Solar or dehumidification kiln

I have a Home brew Dehumidification Kiln that I run up to about 1.000 bf
of wood thru at a time. It is an almost airtight 6X12 metal enclosed
trailer some box fans and an old Sears dehumidifier which has been
modified to run constantly. I load it up in May and unload it in
September. As long as the temperature is above about 70 it will remove
water. One year I Loaded the kiln with wood the was just at 20% moisture
content and It pulled 4-5 gallons of water a day out of the wood to
start with. You can almost tell when the wood is dry by the amount of
water that is being pulled each day. Normally when it pulls less that a
couple of quarts a day it is done. The moisture content in september is
about 4-6% Electric costs for the fans and dehumidifier run about 30
dollars a month.

I do not do pine. as I will not try to heat the trailer. I live in the
Poconos and the summer temperature does not get much above 80 for any
length of time. This is a hobby for me and provides me and my faminly
with wood for various projects. I have loaded the kiln with mixed
hardwoods and have had no problems. It depends on the wood that I come
accross each year what goes in. one year it was ash, one year oak and
the next year the rest of the oak, maple, poplar and Black walnut. Next
year it will be poplar, sugar maple and black walnut

Tom

Jon Endres, PE wrote:
> Do any of you guys have a small solar or dehumidification kiln and can share
> your experiences with it? I'd like to build one this summer to accompany my
> sawmill operations, and was looking for some input as to operating
> experiences, cost of materials, and ease of use.
>

Jon Endres asks:

>Do any of you guys have a small solar or dehumidification kiln and can share
>your experiences with it? I'd like to build one this summer to accompany my
>sawmill operations, and was looking for some input as to operating
>experiences, cost of materials, and ease of use.

Check out: http://www.woodweb.com/KnowledgeBase/WDKBPPKilnConstruction.html

And more of Dr. Gene Wengert's material on the Woodweb. Should answer most of
your questions.

Charlie Self
"Take care of the luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves."
Dorothy Parker

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

How so? Do any studying?

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/TMU/publications.htm

You don't think you can get to a RH 0f 25% with refrigeration
dehumidification in an "almost airtight" container?

Remember the heat generated by the compressor as well as the solar heating
and thermal mass.

"Myxylplyk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > The moisture content in september is
> > about 4-6%
>
> This seems unlikely. The process you described is little more than air
drying.
> Typicaly you need to heat the air to increase it's water carrying capacity
as well
> as increase the release of water by the wood.
>

25% equates to the EMC he mentioned.

"Myxylplyk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "George" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> <snippage>
> >
> > You don't think you can get to a RH 0f 25% with refrigeration
> > dehumidification in an "almost airtight" container?
> >
>
> <snippage>
> >
> >
> I have no problem believing 25%, I was doubtful of the OP's claim of 4-6%.
> While I don't know, I assumed he was refering to a "backyard kiln" made
from
> an unused trailer.
>
> Myx
>
>

"George" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
<snippage>
>
> You don't think you can get to a RH 0f 25% with refrigeration
> dehumidification in an "almost airtight" container?
>

<snippage>
>
>
I have no problem believing 25%, I was doubtful of the OP's claim of 4-6%.
While I don't know, I assumed he was refering to a "backyard kiln" made from
an unused trailer.

Myx

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 16:48:47 GMT, "Jon Endres, PE"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Do any of you guys have a small solar or dehumidification kiln and can share
>your experiences with it? I'd like to build one this summer to accompany my
>sawmill operations, and was looking for some input as to operating
>experiences, cost of materials, and ease of use.

well it is cost verses speed really. dehumidification kilns take a fair amount
of power to run. but they can be as fast as the wood can handle getting dried.
you have to monitor the water output to keep things in line.
if you don't need thee speed go for a solar kiln.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

"tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> The moisture content in september is
> about 4-6%

This seems unlikely. The process you described is little more than air drying.
Typicaly you need to heat the air to increase it's water carrying capacity as well
as increase the release of water by the wood.

I have a small drying shed that holds about 800bf of lumber. It is not air tight.
I am hobbiest wooddorker that likes to save money on wood.
(I also prefer the look and rich color of air dried walnut.)
I use constantly running, indirect, fans and a dehumidifier also.
I dont keep track of the water it removes. I just waste it into a storm sewer.
During the summer, it regularly gets about 100F with some days over 150F.
It still takes 6 months minimum time for 5/4 to dry. (If the weather cooperates.)
Ten months is more usual and I usually leave it for 12 months.
I have only put white oak, black walnut and maple "through" it so far.
I have yet to get moisture contents less than 10-12%. The moisture content of my
entire "stock" pile is now about the same, about 12%. This includes the kiln dried stock
cherry, birch, spalted maple that I purchased too.
Myx