Using my kiln

[Ken Hill]

I have a 6'x6'x6' walk in Kiln here, computer controlled etc. I use it primarily to cure powder coated items. I have tried to find the information needed to know at what temperature and for what time I would need to run a batch of wood in the oven to kiln dry it, as well as any type of info on the proper or preferred techniques used.

The only things I have come up with are 140 degrees for roughly 36 hours, with the wood stickered.

I have searched here in this section and found some help with those that have made smaller drying type kilns but nothing of this size. I would hate the ruin such a large batch of wood and i would also hate to run teh oven for that period of time with a small batch as a test but that may be my only option.

Any help on this subject or links to info would be much appreciated. I hope to dry slabs to be used for call blanks for turning. Mods, if this needs to be in another section thats fine, I just found most of the drying infomation in this section.

[Bill Blasic]

Ken,
Try www.woodweb.com and on the right side go down to Primary Processing. There should be lots of info on this site.
Bill

[Ken Hill]

Thanks Bill, I had been reading alot of that before. It gets a little confusing and hard to follow at times but I know there is more to it then stacking wood and cookin' it:D

[Tony Greenway]

Hey Ken,
I've found out the hard way that the rough-outs should air dry for several weeks before going into the kiln to keep cracking to a minimum. I then set mine at 60-65 for 3 days, then 75-80, for 3 days, and a final setting of 90-95 for another 3-4 days. With this technique, I've not lost any blanks from the drying process. This is how I dry mine, I'm sure they'll be others out there with totally different procedures, just use caution and cheap wood to find your way.

[Ken Hill]

Tony, thanks! I knew to allow the wood to air dry for a period of time, and finish it in the kiln which is my intention. I have a ton of walnut cut up and a ton more to do but decided I may try to get some info first before proceeding. You just reaffirmed what I had learned so many thanks!

I almost did a batch this summer when it was 103 in the shop, just turn the ovens circulating fans on and let it dry that way but I thought the wood may have been too wet at that time

[Reed Gray]

A solar kiln is another option, with no energy costs. I don't know the specifics, but have used lumber from one for flat work projects, and it works like air dried: rip a board on the table saw, and you get shavings, not saw dust.

robo hippy