Vermont wood burner claims solar kiln will dry wood in...

[maple1]

There is always someone trying to short cut the drying process and I fail to understand it. Drying wood is so simple if you just work with Mother Nature and don't wait until the last minute to cut the wood. Usually those trying to short-cut the process are those who tend to put things off so they need help. Better to get ahead. We look at the wood stacks about the same as putting money aside. We put away a few dollars every now and then and it is a good practice. We cut a little wood every year and also find that to be a good practice.

I suspect not everyone has the room to store three or four years worth of wood.

 

[oldspark]

I suspect not everyone has the room to store three or four years worth of wood.

No thats for sure, so any information on a process that can help people who want to burn wood but are short of storage space or have to buy wood (good luck with getting dry wood) or are starting from scratch is useful IMHO.

 

[Brewmonster]

Good for you, Augie, if you can get results like that and spend just $20. I, too, have tried to use poly sheeting to speed drying with less spectacular results.

I stand by my observation, though, that the arrangement in the original post looked like it would require a lot of money and labor. How much would that lumber cost if you had to buy it retail? Even if the materials were free and I had plenty of pallets and a forklift lying around, I still wouldn't do it. Much easier to get a couple years ahead on your wood gathering. Once you've got that cushion, all you need to do is cut as much as you burn every year and you're gold.

But you're right, I am old and cranky, so Get off my lawn!!

 

[Lumber-Jack]

For someone just starting out, who only has access to green hardwoods like oak, it might be well worth investing in to get them heating their house as soon as possible. Probably be more cost effective than heating the house with oil for a couple of winters while they are waiting for their wood to dry naturally.

 

[tsquini]

I have seen these before. Typically mills use them to dry boards.

 

[dmmoss51]

Thanks tsquini.... I think.the technology logically works but doubt 1 month is enough for Oak

 

[Stax]

And the discussion turns...

 

[oldspark]

It would be a fun expeirment, I agree with Augie, no need to spend a lot of money on the kiln.

 

[AmarilloSlim]

I'm planning on installing a wood heat source before next burning season. I have been gathering wood and most should dry nicely over our hot, dry, & windy summer/s. The only problem I have foreseen is my lack of space to get 3+ years eahead. With 1200" sq. Backyard. Plans for a storage shed, entertaining area, vegetable garden, flowerbed, and grass. I become very limited. Hints my interest in a solar kiln. If I could adequately dry my oak and locust in one summer via solar kiln. That would place me further ahead of the game. Not to mention the drastic space savings I could reap.

 

[AmarilloSlim]

That Blog defines 'I saw it on the Internet so I know that it is true'.

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,70021.20.html check reply #25 for "overnight" dry firewood. Must be true eh.?

 

[oldspark]

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,70021.20.html check reply #25 for "overnight" dry firewood. Must be true eh.?

Well he is using only Ash and Cherry, two woods that dry fast, I dont know how fast it will dry but he does know it takes heat and air movement plus a place for the moisture to go, way more then some on here know.

 

[paul bunion]

I am positive about the time frame, 90days in a sunny spot from April 1st to October 1st. That gives you enough time to run 2 lots of wood through your kiln. I burn 2.5-3 cord per year. I kiln 1.5 cord at a time in a 2deep row about 32inches deep by 4ft high by 20ft longish. To test MC I use nail driven into fresh splits and use some ohm meter to test resistance and then compare to a USFS chart broken down to species. I'm telling you it works and telling you it may cost you $20 to do it your self if you don't have the plastic laying around, if you have the plastic it is free. Regardless fresh cut live wood will be ready to burn when placed in a solar kiln after 90 days. The maximum split that I have used is 8inches across.

Augie,

Have you ever put a thermometer in your kiln and monitored how much temperature gain there was? I think that would really interesting to know.

 

[BrotherBart]

Lotta things do a lotta things. When I went to move this season's stacks into the shed in May like I always do I was bummed to find that for the first time ever two stacks had leaned together and the ground moisture presented me with three year old oak that was wet. Much longer and it would have been rotting. As I was having the roof replaced the next month with one with ridge vents, I took the solar powered gable attic fan from the attic and installed it in the entrance to the woodshed with the solar panel on top of the black rubber roof, aimed south.

Stuff is bone dry now after the summer air bath and still blows the colder weather low humidity air into the shed on sunny days.

 

[Augie]

I have seen temps in excess of 130 on a sunny day with the ambient temps in the 70's. Think about your car in the summer. It is sunny here in Michigan and the temps are in the low thirties today. But even with the low temps I just stuck a thermometer in the kiln and saw temps in the high eighties and climbing, and remember that is dry winter air heated to the 80's lowering the humidity even more. Not bad for helping dry some wood in the winter. Winter kiln drying may take 6 months but even with that I should now be able to get 4.5-5.5 cords per year dried ready to burn.
So if you have a suburban lot, are a new burner, have for one reason or another reduced your supply of seasoned wood, you should be able to season enough wood in one summer to have a adequate supply.

I have had delivered some wood by my wood guy recently that is waiting to be CSS. I have some extra sheeting that I haven't used, I may put together a tutorial, with pictures for those who struggle with the words, .

Until then know that building a cheap solar kiln to speed the drying of your wood works and is easy. You don't have to spend very much money, or spend much time, to make it work either.