Kiln for the Green Wood

I am not expert but it seems everything i’ve seen in regard to drying turned blanks is to try and slow down the drying process. However nobody else seems to get consistent results either. I’ll be interested to see if this works because if it does then you have a real nice inexpensive tool at your disposal. Nice work

-- John H. [To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. ~Edison]

In printing we make drying cabinets that are similar but use a small dehumidifier vented to the outside, much quicker than a direct heat source.

-- -- Rick M.

A good source of info on “DIY” kilns is Daren. Interesting non standard way to dry small runs of lumber including turning blanks.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f23/small-wood-drying-kiln-plans-dry-your-own-lumber-3103/

(Note the 25% off if you join Woodworkingtalk. Free to register. And no I’m not trying to get anyone to jump ship from LJ’s! But $15 is better than $20.)

As a customer, I just got the info from Daren last week and I am in the process of putting one together. Daren was very fast on the turn around from placing the order. (PayPal) Only a few hours to get since it is a .pdf file right to my in-box. So no stalking the UPS delivery guy this time around.

-Dave

-- I'm not old. Just "well seasoned".

I’ve been thinking about building one for lumber shorts and pen blanks, so I’m definitely interested in how this works out. Cheap is good. Quick drying without defects is good, too.

-- Dana, Tallahassee, FL

Looks practical. Triggers a bunch of “what ifS” for me. How do you monitor/regulate temperature? Thinking about the old “easybake ovens” for kids. Could bake real cakes w/60 watt bulb.

Have a nieghbor with his own sawmill. He built aroom using a dehumidifier as was mentioned by wormil.

Maybe lining the box with galvanized sheetmetal if it doesn’t currently do the trick?

Good luck! :)

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

i’ve added some venting to let off the humidity. and insulated as well.

hoakie – the slow approach is certainly a method. wrap in paper, etc.

thomas, as for regulating temp it’s a matter of light on or off, what wattage bulb and watch the thermometer and/or moisture meter. (in theory)

just an experiment.

as for daren, i’ve heard about his plans.

-- "Take extra care not to lose what you feel" (Winwood/Capaldi/Wood)

Heat, by itself does not dry anything.

You might wind up with a sealed box with 150 degrees and almost 100% humidity inside.

On the other hand, I’ve seen a local sawmill with large kilns actually wrap large stacks of lumber with black plastic and pipe steam into the bundle.

I have heard of drying turned bowls in a microwave. Haven’t tried it myself.

In any case, I think you will need to alllow for some small controlled amount of ventilation.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Great idea, great job! Thanks for posting!

-Jim; aka “Stumpy Nubs”

” Blue Collar Woodworking? That's the best show since Hawaii 5-0! ” -The Podunk Journal

-- It's the best woodworking show since the invention of wood... New episodes Wednesdays at: http://www.stumpynubs.com

”Heat by itself does not dry anything.”
That is correct. Heat has to introduce itself to moisture and perform the magical dance we call evaporation.

”You might wind up with a sealed box with 150 degrees and almost 100% humidity inside.”
Remains to be seen but I’ll stick my neck out and say that I will not wind up with such a box.

This cabinet has a heat source and two internal fans. This equals constant, moisture-wicking, even temperature.

This cabinet has vents up top to allow moisture captured by hot air a point of exit.

This cabinet is covered in insulation to minimize influence by outside temperatures.

This will dry the wood quickly without a doubt. I think the question here is the same old question everyone always poses: Will the wood crack, check, split, et cetera. Since insulating, it has maintained a steady 90 degrees. That seems kind of high but I’m gonna go with it for the rough turned blank that is in there right now.

-- "Take extra care not to lose what you feel" (Winwood/Capaldi/Wood)

I’m really curious how this turns out. Once I get a bandsaw built, I want to resaw some firewood and don’t want to wait years to use it.

-- -- Rick M.

Revisiting my LJ pages for the first time in a long while. Thought I’d throw a quick comment up on this particular build. And that is that this worked out great for wood blanks. I’ve also used it for drying fruit and hops with great success.

-- "Take extra care not to lose what you feel" (Winwood/Capaldi/Wood)

no splitting on ends?

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

Hey Doc. Nope – no split ends. Used a General brand moisture meter – with the two metal spikes you stick into the wood – and I got the moisture down in good time with no splits, checks, etc. Granted, I’ve only done it a few times. Spring and Summer I’m in the garden and brewing. Cold weather is hitting here in Vermont – I’m back in the shop today, first time in a while.

Maybe I got lucky, but I’ll be darned if it doesn’t work.

-- "Take extra care not to lose what you feel" (Winwood/Capaldi/Wood)

Wonder how it would work with a dehumidifier, pretty good I’d expect although you’d have to keep emptying it.

-- -- Rick M.

Good! tie down the tools! “Sandy” is apparently over most of the seaboard states.

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher