I just stumbled on this…fantastic job! You kept focus on keeping cost to a minimum. Showed interior details. Showed real side-by-side data. Definitely subscribing! Great job!
Just found the channel and subscribed. I also have a small mill and a love for woodwork. I have a kiln in the building process...16'8" x 9'...a 41° collector angle. We are in North Florida with WAY more summer heat than needed and probably 60/40 prime kiln days over winter. My hope is to build an automated-for-efficiency temp/ humidity air handling system. Using solar to a battery bank, an Artuono controller and some programming--all yet to be completed--to prevent problems with too much heat. It's great to see others with the same interests...I also have experiments ongoing with sugi ban, both as protection AND used with colored epoxy.
Summarizing my temps per load. During the peak of summer, the kiln will hit 150 degrees when empty or when the wood has dried. During the Spring and Fall, the highest temps are between 135-140 degrees. These numbers fall down to about 120-125 degrees when a load of "wet" wood goes in. You can see these temps go up as the days go by and the wood dries. On a sunny Winter day, temps can get as high as 115. However, because there's very little humidity outside, the inside humidity will get ridiculously low. Because of this, I think I got a significant amount of drying over the late fall through early spring time frame. On the few loads of 4/4 pine boards I've loaded, air movement is important to avoid mold. I supplement the solar fans in the humid summer months with a box fan. I didn't have any problems during the fall or winter when it's much drier on average in North Georgia.
Awesome video post, thank you! I’ve only been milling for about three seasons and am considering building a solar kiln. I do a fair bit of furniture and musical instrument woodworking in addition to milling lumber for construction around the homestead. I noticed you mentioned that you air dry for a year or so before going to the kiln. Have you ever gone straight from the mill to the kiln? If so, did you notice any difference or in your opinion is that an undesirable thing to do? Thanks.
Great narration and video. Did fine on your presentation. I have the same issues where I want to put my kiln. Trying to figure out how to make a front folding wall. So I can load and unload with a forklift maybe there will be a couple hydraulic cylinders on the ends???
The fans come with proprietary cables intended to hook up to a charge controller. I just cut the ends off in my case and hard wired them to the fans. I use Govee devices which measure both temperature and humidity (as well as few dew point and VPD). I use the app to track. It maintains a historical record so I can look back days/weeks/months. I have four units. One for the mill, one for outside temps and the other two for unrelated purposes.
Wonder if I could use the difference between a top and bottom temp/hum (two each sensors) to dial in the correct amount of water removal. Just a thought I hope to pursue soon...
@@dantco If you figure it out, let me know. The scientific guys utilize load calculations to determine the optimum size of the kiln for a given quantity of wood. The problem is that this varies from hardwood to softwood. Technically, it also varies as the wood dries out. Some say vent. Others say don't. Even others say vent up to a point and then don't. At the end of the day, you can't really force the internal temperature of the kiln. Insulation, dark absorbing surfaces, outside temps, clouds, etc. are all factors. I chose to use materials I had on hand which may or may not be tuned to how much wood I load. I personally vent until my glasses quit fogging up when I walk in. My Govee devices show the temps rising every day as the wood dries out. Humidity falls every day. When it appears that the humidity bottoms out over the course of several days, I take my meter out and take a looksie. Works for me.
@@dingleberryfarmhomestead2336 one conclusion that is easy enough to reach is that your way is as legit as any other. The rest is art. Soma ideas. When a new load starts, there should be a sufficient humidity for the evaporation in the stack to stabilize. Shut vents-max fan flow. After stable, vent on high temp first and then by desired water removal rate. I live in FL and guess that high summer temps could be an enemy. I plan on having a solar powered controller to run the vents based on some code. Mostly a stab in the dark to start and then learn by results. There are a few schedules suggested by forestry students and university programs to digest, but mostly it's going to be just like you...learn by doing.
It's not necessary but a lot of people do. Wood is actually VERY wet when first cut. People like me with limited space in the kiln will let some wood air dry until space becomes available. The longer it dries outside, the shorter the time required in the kiln.
I just stumbled on this…fantastic job! You kept focus on keeping cost to a minimum. Showed interior details. Showed real side-by-side data. Definitely subscribing! Great job!
Thanks so much! very helpful. I'm thinking of making one for my firewood.
The wife tells me I kept saying "mill" when I meant "kiln". Sorry for any confusion
Just found the channel and subscribed. I also have a small mill and a love for woodwork.
I have a kiln in the building process...16'8" x 9'...a 41° collector angle. We are in North Florida with WAY more summer heat than needed and probably 60/40 prime kiln days over winter.
My hope is to build an automated-for-efficiency temp/ humidity air handling system.
Using solar to a battery bank, an Artuono controller and some programming--all yet to be completed--to prevent problems with too much heat.
It's great to see others with the same interests...I also have experiments ongoing with sugi ban, both as protection AND used with colored epoxy.
Summarizing my temps per load. During the peak of summer, the kiln will hit 150 degrees when empty or when the wood has dried. During the Spring and Fall, the highest temps are between 135-140 degrees. These numbers fall down to about 120-125 degrees when a load of "wet" wood goes in. You can see these temps go up as the days go by and the wood dries.
On a sunny Winter day, temps can get as high as 115. However, because there's very little humidity outside, the inside humidity will get ridiculously low. Because of this, I think I got a significant amount of drying over the late fall through early spring time frame.
On the few loads of 4/4 pine boards I've loaded, air movement is important to avoid mold. I supplement the solar fans in the humid summer months with a box fan. I didn't have any problems during the fall or winter when it's much drier on average in North Georgia.
a hoop greenhouse would work
Another wood hoarder, your yard looks like mine with piles of logs! 😀
Good info!!!
Great. Job simple and to the point!!!!
Thank you for sharing
Awesome video post, thank you! I’ve only been milling for about three seasons and am considering building a solar kiln. I do a fair bit of furniture and musical instrument woodworking in addition to milling lumber for construction around the homestead. I noticed you mentioned that you air dry for a year or so before going to the kiln. Have you ever gone straight from the mill to the kiln? If so, did you notice any difference or in your opinion is that an undesirable thing to do? Thanks.
Great narration and video. Did fine on your presentation. I have the same issues where I want to put my kiln. Trying to figure out how to make a front folding wall. So I can load and unload with a forklift maybe there will be a couple hydraulic cylinders on the ends???
How does it work in the winter months? What outdoor temps do you have vs inner temp & humidity?
It looks like you have a dehumidifier in your kiln. How's that working out? I've been considering adding one to mine.
What did you use for fans.
could i just use a greenhouse?
Hi ,
How are your fans connected to your solar panel ? is it by USB Cable
What's the software you use to monitor the temp/humidity
The fans come with proprietary cables intended to hook up to a charge controller. I just cut the ends off in my case and hard wired them to the fans.
I use Govee devices which measure both temperature and humidity (as well as few dew point and VPD). I use the app to track. It maintains a historical record so I can look back days/weeks/months. I have four units. One for the mill, one for outside temps and the other two for unrelated purposes.
Wonder if I could use the difference between a top and bottom temp/hum (two each sensors) to dial in the correct amount of water removal.
Just a thought I hope to pursue soon...
@@dantco If you figure it out, let me know. The scientific guys utilize load calculations to determine the optimum size of the kiln for a given quantity of wood. The problem is that this varies from hardwood to softwood. Technically, it also varies as the wood dries out. Some say vent. Others say don't. Even others say vent up to a point and then don't.
At the end of the day, you can't really force the internal temperature of the kiln. Insulation, dark absorbing surfaces, outside temps, clouds, etc. are all factors. I chose to use materials I had on hand which may or may not be tuned to how much wood I load. I personally vent until my glasses quit fogging up when I walk in.
My Govee devices show the temps rising every day as the wood dries out. Humidity falls every day. When it appears that the humidity bottoms out over the course of several days, I take my meter out and take a looksie. Works for me.
@@dingleberryfarmhomestead2336 one conclusion that is easy enough to reach is that your way is as legit as any other. The rest is art.
Soma ideas. When a new load starts, there should be a sufficient humidity for the evaporation in the stack to stabilize. Shut vents-max fan flow.
After stable, vent on high temp first and then by desired water removal rate. I live in FL and guess that high summer temps could be an enemy.
I plan on having a solar powered controller to run the vents based on some code. Mostly a stab in the dark to start and then learn by results. There are a few schedules suggested by forestry students and university programs to digest, but mostly it's going to be just like you...learn by doing.
Are you using one 100 watt solar panel?
Do you have to air dry the slabs for a year first?
It's not necessary but a lot of people do. Wood is actually VERY wet when first cut. People like me with limited space in the kiln will let some wood air dry until space becomes available. The longer it dries outside, the shorter the time required in the kiln.
The slower you dry the wood the better, really.
7% moisture is ideal, but sometimes impossible, depending on your climate "/
Like the plans, hate the short cuts, that don't work "/
even at top volume...hard To heart you:-(
Videos so quit, almost cant hear on max sound.
Weird, I don’t have that problem. It must be your device
Wish you would stop whispering, and speak up "/
You tell he's reading from a prepared script instead paying attention to the mic