kiln operator associations and operator training

[Den Socling]

As some of you know, there are many regional groups of people who have kiln operation in common. These groups are loose-knit but meet a couple times a year for a day or two of meetings and presentations. They also visit each other's company sites to share know-how in group tours. Another thing that some do is make scholarship money available to those who are eligible.

What I want to do in this thread is list all the groups we can find so that you can join one, if you wish. Many have websites.

Being in Pennsylvania, our local group is the Keystone Kiln Drying Association. They don't yet have a website. Current acting president (I believe) is Troy Feldbauer at Babcock Lumber Company near Pittsburgh, PA. I don't feel right about posting his company email address but I will give it to you if you ask via PM.

[Den Socling]

In New England it's:

New England Kiln Drying Association
William Smith is Executive Secretary
Bill can be reached at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Their website is www.esf.edu/nekda

[Den Socling]

Allegheny Dry Kiln Club
Brian Bond
VA Tech
Blacksburg, VA
www.woodscience.vt.edu/about/extension/adkc.asp

[SwampDonkey]

Some of our western members might have an interest in The Centre for Advanced Wood Processing where you can take a top notched, comprehensive 150-hour modular course in kiln drying. There is other wood processing training there as well.

[Den Socling]

I'll be speaking next week at the meeting of:

Southeastern Dry Kiln Club
Joe Denig
NC State
Raleigh, NC
www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/wood/dry_kiln

The meeting will be in Martinsville, VA

[Den Socling]

Ohio Valley Dry Kiln Association
Carrol Fackler
Department of Forestry
University of Kentucky
Jacksonville, KY
www.ukwoodcenter.net/ovlda.htm

[Den Socling]

Great Lakes Kiln Club
Bob Seavy
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
www.glkda.org

[The Woodcooker]

Morrisville College, Morrisville, NY  Wood Technology Program
has scholarship recipients and has a wonderful program.

[SwampDonkey]

I also think UNB has a wood science and technology centre as well. I had forgotten. It's a forest products testing lab. It's up at the Ranger School.

http://www.unbf.ca/forestry/centers/wstc.htm

Here is the kiln drying course: FOR 6883 Kiln drying wood-Wood hygroscopicity, moisture movement, shrinkage and swelling; dry kiln types and operation.

As well as some Wood Tech Courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs. I think they go hand in hand in understanding wood, personally.

[Den Socling]

I copied this from another forum. I need to point Troy to the Forestry Forum.

If anyone is looking for information on the Keystone Kiln Drying Association or looking for an application please feel free to email me at troy@babcocklumber.com and I will follow up with you ASAP.

Please use KKDA for the subject.

[Den Socling]

Here is another one that I found at another forum. What's wrong with these people using the wrong forum? 

HAYWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE(Clyde, NC) will host a DRY KILN OPERATOR'S SHORT-COURSE, July 27-30, 2010. The course will be presented by North Carolina State University (NCSU). For more information, please call Whit Whitmire at 828-565-4246, or email: mwhitmire@haywood.edu.

[Den Socling]

Here's another short course.

The University of Minnesota's 33rd Annual Kiln Drying Short Course will be held August 16-19, 2010. This course is designed to provide basic training for dry kiln operators and supervisors, but it is open to anyone interested in kiln construction, kiln operation and wood-moisture relations. For more information, contact Harlan Petersen at (612) 624-3407, fax (612) 625-6286, email harlan@umn.edu.

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/kdsc

[Kedwards]

Thanks for all of this information.

 I need to take one of these courses even though I have been drying now many moons.

[Den Socling]

I copied this from another forum. Darn Bill Smith! 

We will again be holding our Kiln Drying Workshop at SUNY ESF January 10-13, 2011 in Syracuse. Use the attached link to the website for our agenda and registration information. Contact Bill Smith at wbsmith@esf.edu or 315-470-6832 with questions.

http://www.esf.edu/outreach/kiln/

[Den Socling]

The following was lifted from WoodWeb.


The NHLA along with the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association will be sponsoring a beginners drying class near Lexington, KY on April 11-13, 2011.

The NHLA in cooperation with the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Assn will be sponsoring an advanced drying class near Lexington, KY on April 15, 2011. Contact Gene Wengert for class info; registration through the NHLA or OVLDA.

On the 14-15, the OVLDA will be having their regular spring meeting which will include several mill tours on the 14 and then the advanced class on the 15th. Contact Carroll Fackler (cfackler@uky.edu) for OVLDA info or the link below.

[Den Socling]

3/25/11

The New England Kiln Drying Association Spring Meeting is being held April 6 & 7 in Oneonta, NY. If you are interested in our program and would like to participate, please go to our website www.esf.edu/nekda for details and registration information.
We have posted on our website as well a number of the interesting technical presentations from past meetings www.esf.edu/nekda/past.htm .

[Den Socling]

From WoodWeb

Hello All,
The spring 2011 meeting of the OVLDA is coming up in a couple of weeks on April 14th  starting at 8:00 am, in Lawrenceburg, KY. The one day meeting will be held at the Anderson County Extension office. Our technical presentations will focus on drying lumber with a minimum of checks, splits and other quality degrades. We will also have time for our Kiln Operators Clinic. Tours will include the Four Roses Distillery, Lawrenceburg and Glasscock Log and Lumber, Bloomfield.
 
We changed our meeting format for this meeting because of the Basic Drying short course before and Advanced Drying course after the general OVLDA meeting.
 
We have an exceptional opportunity in the Ohio Valley region to take advantage of this unique educational  opportunity, please consider attending the general meeting and one or more of the short courses. Seats are still available.
 
Thanks and looking forward to seeing you during the second full week of April.
 
_________________________________________________
 
Carroll Fackler
Research Specialist
University of Kentucky
Department of Forestry
130 Robinson Road
Jackson, KY 41339
Phone 606-666-2438 x235 or 859-257-9511x235
FAX 606-666-2215
cfackler@uky.edu
www.ukwoodcenter.net

[Den Socling]

FROM: http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,50136.0.html

Virginia Tech will hold a one-day program on drying lumber with a solar kiln in Blacksburg, VA at the Brooks Forest Products Center on Friday May 20, 2011. This workshop introduces the principles of drying hardwood and softwood lumber in a solar kiln. The course also contains information on the design and operation of solar kilns. Emphasis will be placed on the solar kiln design at Virginia Tech (www.woodscience.vt.edu/about/extension/vtsolar_kiln/). Our solar kiln is on-site and will be used in the course. Whether you are considering building a solar kiln or are currently operating one, this short course will provide you information that will improve your lumber drying skills.

For more information or to register:

www.woodscience.vt.edu/workshops/solar-drying/

[Den Socling]

Lifted from WoodWeb.

10/10       
Bill Smith       Member

Website: http://www.esf.edu/nekda
The New England Kiln Drying Association Fall Meeting is being held November 2 & 3 in Rutland, VT. If you are interested in our excellent meeting program and would like to participate, please go to our website www.esf.edu/nekda for details and registration information.
We have posted on our website as well a number of the interesting technical presentations from past meetings www.esf.edu/nekda/past.htm .