Finally starting a Solar Kiln

[vfauto]

Attached is a picture of the floor upside down because I was going to have it spray foamed until I got the cost. Now I am thinking of putting blown in insulation and sealing the bottom with corrugated metal.Any thoughts would be great.

[Crusarius]

I would think pink stuff and plywood would be the best option for that. Could always do 2" thick foam but the pink stuff be quite a bit cheaper.

[btulloh]

I used the pink stuff and plywood.  Some people use rat wire, but I had some extra plywood and nothing can get in to live there.

[Kbeitz]

Make sure you make it mouse proof or they will take your insulation  away.

[vfauto]

I am worried the ply wood will rot

[btulloh]

It was pt plywood.

Seems like corrugated metal would be fine. Lack of permeability could be a problem though. One of the experts should be along to comment on that though.  It should be able to breathe at the ends, so perhaps that takes care of it. 

I'm just bumbling along here. Like most people, I try to use some of the stuff I have laying around when I can and not compromise the critical areas in the process.

[fishfighter]

If you use tin, get some steel wool and stuff it in the ends. That should keep small rats out along with snakes. I would just use some R30 batts. That should do the trick.

[WDH]

I used fiberglass insulation to fill the floor joist bays and topped it off with the 2" rigid foam insulation.  The floor bottom is pressure treated 1/2 plywood.  The top was sealed with a polyethylene vapor barrier and topped with pressure treated 1/2" plywood.  Has worked great for my Nyle L53 dehumidification kiln. 



 



 



 



 

[vfauto]

http://https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=230491http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=230http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=230489490www.forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=230492

[btulloh]

Can't get to the picture. 

[DDW_OR]

i think these are the photos




  

  

  

 

[vfauto]

 Those are the photos, thank you, how did you get them up and what is the proper procedure for putting pictures on this forum,it is a pain in the butt !

i think these are the photos




  

  

  

 

[btulloh]

In the list of forums, go all the way to the bottom to FORUM HELP, HOW TO POST PHOTOS.  Good info.

You're not the first one to find the photo thing to be a little awkward, but it's not bad when you get over the initial learning curve.  Whether is it's awkward or not, well, no big deal.  Everybody goes through it at first.  One thing I've noticed though is that pictures stay visible on this forum, which is a good thing.  I look at a lot of other forums where the pictures disappear pretty quickly.  So all-in-all, I'd say this is a good system once you get used to it.

Those are interesting piers.  Did you cast them yourself?  They look like the height is adjustable after the fact.  Cool.

[vfauto]

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

[Darrel]

Lookin good!

[btulloh]

Looks good.  That 2x6 framing will give you room for some good insulation.

[vfauto]

  Just a few more pictures of today's progress



  

  

  

 

[btulloh]

I like the extra width.  It looks like you added three feet between the north wall and the sloped roof. 

[vfauto]

The total foot print is 8'x14'.We needed the ridge to be located there to achieve the 45 degree pitch and 32" south wall.

[barbender]

Looks really good! Lord willing that I ever get time to build a kiln, my plan is to use pink foam board in the floor. What I have found to work really well is the adjustable spray foam dispensers. I used wood I joists in our house, and it was a bit tricky to insulate the rim joist with the I profile meeting it. So I cut foam board to shape, about 1/2" undersize all around, and then went around with the spray foam. With the adjustable tip, it meters really well to where it's almost like welding. The other nice thing is you can leave the gun and come back to it the next day, or month, and start spraying foam again, unlike the disposable cans that once you use some, you have to use it all or it hardens in the dispenser. Anyhow, I plan on putting board between the joists and sealing the perimeter with spray foam.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

I have seen lots of design modifications of the original VT kiln (1978) and many ideas were good.  Your design changes are awesome indeed.  Thanks for thinking and sharing.

[vfauto]

 Today's progress!
Not sure why some of these pictures  are distorted .



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[Darrel]

I have no idea why but when I am using my iPad, I tap on the distorted ones and they undistort, I tap on them again and they redistort. Are "undistort" and "redistort" words? 

They are now!  :D :laugh:

[vfauto]

Same with IPhone

[vfauto]

Here is a update on kiln!  If pictures are distorted click on them and they will repair of themselves. 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[DDW_OR]

How are you going to load the lumber?
assume pallet forks. if so then you will need to make the ground in front of the doors level.

in this picture the ground on the left is lower than the ground on the right
this will cause the lumber being loaded to be sloped when loaded.

and maybe a mirror or wireless camera to see how the position of the load is as it is being loaded

 

[samandothers]

Looks great.  If you get chance can you post what the hinges look like on inside of door?
Thanks

[vfauto]

The hinges are not on the inside????

[samandothers]

Sorry I was not very clear.  How are the hinges anchored on the inside.  You built up/backed under the hinge on the outside but on the inside of the door and kiln did you add a backing board?

[vfauto]

Door side has blocking and threw bolts, post side has 4.5 inch lags.

[samandothers]

Got it!  Thanks

[D6c]

Looks great....I like your roof design.  I need to find time to build one myself.

[vfauto]

Some progress  8)


  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[fishfighter]

What kind of paint you used? Looks great.

[vfauto]

 Behr porch and floor flat black because regular paint can that be put on the horizontal surface  and this is a very durable paint

[YellowHammer]

Looking very nice!

[btulloh]

Looking really good.  Any progress lately?  I'm looking forward to see some of your details for the rest of the build.  I really like what you've done so far.

[vfauto]

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[btulloh]

Looking good. Almost ready for a load of lumber.  You do nice work.

I can't really see in the picture, but it doesn't look like any blocking between the rafters where the fans are mounted. That needs to be sealed off to create the plenum effect for air flow through the stack.  Just an observation.

[btulloh]

What kind of fans are you using?

[vfauto]

4 of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LNII4Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[fishfighter]

Info on those poly sheets? From Home Depot? Looking real nice. ;D

[vfauto]

I ordered them from a greenhouse supply co.,home Depot did not have the proper length.

[vfauto]

Tried to finish siding today but tired!



  

  

 

[Savannahdan]

That's nice looking.  You'll have to shoot us some pictures of the inside.

[Crusarius]

I really like how that came out. Just one question. When you have a load of wood in it will the man door still open?

[vfauto]

Depending on the size of the load.The longer the load the less the door will open. Seemed to be the best option at the time.If I did it again I would build a custom door that opens out?

[Crusarius]

you can flip it around. Just means the finish trim will be on the outside instead of inside. or the other way around

[vfauto]

Finally exterior complete. 



  

  

 

[Florida boy]

This an excellent build, top quality job! You have raised the bar in this one.

[Crusarius]

Don't you think the matching barn, house and kiln is a little over the top?

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

I have seen a lot of solar kilns since I worked on the first one in 1961.  This one is the best I have seen.  Congrats.

[Savannahdan]

Now he needs to turn the barn and house same as the kiln.  :D  How much variation can one have on the angle of the roof?  I'm at 32 latitude, is it beneficial for me to have a 45 degree angle or should I stick with 32-37 or so?

[Crusarius]

I was thinking about making a shed with trailer jacks to angle it for the time if year

[samandothers]

Great job and fantastic looking!

Thanks for documenting!

[fishfighter]

Any updates on how your kiln is working?

[mike_belben]

There was a guy in sixteen acres off parker street who had a mountain of blow in insulation he was giving away for free but i cant think of the street he was on for the life of me.  Check craigslist and freecycle.. Used loose blow in has no resale value but it sure does insulate.

[vfauto]

Tried to add video of curtain in action but could not get it to post. pc_smiley


  

  

 

https://youtu.be/6NmBFc0glR8

https://youtu.be/TVIxVFJz_J8

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

Wonderful.

[YellowHammer]

That kiln looks better than half the houses around here.  Great job.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

To post a video on the Forestry Forum you must first upload the video to YouTube and then post a link to the video in your post on the Forum.

You use YouTube to host the video because the Forestry Forum does not have enough data storage space to keep all the videos...

Herb

[thecfarm]

That looks nice. In fact,your whole place looks nice.

[stanwelch]

Very nice indeed!!   8) Thanks for documenting your build.

[vfauto]

A few more pics of the final build.

  

  

  

  

 

https://youtu.be/UzQQyjVeN4k

[YellowHammer]

Fine build.  You know, once you start using it, it will never look new again! :D

Do you have a load of wood to put in it?