Bad news. Just lost both kilns in big fire!

[Kelvin]

Well, don't know if it will do any good to let people know about being careful, but maybe it will make someone think twice about how they construct their kilns.
Wed evening about 11pm the neighbors woke me up to tell me that my barn was on fire.  I was really worried when i saw all the flashers everywhere.  Lucky for me it wasn't my barn full of equipment, but the kilns behind it.
The were homemade solar kilns built to Dr. Wengerts plans, but i added on a trash burning wood furnace to add heat.  Well, that day i had just loaded my most expensive lumber i've had to date 10"+ wide sel and bet cherry.  I know what each board was cause i just sold the whole stack, and when the customer wanted less i told him i'd sell him 2/3, if he let me take out the big ones.  Well he didn't care for wide stuff, but i knew where i could sell them for big $$$.  So, i had just loaded the one kiln, and the other was ready to come out.  All quarter sawn white oak.  nice and tinder dry.
I was burning trash that day in the furnace, but the odd thing is that the fire cheif, and i, believe it was one of the fans in the kiln.  If you click on the link to my web page you can see the photo of my setup.  The furnace was a house type furnace and i had designed it carefully to have no contact with wood.  It was contained in a sheet metal box, and there was no burn through as the furnace looks okay after the fire.  The furnace was 12' away from the structures connected only by fiberglass insulated ductwork.  There was no wind that night, so the size of the fire created by the furnace would have a had a hard time jumping the gap between the kilns.  I had checked the furnace at 8 pm, and the whole structure was gone at 10:30ish when the firemen showed up.  don't know what happened 100%.  The fire cheif didn't think the furnace caused it suprisingly, he thought the fan in the drier of the two kilns must have burned up, but we'll never know.  
Just wanted to post for you folks that have built there own kilns.  Be real careful about using equipment designed for the enviroment they need to work in.  The fans i bought were attic fans that i thought would handle the high temps of the kiln.  I might have been wrong.
The insurance company may or may not give me something, but now i have to decide what to do in replacing the units.  They worked very well for me for over a year without much trouble, thought they did use a lot of energy b/c it took so long to dry.  A comercial unit uses more energy, but for a shorter period of time.  I think they might be cheaper to operate over the long haul.  I'm thinking of Nhyle DH unit.  
I'm still trying to get over the "worring about everything" shock.  We have the same type wood furnace in out basement of our home and its installed in the same manner.  i don't know if i'll be able to use it, but we really can't afford not to with me making a sawmillers salary.  I lost only 1,400 bd ft, but it would have accounted for a major part of my one man season as it was only my premium wood!
Its also embarassing to be in a small community when you have to explain to everyone what happened, and you can't help but think they have lost a litltle faith in you doing jobs for them.  
Luckly most of what i lost was sweat equity.  The solar kilns were real nice, but i don't know if i'll rebuild them.  
Thought you guys might want to know.
Kelvin

[Tom]

Sorry about the kilns and the wood, Kelvin.

I don't think you have to worry about what the customers think of you.  Most will be more concerned for your welfare than down-grading your character.  Those fires happen.  It's more common than you would think.

It could be that you will get more good advertising out of this than you would ever believe. Stay positive and let your customers see you resolving the problem.  People who didn't know you had a kiln will know now.

I wonder of a sprinkler system would work in a Kiln to put out a fire?

Your experience with Solar Kilns might make it worth while building another one even if you do go with a DH kiln.  Having sun-dried wood may impress a lot of customers

Keep your chin up, post some pictures and keep us informed as to how it is going.

(could you salvage any of the wood?)

[rvrdivr]

Sorry to hear this Kevin.Thank goodness you and your family are all right and you didn't lose the barn and equipment. Thanks for passing on the cautions we all need to remember but sometimes forget.

A sprinkler might be a good idea. You can get different types of sprinkler heads to "popoff" at different temperatures. The same with heat detecters for a fire alarm.

Good luck,
Brian

[Jeff]

Kelvin, there is no danger in your customers questioning your character. It certainly stands out in this post and I know your customers see the same thing.

Plus all of what Tom said.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  I followed your progress when you were "over the fence".  

 I was impressed at how you asked questions and went about building those kilns.

 No problem with your character over here, on this side of the fence.

 As was already stated, let us know how you make out with rebuilding. You had a good system going.

[Norm]

That's sure tough losing your premium wood and kilns but it is good to hear that the barn didn't go up too. I know you took some grief over the fence about using supplemental heat for the solar kilns but what you learned doing so will make the next kiln you build all that much better. As far as your reputation goes I don't believe anyone who matters will think any less of you.

[Paul_H]

Kelvin,
You can add me to the list of your supporters.I followed your posts both here and over the fence and I admired your ingenuity and ability.I would guess from experience,that most people in a small town will want to help you pick up the pieces rather than kick you when you're down.

I hope that you rebuild and get back to it.

[WoodChucker]

Really sorry to hear about your loss, Kevin. I wouldn't worry about what people think, anyone with even half a brain knows that things like this can happen to all of us. You and yours are ok and the kilns can be replaced, even the wood can be replaced, that's the nice thing about our type of work, money just sort of grows on trees. . Sorry, just trying to cheer you up a bit.

Good luck and I really think everything will work out for you. Keep us posted.

R.T.

[JimY]

 
Sorry about everything.  Don't beat yourself up about it.  Take it from a master second-guesser, it does no good.
Best wishes,
Jim

[BW_Williams]

Sorry 'bout your mishap Kelvin, really enjoyed your posts about your setup, don't worry too much about what your neighbors think, I'd be surprised if they aren't calling to see if they could help you rebuild.  Save those fans, there are people who can determine if they were the culprit.  Last furnace fire I was on, the thermal imager read over 450°F about 30 minutes after the fire went out.  Good luck, BWW

[etat]

I'm thankful it wasn't your barn.  I'm thankful it wasn't your house.  I'm thankful there was no loss of life.  The kiln can be replaced, and there's more wood growing to be cut all the time.  Anything we can do to help let us know.

[Gilman]

Kelvin,
Thanks for sharing, I'm going to eventually have a kiln.  I don't know if I'll build it, or buy one.  Whatever I do, I'll take your loss into account.  Got me thinking about possibly adding sprinkler heads and order an extra Rate of Rise fire detector for my security system.  Sorry for your loss.

Gilman

[DanG]

I too followed your progress with interest, as you went through your "development phase".  It will be even more enlightening to see what happens now that you have an opportunity to rebuild and make all the changes.  Looking forward with hindsight, eh?

I'm sorry about your loss. 1400' probably doesn't seem like a lot to some folks, but it is to a small operator who works alone.    I could say something tawdry here, like "Put it behind you", but it sounds like you're already in "recovery mode."   Keep us informed.

[Percy]

Heya Kelvin.
Sorry for what happened to your kiln(s). You have/had a pretty good system there and allthough you did lose it to fire, you have gained some knowledge. Id rebuild if I were you, using all of your" I shudda done this instead" ideas you come up with since building your kilns.

On the character thing,what everyone else said . Anyone who gloats over your misfortune aint worth knowing in my opinion, so it is an opportunity to identify freinds and a**holes.

Hang in there and use this as a learning experience as thats about all you can do..
Later
Percy

[Buzz-sawyer]

Kelvin
I think I know how you feel about your current home wood stove, but ......
you built your kiln RIGHT and installed wood burner correctly, ............it is really easy to get Paranoid or overly cautious at these times.......bad things happen to good people every day......not due to thier own fault....so dont try to find the fault in yourself tooo hard , "STUFF HAPPENS"  I would build a kiln like yours in a minute with no reservations, and your home furnace.............I bet you been using it for years, eh?
Don

[oldsaw]

But the advice to not dwell on it is a good one.  Rebuild and get back on track.  Look back only for reference, not to beat yourself up  over.

Now, just be glad that is all that was lost.  I'm watching my two kids play as I type this out.  You figure out real quick what is truly important.  It could have been a lot worse.

Reputation?  That guy is going to feel sorry for you as well as himself.  "Poop occurs".

[Frank_Pender]

   I too am joyoius that your barn and equipment did not end in a pile ashes.  Lessons are the things that can be the true educator not what someone thinks of you.   Immediately upon reading you thread I began to run through my own mind, what could there be in my system that could cause such a calamity?  As soon as these torents of rain stop today I will rechecking my own kiln today.  

[iain]

yip bummer on the wood you lost
i got all my lecky on breakers and the kiln stuff on its own extra breakers plus those little cut outs for the supply to the heater they melt at 90c and cut the power all my drying is air and DH would like a rooski vac though
good luck with your rebuild


iain

[T_in_SC]

Sorry about your loss Kelvin.  Thank goodness it wasn't worse.

[slowzuki]

I'm sorry to hear about the loss, really frustrating

The sprinkler idea is nice but stickered wood is an extremely challenging fire.  The water supply you would need to supply the sprinklers would be more than the price of what you lost.