Walk in cooler== bowl kiln

[Sam Beagle]

I recently bought an old elks lodge and the back part of the building (19k sq ft) is a large area where my new shop is. I’m all set up and I’m focusing on small non profit woodturning classes for kids and adults.

Now my question
There is a large walk in beer cooler that’s not being used at all. It’s very well insulated of course. What would I have to do to make this a functioning kiln???

[Paul Williams]

No real experience in this, but I would think all you would need is a small heat source that was easily controlled and some ventilation, which also needs to be controllable. Depending on the climate where you are you might also consider a dehumidifier. Sounds like a fun project and a great resource for the community. Good luck.

[Ed Aumiller]

Contact Nyle, they make equipment for kilns and are great to talk to...
https://www.nyle.com

A walk in cooler has most of the expense of a good dehumidification system already completed..
Basically all you would need is a small nyle dehumidifier (the heat needed is generated while running the dehumidifier) and a few fans ..

[Sam Beagle]

Awesome. Thanks guys. Will check into this right away.

[Joe Hendershott]

Sorry, I misunderstood.

[Alex Zeller]

If space isn't at a premium and to save money I would think a simple 1500w ceramic heater connected to a thermostat would work just fine. Maybe have a fan going to help circulate the air and if you felt it was needed a cheap dehumidifier.

[John Spitters]

A local business supplying turning wood both locally and to the Rockler stores in the U.S.A.
Dries their wood in a large well sealed room with just a few floor stand fans and a few dehumidifiers. No heat source.
Fans and dehumidifiers are on timed cycles, this works very well for solid turning blocks. I would estimate that the size of the room is at least 2000 sq.ft. As dry blocks are removed other wet or green wood blocks are added into the room so there is always a mix of dry, partially dry and green wet wood in the room at the same time.

[Sam Beagle]

All great answers. I certainly appreciate it. Someone did mention and exhaust fan. That might be the only hiccup. As currently there is none in the walk in

[Reed Gray]

The dehumidifier type kilns give you wood like air dried, or the vacuum kilns, well solar kilns too rather than the standard 'kill' dried woods. You can take an 8/4 board and rip it on your bandsaw and get no warp, cup, or twist. If you rip a board on your table saw, you get shavings, not dust. Just like with bowls, every piece and species of wood is different...

robo hippy