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Which way to go DH or Solar

Started by capt dick, January 11, 2016, 09:06:04 AM

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capt dick

I live in south central Wi, and would like to build a small kiln for personal use { lets say 1000 board feet at a time} am I to far north for a solar kiln to work or would I be better to go DH.

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Recently saw a Madison CL ad for Nyle kiln equip and think it was DH. Looked but didn't find it listed now.

Are you sawing logs now?

Make it up to Fish Tales once in awhile for fish (no less  ;D ). Maybe in your neighborhood.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

capt dick

Have a Ez Boardwalk jr And live 1mile from Fishtales--Pm your phone number and I will give you a call

pineywoods

Quote from: capt dick on January 11, 2016, 09:06:04 AM
I live in south central Wi, and would like to build a small kiln for personal use { lets say 1000 board feet at a time} am I to far north for a solar kiln to work or would I be better to go DH.

capt, you can actually do both. I run a modified solar kiln (closed, no vents) with a room de-humidifier inside. It works well. Two others like mine locally, they work well..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

beenthere

Had a good visit on the phone with capt dick.  Will shoot for a visit soon.   8)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

YellowHammer

Quote from: pineywoods on January 11, 2016, 10:37:58 PM
Quote from: capt dick on January 11, 2016, 09:06:04 AM
I live in south central Wi, and would like to build a small kiln for personal use { lets say 1000 board feet at a time} am I to far north for a solar kiln to work or would I be better to go DH.

capt, you can actually do both. I run a modified solar kiln (closed, no vents) with a room de-humidifier inside. It works well. Two others like mine locally, they work well..
I also have a solar kiln I augment with homeowner dehumidifiers.  They make a difference during the "non-solar" days.
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

Tree Dan

Guys ,how would you set up a DH kiln in sub 0 temps?
Is it posible
Wood Mizer LT40HD, Kubota KX71, New Holland LS150, Case TR270
6400 John Deere/with loader,General 20" planer, Stihl 880, Stihl 361, Dolmar 460, Husqvarna 50  and a few shovels,
60" and 30" Log Rite cant hooks, 2 home built Tree Spades, Homemade log splitter

beenthere

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

In a cold climate, the real question is "Do you need to dry wood all months of the year?"  In the northern climates, solar does not work well in late fall to early spring due to the cold temperatures, low sun angles, and short duration of sunlight. Even in the summer, the sun rises very far in the NE and sets far in the NW, so a south-facing collector has low solar input early and late in the day in the summer.

With the cold temperatures much of the year, a DH unit will not function well either if it is in a solar kiln.

So, for production of a kiln in the six colder months, a well,insulate 100% DH kiln is a good choice.  Barbados Woodworks in Madison has a large NYLE DH kiln inside a building.  Visit them.  In fact, if you do not need a large volume of lumber, using their kiln might be the best economic option.
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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