Got first load dried in my used Nyle kiln chamber! not too smooth!

[Kelvin]

Well, looks like after 5 days we are now at 6% MC in my QS white oak.  So, the kiln machine works fine.  Thats a relief as i bought it used at auction about 1 year ago and never really checked it out.  Glad that its doing its job.  Not sure if you ever have to check the freon pressure as its about 7 years old and looks like it came from an operation that used it pretty non stop. 

Or problem is our kiln chamber.  Leaks like a seive and the carts suck!  Perfect.  We decided to use a couple of carts i had made awhile ago with nice big salvage wheels that could hold a tank.  The carts are fine, but they don't wan't to go in straight.  My chamber is 19' long and 5' wide and 8' tall for two cart loads of 8'6" lumber about 5' high after the fans and carts take out their share.  About 1500-1750 bd ft if all is well.  Well we made little wooden tracks that would steer the caster type wheels i had on the carts.  They locked in a straight postion but that wasn't good enough.  I also had a block and tackle at the end of the kiln to pull the carts in with.  Too bad with two of us we couldn't budge 'em.  Too much friction rubbing against our tracks we made, so we made some more block and tacle points and got the rope out the side door to pull with the tractor.  Got the first cart in, and started on the second.  Thought we would hook on the first and pull the second in.  Wrong first kept coming back out.  Couldn't budge that thing until you pulled on the block and tackle.  So we got the idea of blocking the wheels and guess what?  We pulled the wheels off the first cart in the kiln!  Now we can't get it out!  HA HA!  Luckily we were able to kill ourselves and push the last cart in and shut the leaky door.  Now its all done cooking and we get to unload it all by hand (the broken one at least) 

Guess i'll be ordering some steel wheels from nyle and getting some angle iron to build tracks and carts with.  Lot less friction!  Well at least the machine works.  Took out 5 gal every 24 hrs.  took the wood from 10% to 6% in 5 days.  We went slow, 50% compressor time as white oak is prone to dryer damage.  Betcha we could go a lot faster with some other types of wood.  Pretty nice.  Sure beats the 3 months on my solar kiln up here in the north pole!!!
Well, have a good new year all!
Kelvin

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, I was thinking steal track and wheels as I was reading down thru your post. Wood , especially hardwood  is heavy enough dry, but when green and trying to push that weight in against friction.....  : my back and other parts ache thinking of that job.  : Are those steel wheels going to be on ball bearings, it'll make your life more pleasurable. You might want to install some stops on the track. ;)  :D :D

[Don_Lewis]

Checking refrigerant  is something you do when the machine isn't working but you don't do it when it is working correctly. However that fact the wood is dry may be more related to the air leaks than the dehumidifier. When you have a wet load in the kiln, check how, how much water comes out per hour. Call Nyle and you'll be told if it is line. Be sure you note the temperature.

For anyone else thinking of buying a used Nyle unit, go ahead and get the chamber drawings and build it as Nyle recommends.

[scsmith42]

Kelvin - congrats on getting the kiln running.  Your story sounds like mine - my first carts were made from oak with large wheels.  Pulled one wheel off and then another one punched a hole through the floor in the container   >:(

I replaced the wooden carts with ones built per Nyle's drawings.  Nyle's kiln carts and components work great - no complanints.

I also mounted a block at the back of the containerran a cable through it and one end attaches to the first cart, and the other end hooks onto a tractor.  I also built a track outside the doors.  I load one cart at a time on the track outside, pull it in the door, place the next cart on the track and chain it to the first, fill it, and then pull them both the rest of the way in. 

Sure beats hand loading...  Good luck with your project!

Scott