# Kiln drying for first time - have question



## Bryany2 (Dec 27, 2012)

I have a Daren Nelson homemade kiln. I pulled my Walnut (2" thick) slabs from my kiln and found that my moisture meter reads 7% around the end grain and 12% in the middle of the slab - is this good enough to called finished and kiln dried. I plan to sell these slabs so I need to sell it right and not have complaints. Thank you in advance for any help.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

NO....it's not correct.....when the shell and the inside are that far apart there's usually problems later warp, reactions in cutting in shop etc., etc....basically there's a stress there...kinda like you carrying a full 5gallons of water in one hand and 2 gallons in the other (yeah that's in a bucket LOL), you won't walk, perform or react balanced. I'm just *******, NOT engineered....Daren or Gene (woodweb) can give you better technical answers. These 2 guys can give you answers from both ends of this wild, unruly (if steps are skipped) drying spectrum

I have and USE Daren's kiln plans.....SUPER KILN size.(thought I was at Mac.... drive thru when building:blink::huh::laughing. I handle mine using an outdoor weather station with sensor in the kiln that records every 3 hrs the temp and humidity. once my air RH (coverted to MC) gets to reccomended level....I THEN leave the lumber at that level for 2 wks for the internal moisture to get balanced OUT to external.

Enjoy and have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

In short: I would run them a little longer, after addressing potential air flow issues (?). You have my email address/phone number and I am always here to answer your kiln operation questions in a more specific way, as they relate to your particular setup. Something I am not comfortable doing on an open forum, but more than happy to help with in private, once I know exactly what you have going on.


.


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## Bryany2 (Dec 27, 2012)

Thank you Tim and Daren,

Tim - I think I am going to build a super sized kiln also - since I am pleased with my first Kiln - can I ask how big is your Mac kiln??

Daren, - thanks again for your offer to help - sometimes I feel guilty becasue I'm asking for way more than my $20 worth. I really am very pleased with the kiln - I really can dry wood inexpensively. It's hard to believe that the kiln stays at 105 deg. and just stays there!
So... I'm hearing that I need to get to 8% whether the meter is at the end grain or in the middle - right?


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Mine's 12'x20'...prefabed building ...1 3/4" urethane steel door panels. WARNING....light bulbs WON'T heat this to kill bugs LOL. This is maxing a LARGE 70 pt DH....there are larger more expensive DH's that would do more......the large air chamber is more to heat and DRY....I think I would stay a little smaller or two small ones so you can keep offset dryings going at all times. I dried approx. 4500 bd ft of mixed species and thicknesses with NO troubles the first mega load...hand loaded and unloaded...BAD, BAD, BAD idea. have a track planned for the future.

Enjoy your kilning....I have.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## harrymontana (Dec 26, 2012)

this is an airflow issue and this is highly professional. Ask your Kiln supplier to send one of their people.


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## Rob Brown (Jul 7, 2009)

*air drying wood*

I usually slice up two or three logs a year (in august) and air dry the one inch planks. In the past I have always stickered up the rough sawn material in my driveway until the following summer and then move the material inside the garage. Last year I got all of the material planed down to 7/8 so that the stickered pile would be straighter and tighter. It is wormy white oak that I plan to use for adirondak chairs, and garden trellises. Should I be concerned about bringing this material inside since it is wormy to start? Or will it be okay since the tree was cut and milled for almost a year?


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## fromtheforty (Jan 15, 2011)

Rob,

I would start a new thread to get more responses.

Geoff


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## amalina (Apr 1, 2013)

For what its worth, I own Daren Wonder Kiln 2000. I am building similar racks that Tim has shown in the forum. My kiln is 12x8x8 with a 70 PT DH. It took about 23 days to dry 2" hard maple slabs. I should have them storage built soon and will post pictures. Agin thank you Daren and Tim for your insight


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## Trooper183 (Jan 19, 2019)

Hello Mr. Nelson I would Ike to buy a copy of your kiln plans. Could you give me a call 706-266-3517
Thanks
Scott Thompson


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Trooper,

SADLY Daren hasn't posted in 5 years this April. ...he's a WEALTH of info for woodworkers on the sawing end....I enjoyed conversing with him...we haven't exchanged email in a few years and I hope he's still doing fine...I miss his posts. I also have one of his kiln set-ups and it's worked great provided you understand it's NOT high speed BUT safe speed drying. The last I spoke with him he was still selling plans BUT it seems the last time I tried his website I couldn't pull it up BUT could've been a internet issue.....from memory I think his business was Nelsons woodworking and blade sharpening ????? VERY helpful guy!!!!


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

I tried his website a couple years ago and it's down. Tim, curious what temp do you generally run at? Setting a small version up was one of my winter projects. Not bug kill.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Daren was a member of woodbarter*

He and has not been seen there since Nov. 2016 when TT, his good friend, passed away suddenly. I have no other information regarding either person. :sad2:


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

djg said:


> I tried his website a couple years ago and it's down. Tim, curious what temp do you generally run at? Setting a small version up was one of my winter projects. Not bug kill.


I run a lower temp most of the time in the 90's. Daren and I discussed this and I believe he recommended 100-105 BUT said mine would just take longer....I'm doing thick slabs so it helped to slow too quick of moisture removal IF green/fresh sawn....I later started more ADing of 1 year per inch thickness, then KDing and sterilization, I believe once below 20-25% MC it's almost impossible to caseharden from fast moisture removal also.

Running off of memory with his small set-up (I super sized mine.. https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/super-kiln-gets-super-carriage-51228/ ) once the initial heat has been achieved the dehumidifier would basically keep it heated as it operates.....mine does during summer BUT needs heat added during winter due to size of the super kiln!!!


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Thanks Tim. Mine will be outside under a covered patio. Approx. 10x4x4. Not huge, but being outside I thought I might need supplemental heat so I was going to use a floodlight on a thermostat. That's why the running temp.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

djg said:


> Thanks Tim. Mine will be outside under a covered patio. Approx. 10x4x4. Not huge, but being outside I thought I might need supplemental heat so I was going to use a floodlight on a thermostat. That's why the running temp.


The heat will be MORE important with green/freshcut lumber. Remember this "kiln has to be insulated on ALL 6 sides, top, bottom, both sides and ends.

If you'll click on my name and open stats and then threads started on about page 7 or 8 there's one called "the pink kiln" I believe....a great example of a quick makeshift kiln. One note....it IS tough to get the temp needed AND held for the time needed to soak to center of lumber.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Ooh, bottom. I didn't consider that. Found the thread, thanks. I didn't realize you were that active here. I'm going to have to remember to revisit your threads when I need a milling fix.


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