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Solar Kiln

Started by Gary_B, November 05, 2004, 04:33:51 PM

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Gary_B

Lately I have been thinking about building a solar kiln, due to the fact seems like everyone wants kiln dried hard wood, no matter how long its been air drying. Id like to get some ideas from the forum, the best route to go, I am not looking for large production, 500- 1200 bdft would be just fine, perferably solar powered, instead of a dryer. Any comments or ideas would be welcome
                                      Thank you
                                         Gary

DanG

Gary, there are lots of folks here that have solar kilns, so I'm sure some of them will be along with their advice. :)

I'm just starting to work on one, myself. Mine will be an oddball, though, just like everything else I do. ;D ::)  I am trying to convert my old 5-stall horse trailer into a kiln. I was gonna just stick a wood burner in it to cook off some pine, but decided to make it solar instead. Basically, I'm building a greenhouse over it for the solar chamber, and will put the wood inside the trailer. I'll use the existing vents to circulate the air. I'm using the trailer, temporarily, for a couple of reasons. Right now, I have no place to put it where it is sunny all year-round. Also, there are some big changes coming for our place in the next couple of years, so I'll just keep the kiln portable till we get things stabilized, then build a permanent facility.

My design is totally experimental, so I'm using the cheapest materials possible to start with. I'm sure I'll have to modify it, and will use better stuff if and when I get it working. I'm starting out with 4 mil plastic on the wood-framed "greenhouse", and roofing felt to make the baffles and close off the undesired openings.  One of the main goals of the project is to not modify the trailer to the point that it can't become just a horse trailer again.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Gary_B

Dan seems like you have a game plan with that horse trailer,, Ive looked at some of the solar kilns on the web, and must admit they have some good designs, but the cost, now thats another thing. Some recommend 2x4 framing with a layer of 3/4 plywood on both sides, with the price of plywood these days, it could get quite exspenive. 2x6 floor framing along with plywood on both sides. Im sure if you did invest, you would be really satisfied. But Im looking for a alternate route, Id  like to find a old refrigerator truck, and go from there, along with a sawzall , thank you for your reply.

WH_Conley

I am going to try something along the same lines. Reefer box or similar in a hill, dome of plastic running down hill, black plastic, basically a collector, going into the chamber. Really going to have to some playing with the venting. Don't know if it will work or not, should get pretty hot on a sunny day and letting the wood relax at night. Can't find anything anywhere even close to what I am thinking. Have to play with charge size and all the other variables. Needless to say I am starting out with low grade and basically build a scale model. If it works I have about ten acres of hillside with a flat at the top. Perfect exposure. Let' experiment guys.
Bill

Gary_B

Sounds like we are off to a good start, trying to come up with a economical kiln.  Alot of the web sites refer to using plywood, I was wondering if you could use lumber off of the mill, like 1x6's air dried.

DanG

Don't see why not, Gary. You're supposed to use some sort of insulation anyway, so you could control air leakage with that. I don't see why you would need any more than it takes to hold the DanG thing together. ???  I was thinking you could just build a hoop-style greenhouse and put an insulated chamber inside for the wood. I know for a fact it will get hotter than a.....well, it'll get warm. ::) :D :D

That ol' horse trailer of mine is painted black  ??? ::) anyway. I put a thermometer inside the other day when it was sitting out in the sun. Moved the thermometer around a bit and found the average temp to be 110 inside, while the outside air was 78.  Looks like I could just put the boards in and run a small fan, and do better than air drying. I decided to go with the "greenhouse" design to speed things up.  So far, I have $25 in materials, and I'll have to buy a couple of $10 box fans. That oughta about do it for cost on this first version. ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Carl_B

Gary there is know reason that you could not saw out a lot of the materal that you need to build a solar kiln. When I built mine plywood was runniing $8.00 a sheet so we used it on the inside and bottom. We saw out all of the framing materal . Howabout tounge and grove boards on the inside and rough saw siding. Good luck. Carl.

DanG

Did a little work on the horse trailer kiln this morn.



Got my pattern frame built and tried it for fit.  Just gotta make 4 more like it and stretch some plastic. :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Fla._Deadheader

   Looks more like a "Tanning Saloon" for them horses.  :o :o

  Hope they don't get "overdone" in there. ;D :D :D :D :D :D

  How ya plannin on insulatin the trailer??? Gonna put the insulation inside the trailer or outside, on the sides ???
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

DanG

No insulation on this first phase. Just trying to see how hot I can get it. Haven't concluded yet what I'll use in the next version. Thinking about that foil-backed bubble wrap stuff, or Blue Board. Just gonna cook some air-dried pine to kill bugs and set pitch, so the stability of an insulated chamber shouldn't be all that important. If the design seems to be working ok, I'll probably upgrade to better materials and try to do some of that oak from Moultrie. :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Fla._Deadheader

  We used to use that foil-backed, on both sides, ½" yeller stuff, like ya get a Home Depot. It stands heat REAL well. Pretty durable, too.
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

DanG

You talking about Celotex? I'm considering that, too. It's real easy to work with, too.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Fla._Deadheader

  Polyisocyanurate. Whew, that was tough ::) ::)  Brand name might be Celotex  ???
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Gary_B

That seems like a good route to go, plus alot of savings, I  only wished I had that nice florida sunshine up here in Ohio, dry those cherry boards out alot faster. I looked at the kiln by Woodmizer, if I only had a couple thousand dollars laying around....make life so much easier, but then I wouldnt be using my head to come up with a low cost idea. Thanks for all the advice, Im going to throw something together pretty soon, I work construction, so I am always on the lookout for anything that is being torn out, that I can recylce,immediately, if not you wouldnt be able to get in the yard. :D

Junior437t

Here is a link to a pretty good design for a kiln. I built one similar to this a few years ago and used no insulation and only plastic sheeting for the walls. It worked pretty well. We dried 6"x10" hemlock logs in it. We didn't have access to a moisture meter, but 90 days after we put the logs in, the logs seemed to be dry enough to use. When we would saw the logs to square the ends, we only had wet spots about 1/2" in diameter.  http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/8756/design.html

Fla._Deadheader

  Gary, bring them Cherry boards down and I will run 'em through my solar kiln. ;D ;D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

DanG

Junior, that Va-Tech design is a good one. Mine isn't all that different, but I can hook it to the truck and move it around. ;D  I haven't been able to get any input on the volume of the solar chamber. Everybody seems to be only interested in the sq footage of the collector, but I figger the volume has to play a part. ???

I'm unsure if I should cover both sides with clear plastic, or just one side. My frames use a king post, so I could put an insulated wall down the middle, or just use insulated material for one side of the roof. ???  Such and stuff as this is why I'm doing this first version cheap and quick. I can make changes as it develops itself. ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Captain

I'm watchin'ya, Dan, I'm watchin'ya.... :)

Captain

DanG

Better find a comfy spot to watch from, Craig. At the rate I work, this could take a while. :D :D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

scottr

Gary and Dan , you guys might get some ideas from the Ohioan that built the kiln in this article. http://www.motherearthnews.com/arc/575/           Scott

DanG

Here's a couple of shots of the progress made on the kiln this morning. :)







Just a few purlins and we can stretch some plastic. I'll cover the gable ends and back door with Celotex and roofing felt. Same for all the other gaps.  If the rain let's us, we'll have some wood in this thing by the weekend. ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

etat

I think it's GREAT. :)  

The 'DanG'   'One of a Kind'   'Fully Mobile and Portable'   'American Made'   "Horse Trailer Wood Drying Solar Kiln'

 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

GF

Bet it could make some good beef jerky in there also. :D :D :D :o

DanG

I gotta sweep out the horse jerky, first. :D :D :D :D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

GF

DanG
   You sure that roof on that trailer hasnt been leaking water and this was your way of fixing it?    :D

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