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Hi Cube Reefer Kiln Build

Started by YellowHammer, March 13, 2015, 11:41:54 PM

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YellowHammer

I got a few things done this week.  The vents and such are installed.  


YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Glenn1

Robert,
The kiln is really taking shape and looking good.  Glad to hear that you ordered the automatic venting system.  Please keep the updates coming.  I started my kiln in December and its now been 4 months.  Maybe I should have gone your route and set up a container kiln.
Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

jim blodgett

Yellowhammer - I have a question about your new kiln. You said you were going to position the powered exhaust vent on the same side of the fan baffle as the kiln unit.  That seems counter intuitive to me.  If that kiln unit was on the same side as the intake vent, the cooler air coming through the vent would mix with the heated air fron the kiln unit, then get dragged through the stack as the exhaust fan sucks, wouldn't it? 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding how efficient these units are, how well the heat will mix in the chamber.   

YellowHammer

I had the same "misgivings" and called and asked the same exact question to the kiln manufacturer as I was following the instructions and installing the vents.
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

jim blodgett

Maybe the fans mix the air in the chamber so effectively there's minimal difference in temp/humidity throughout the chamber?

Anyways, thanks for the detailed accounting of your new kiln build.  Looks great and gives lots of food for interesting thought.

Tom the Sawyer

I am building a chamber for a Nyle L200M with the power vent system.  They have put out drawings showing the powered vent (the exhaust) on the dehumidifier side and another drawing with it on the other side. ????

I called them yesterday and was told that it didn't really make any difference as long as they were on opposite corners of the chamber and high on the walls.  The purpose of the vents apparently has nothing to do with moisture, rather they are to vent off hot air when it exceeds specifications.  The difference in moisture content and temperature of the air is minimal on either side of the baffles.

I also asked that someone from Nyle sign in and follow this thread, answering questions as appropriate.
07 TK B-20, Custom log arch, 20' trailer w/log loading arch, F350 flatbed dually dump.  Piggy-back forklift.  LS tractor w/FEL, Bobcat S250 w/grapple, Stihl 025C 16", Husky 372XP 24/30" bars, Grizzly 20" planer, Nyle L200M DH kiln.
If you call and my wife says, "He's sawin logs", I ain't snoring.

YellowHammer

The instructions with the kiln are pretty good, but they do have some discrepancies.  

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

YellowHammer

I was able to get the fan baffle up this week.  Still plugging along.







YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

WDH

You will be up and running in no time. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Glenn1

I can see that you have been very busy,   looks very nice!
Vacutherm IDry, Nyle 53 Kiln, New Holland Skid Steer, Kaufman Gooseneck Trailer, Whitney 32A Planer

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

YellowHammer

Quote from: WDH on April 10, 2015, 07:18:34 AM
You will be up and running in no time.
I sure feels like I'm already getting to the short rows.
Quote from: Peter Drouin on April 10, 2015, 10:27:23 PM
YH, doesn't sleep. :D :D
I get bored sleeping :D

I had another couple loads of gravel delivered, one of crushed concrete and the other of size 67 washed gravel.  I've been getting quite a few loads lately to develop a new access road where the kiln will be placed.  





 

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

WDH

Will the new kiln be out behind the planer room?
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

scsmith42

Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

YellowHammer

Quote from: WDH on April 11, 2015, 07:26:07 AM
Will the new kiln be out behind the planer room?
Yes, since iteh kiln ano loading track are relatively long, we had a little trouble finding a suitable flat, spot, close enough to be handy.  
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Peter Drouin

Quote from: YellowHammer on April 10, 2015, 10:41:59 PM
Quote from: WDH on April 10, 2015, 07:18:34 AM
You will be up and running in no time.
I sure feels like I'm already getting to the short rows.
Quote from: Peter Drouin on April 10, 2015, 10:27:23 PM
YH, doesn't sleep. :D :D
I get bored sleeping :D

Between working loads of some real pretty curly hard maple (I hope) logs today and getting some gravel delivered, I started the layout and installation of the control box interior, drilling holes and setting pass throughs.  I like to use the bell end of pvc conduit one one side to trap and glue, and caulk to a junction box in the other side of the wall in the kiln interior.  I mounted pass throughs for the main kiln cable, the kiln data cables and also 110V and 220V power.  I made the pass throughs because it's never a good idea to mix ac power and data lines in the same conduit, and I will use foam plugs to seal them off when I run the wires.  You can see the wall construction of the kiln, a layer of exterior aluminum, then a layer of foam, and finally a layer of stainless steel.  That's pretty much it. 


Now that I have most of the electrical components of the control box in place, I can start pulling wire and making connections.  The steel in these truck boxes is amazingly tough, I ruined a nice carbide tipped hole saw today, sheared the teeth tips right off.  Oh well, I had a spare.  On one of the junction boxes, I even set a  wall outlet and a light bulb socket, to keep the controller from being exposed to freezing temps. No fancy switch here, I have gotten used to just turning the bulb.  The kiln control box will be removed just before I get the kiln container moved to is final location, I don't want to risk damaging it during the transport.   



I spent some time fiddling with the Nyle fan switches, but for various reasons was not happy with them, and I'm not going to use them at this point.  I'll look into alternatives.

I had another couple loads of gravel delivered, one of crushed concrete and the other of size 67 washed gravel.  I've been getting quite a few loads lately to develop a new access road where the kiln will be placed.  The crushed, reclaimed concrete packs down very hard and the other washed stone will be used under the concrete aprons and kiln. Somewhere on the opposite side of the globe, gravel must be popping out of the ground, because I keep putting loads down and it just keeps dissapearing  into the mud.  Its got to be going somewhere.  Good news is the trucker who delivers the gravel s a neighbor of mine, so he can deliver a load on his way home.   


Interesting enough, I've been talking to shipping container guys and they say concrete under a container isn't the best choice of bedding for a heavily loaded container. Each of the four corners protrude down an extra 3/4 inch, so unless a recess is formed in the concrete, the only part of the container to be touching the ground will be the corners.  The rest of the container is bridged up and unsupported, unless shims are used.  So apparently the best choice of container surface is asphalt, so when loaded, the four corners will settle into the soft asphalt until the body of the container is supported.  The second best container bedding technique is gravel, or gravel and ties.  Kind of a threw me a curve on this one, I was gettin ready to pour concrete, already had a bid, but now, not so sure, so I'm considering my options.
YH






Your day job must be at a desk. :D :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

YellowHammer

Quote from: Peter Drouin on April 12, 2015, 09:02:05 PM
Your day job must be at a desk. :D :D :D

Sometimes I wish.  My old boss used to tell me he knew I was working because I wasn't at my desk.  Now I am the boss and still have pretty much the same job description, although for some reason people try to avoid me first thing Monday morning because they say I'm grumpy and look tired.
I just tell them to get to work, I'm old and will get out of my chair after I have my coffee. ;D
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

WDH

If you don't watch out, you will become a Grumpy Old Man, like Pineywoods. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Den Socling

Since when is 50 "old". You're barely middle aged! Heck, I'm middle age.  :D

Peter Drouin

Quote from: YellowHammer on April 13, 2015, 06:00:53 PM
Quote from: Peter Drouin on April 12, 2015, 09:02:05 PM
Your day job must be at a desk. :D :D :D

Sometimes I wish.  My old boss used to tell me he knew I was working because I wasn't at my desk.  Now I am the boss and still have pretty much the same job description, although for some reason people try to avoid me first thing Monday morning because they say I'm grumpy and look tired.
I just tell them to get to work, I'm old and will get out of my chair after I have my coffee. ;D
YH





:D smiley_thumbsup
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

shakebone

Tom the guys at nyle told me to put my powerd vent on suction side of fans I ended up calling cause it was confusing  but it does work
Lt40 super desiel , LT 35 hyd , New Holland ls 180 , Case 75xt ,
So many logs so little time.

Den Socling

We build DH controllers but I'm not a DH guy. But that just doesn't sound right.

YellowHammer

I had to take a break working on the interior of the kiln last week, but have managed to get it pretty much done, except for the baffle, which I'm going to defer for a little while.  Making some changes to the standard configuration.

The next task is the ground prep work, something that has been very difficult to get to, because it has been raining so much.  I finally was able to get a couple dry days, and got some more gravel delivered.
Of course my wife and I pulling strings, driving stakes, and spreading gravel attracted the attention of old number 7, one of my cows, so she decided to watch and give us advice.





YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

WDH

It will give the L53 good company. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Fantastic work.  Are you going to charge for tours?
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

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