arboriculturist
    Ah, more usefull data thanks. Without a RH stat and associated extraction fans, the fan speed settings to give the required frequency air changes are all down to the individual's experience. I expect you spent many hours checking RH levels in prototype kilns before arriving at the settings you use today. I suppose if you are in your 20s' buying an Australian or American style of kiln with programmable humidity control and associated drying schedules, insulation, heat recovery etc etc. and a hefty price tag may be a worthwhile long term investment, that said I am sure 'most' UK kiln packages are very much hit and miss as far as efficiency is concerned. Without the RHI incentive can it ever be viable to kiln dry firewood for sale?
  22. arboriculturist
    That's interesting - I am surprised at the short drying times at such low temperatures 50-55 degrees and 45-50 degrees at the far end, with up to 12" logs also. I don't doubt your figures as I expect your container is insulated and or course you have the Rolls Royce of chip boilers. Have you a view on optimum stillage spacing between crates horizontally and vertically for optimum air circulation?
  23. arboriculturist
    Yes 24 hours a day running.
  24. arboriculturist
    Apologies, typo - SB Larch 55%MC
  25. arboriculturist
    There have been many posts on the Forum about kiln drying firewood to x% moisture content (MC) in x days in a shipping container, batch boiler setup. A large proportion of customers want a quality product i.e. firewood with a MC 20% maximum. I know there are several of you with commercial kiln setups and I am interested to learn how many days on average it takes to dry average hardwood/softwood down to 20%. (putting all the variables to one side as there are too many) My research has given the following results: Sweet Chestnut green 61% and some Larch green 65%. Using 20% MC fuel to fire the boiler - my figure would be approx 3 1/2 days to reach 40% and a further 2 1/2 days to reach 20% MC. Final MC tested by 'oven dry' method. This is running with an internal kiln temperature of 70 degrees C. How does this compare with your findings?

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