I love the set up you have. Here is a few pointers that you may have already incorporated . A baffle (sheet of plastic) from the fan to the top of the wood stack. A drain hose running to the outside for the dehumidifier. Turn the wood at least 7 days and if you see mold where the spacer sticks are spay the mold with white vinegar so the mold want spread. Again love the setup you have. Good luck drying! :)
Great set up. My drying process is just stickered slabs covered by old roofing in my side yard... take a long time and you get some weathering. The professional kilns will have a function that will occasionally increase the humidity level inside. That helps the fibers stabilize and it doesn't warp or crack as bad. Much more expensive and tricky of a set-up though.
Awesome man! Please report back on when those slabs are done and how they turned out. I've been milling for just over a year and boy is it a slow hobbie without a kiln! This is definitely motivating. Thanks for posting and keep 'em coming!
I know you said you did a few things wrong, however on the other hand I believe you’re doing everything right by making an effort to pursue your passion, keep up the great work, improve where things need to be improved, that’s all we all can do, take care
The end sealer helps with the ends cracking. I am thinking of building a kiln like yours or solar kiln. From what I have seen and read if you put plastic or rubber from your plywood deflector on the roof to the top of the stack it makes all the air from the fan go thru the stack.
You do not want it to be "as dry as possible" in the kiln. You need moderately low humidity. Otherwise the outside of the wood dries faster than the inside. Causing the outside to shrink before the inside. Then the moisture inside the wood starts to dry out and it begins to shrink. Since the outside has settled on its dried size it doesn't want to move. This causes the wood to crack and split. Each species has a formulated temp and humidity for optimal curing. All need the ends coated to prevent moister from escaping out of them too quickly. All need to be generously stickered and weighted. Some need low low humidity with mild temp and moving air or circulating air in and out. Some need moderately higher humidity levels than others at mild or high temperatures. Look these things up before you ruin any of that hard earned gorgeous lumber!
Catawba trees are native to the southeast us I didn't know they look like the inside of a walnut tree interesting I have to go find one and cut it down
Hey Dan, great setup and thanks for sharing the video! I have been experimenting with a kiln but was having constant problems with the power supply. I had a box fan, dehumidifier and electric space heater going which was constantly popping the breaker in my shop. Reason for the heat was because it is around -10 to -20 celcius here in the winter. How long does it take to dry the slabs in your kiln and what moisture content does it bring the wood down to? Thanks Dan, climb safe bro!
trampoline springs fashioned into a multi spring anchor and 'loaded' with the ratchet straps would make up for shrinkage/loosening and might negate the need to disturb your drying environment checking mid point?....'wood shrinks 8% of its volume' my memory is telling me..you're a resourceful guy Dan, I'm sure you'd work it out.....
Inspiring video. Im close to building a kiln myself. Good tip RE straps. Professional through and through . Unselfishly Bettering the Industry seems to be your motivation. You bring credibility to the position of .Arborist. for that you desrve some credit yourself .
You've done a great job,l always wonder why ppl that make home made kiln's never answer the all important question..how long does it take for the wood to dry?
I have 7 acres of heavy wooded land around my house and I've been wanting to get a bandsaw mill. I thought about a chainsaw mill because i have a nice saw but after watching pro & con videos I've kinda decided i want the bandsaw over the chainsaw mill. 6 or 7 of these trees i want to mill are close to my house and make me nervous every time it storms but i don't wanna bring them down until i have my mill. Ive thought about selling some of the logs and saving the $ fron the logs to buy the mill. I just gotta find somebody who will buy them and that seems to be harder than i thought it would be because most of them are pine (multiple species)
Hmm. No followup on this video with results or any info on how the kiln is working out. No answers to people who have asked questions. Thats disappointing.
Nice video I'm sure you will eventually fine tune your system. A note or two. Always seal the ends (before you slab the long) and any other end grain like knots, this is a must. Wax is a pain because it picks up sand and is messy. There are engineered end grain sealers out there, I use ratchet staps also, Years back I saw where a guy used HEAVY duty springs at the end of the staps to take up the slack when the wood dries. Take care.... you can see my work at customcabinetmakers dot com in the USA
![เขามัทรี - เอ็กซ์ ศุภกฤต - จอนนี่มิวสิค [ Official MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AS9ufKuQIVs/mqdefault.jpg)
So true its so addictive its taken over my life. Nice little setup mate, Blaise
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing. I’m sure there is a lot you have learned since you uploaded this.
I love the set up you have. Here is a few pointers that you may have already incorporated . A baffle (sheet of plastic) from the fan to the top of the wood stack. A drain hose running to the outside for the dehumidifier. Turn the wood at least 7 days and if you see mold where the spacer sticks are spay the mold with white vinegar so the mold want spread. Again love the setup you have. Good luck drying! :)
Great set up. My drying process is just stickered slabs covered by old roofing in my side yard... take a long time and you get some weathering. The professional kilns will have a function that will occasionally increase the humidity level inside. That helps the fibers stabilize and it doesn't warp or crack as bad. Much more expensive and tricky of a set-up though.
Awesome man! Please report back on when those slabs are done and how they turned out. I've been milling for just over a year and boy is it a slow hobbie without a kiln! This is definitely motivating. Thanks for posting and keep 'em coming!
I know you said you did a few things wrong, however on the other hand I believe you’re doing everything right by making an effort to pursue your passion, keep up the great work, improve where things need to be improved, that’s all we all can do, take care
Thanks for your comments, I'm always trying to make a better drying setup, trial and error is the best thing
Wood is beautiful. Thanks for the video.
thanks for sharing! I'm planning on milling soon, this is a great little kiln!
Thanks for the comment
Hey Dan! Keep it up! I’ve been doing the same. O64 that’s been ported and the same Alaska mill. It’s super fun!
Nice build! Thanks for sharing
Never thought of using a dehumidifier, ill have to give it a try. great video.
The end sealer helps with the ends cracking. I am thinking of building a kiln like yours or solar kiln. From what I have seen and read if you put plastic or rubber from your plywood deflector on the roof to the top of the stack it makes all the air from the fan go thru the stack.
Wow so you have build yourself à verry nice convention heated air proppeled twin redirected wood dryer.wish I had such space to use😯
Good Luck Dan . Good stuff mate
Never thought a form of basswood would look like walnut pretty cool
Awesome setup! Love your videos! :)
Awesome job great video
You do not want it to be "as dry as possible" in the kiln. You need moderately low humidity. Otherwise the outside of the wood dries faster than the inside. Causing the outside to shrink before the inside. Then the moisture inside the wood starts to dry out and it begins to shrink. Since the outside has settled on its dried size it doesn't want to move. This causes the wood to crack and split. Each species has a formulated temp and humidity for optimal curing. All need the ends coated to prevent moister from escaping out of them too quickly. All need to be generously stickered and weighted. Some need low low humidity with mild temp and moving air or circulating air in and out. Some need moderately higher humidity levels than others at mild or high temperatures. Look these things up before you ruin any of that hard earned gorgeous lumber!
Catawba trees are native to the southeast us I didn't know they look like the inside of a walnut tree interesting I have to go find one and cut it down
Hey Dan, great setup and thanks for sharing the video! I have been experimenting with a kiln but was having constant problems with the power supply. I had a box fan, dehumidifier and electric space heater going which was constantly popping the breaker in my shop. Reason for the heat was because it is around -10 to -20 celcius here in the winter. How long does it take to dry the slabs in your kiln and what moisture content does it bring the wood down to? Thanks Dan, climb safe bro!
trampoline springs fashioned into a multi spring anchor and 'loaded' with the ratchet straps would make up for shrinkage/loosening and might negate the need to disturb your drying environment checking mid point?....'wood shrinks 8% of its volume' my memory is telling me..you're a resourceful guy Dan, I'm sure you'd work it out.....
Inspiring video. Im close to building a kiln myself. Good tip RE straps. Professional through and through . Unselfishly Bettering the Industry seems to be your motivation. You bring credibility to the position of .Arborist. for that you desrve some credit yourself .
Hi Dan ! Have you seen that clear blue resin that looks like the ocean for the cracks in the slabs when it dries ? Nice work !
I think you mean the design that is known as a 'River table', Very cool, although I do love just wood tables myself
You've done a great job,l always wonder why ppl that make home made kiln's never answer the all important question..how long does it take for the wood to dry?
well, now I need a kiln, too
I have 7 acres of heavy wooded land around my house and I've been wanting to get a bandsaw mill. I thought about a chainsaw mill because i have a nice saw but after watching pro & con videos I've kinda decided i want the bandsaw over the chainsaw mill. 6 or 7 of these trees i want to mill are close to my house and make me nervous every time it storms but i don't wanna bring them down until i have my mill. Ive thought about selling some of the logs and saving the $ fron the logs to buy the mill. I just gotta find somebody who will buy them and that seems to be harder than i thought it would be because most of them are pine (multiple species)
You can pretty much forget about selling the pines I can’t even give them away
How long does it take for those slabs to dry?
Thanks for vid I plan on doing a little milling this year can you dry it in a open face shed
Hi, how does the dehumidifier cost to run? How many weeks do you run it for ?
Regards Adrian
That looks like an effective setup... Maybe put one piece of wood on a scale and monitor moisture loss via weight loss?
How do saw the wood? Chainsaw and a size grip?
I gotta question regarding à verrrrry tall tree that you climbed with buddies à few years ago toppin àt over 200 feet up .is this tree still up😊
Big Lonely Doug??
Hmm. No followup on this video with results or any info on how the kiln is working out. No answers to people who have asked questions. Thats disappointing.
🌲First🌲
You need to empty that dehumidifier and remove the water from the room regularly
Maybe a pan under the unit and a small sump pump with a float switch to automate the water removal.
Just run a drain hose to the outside. No float needed just a simple drain hose
Nice video I'm sure you will eventually fine tune your system. A note or two. Always seal the ends (before you slab the long) and any other end grain like knots, this is a must. Wax is a pain because it picks up sand and is messy. There are engineered end grain sealers out there, I use ratchet staps also, Years back I saw where a guy used HEAVY duty springs at the end of the staps to take up the slack when the wood dries. Take care.... you can see my work at customcabinetmakers dot com in the USA
Thanks for the tips and advice, I am always eager to try new things to improve the drying process