# A cheap kiln setup.



## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

I was asked the other day by one of our top members here how I kiln dry on the cheap.

Since a kiln setup is not only a little pricy, but also takes up space in a shop, I devised a simple cheap but very effective method for drying small stockpiles of lumber.
I can dry stacks up to 10' long and a few feet tall and wide.

Ok, a list of materials:
1 blue tarp (size determined by your drying project).
2 under desk sized space heaters.
1 thermometer.
1 cheap moisture meter.

The method:
Stack and sticker your wood pile on your garage floor.
Throw your blue tarp over your wood pile in a ''pup tent' fashion. Put a few coffee and on the stack to stand the tarp up above the wood stack to allow air circulation.
On the ends, place your space heaters and let them blow hot dry air into the pup tent.
Cut a slit at the top of the tent to allow hot air and moisture to rise out.
Through the slit, place your thermometer so you can look down and see the temperature when you want to.
Let it go until the moisture content comes down to your desired point. Check m.c. daily. 
For bug kill, crank the heaters on max and you'll be able to exceed 130 degrees. Let it cook for a minimum of 24 hours.

A few pointers:
Below is one small load of lumber I dried. It only took one space heater.
I try to keep the temperature at about 85 degrees when starting. The heat and forced air from the fan drives the moisture out through the slit.
Ok, this pile isn't set up pup tent style but the concept is the same. Get hot air circulating around the stack. I also on a daily basis will relocate the heater so the heat is spread evenly on the wood stack.
This particular stack was 4 slices of oak burl, 2'-6" square and 2" thick.
This load took about 4 days, and the 4th day I kicked the temp up over 130f. I actually had it up to 155f.

When done, I fold up the tarp and put everything on a shelf awaiting the next job.

A quick note:
Depending on the lumber species, I won't start drying a stack until the lumber has air dried down to about 25-30% moisture content. Then a kiln makes sense to bring things down the rest of the way.
Now I have started with wood at 40%, but I expected some cracking and some losses. I'll lose about 30% of my stockpile when starting at too high of a m.c..

The idea of saving money on lumber inspired this idea. I try to buy lumber that has been air dried and it usually costs 1/2 of the kiln dried stock. I also had to have a means of drying wood that I had cut and didn't know anybody with a kiln.

Hope this method helps some of you!


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

that is exactly what I wanted. ill say, it was me that asked. I was trying to over complicate things by trying to build a pvc pipe frame in a storage shed and all. this is so simple. just dry enough for one project and move on. I'm sure if u really want to over complicate it one could add a DH to the mix. ill stick with the heaters, they are cheaper. as far as buying wood, I only get logs that are free and saw them on the WoodMizer.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Good.
Yeah, it was you who asked. I wanted to give you the courtesy of privacy on that matter.
I'm glad it helped.
Yeah, no de-humidifier is necessary since the heaters fans blow fresh hot air in and moist but warm air blows out the slit/vent. You also have ultimate control over the temperature setting on the heaters themselves.
The biggest thing is to leave room to circulate around the piece(s) and move the space heater(s) around so one area doesn't cook hotter than another for any long length of time.

Grand total for all of the parts to make this setup was less than $100.oo including the $40.oo moisture meter.
Yeah, I'm a cheap succa !

Likewise I find free wood or buy from Tennessee Tim in a air dried scenario. I don't yet have a mill setup, and in reality doubt I ever will.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

when you get a mill, get a wood mizer. you wont regret it. mine is about $200 per month for about 3 years. I had to pony up a $1000 down payment, $503 for sales tax, and a $60 document fee. The insurance they require you have for the duration of the note is $68/year and this also has to be paid. I use Southeastern Metals in Woodbury GA because I can drive to them cheaper than I can ship to/from. Dallas, the owner, is great. Wouldn't trade it for anything except an LT40Hydraulic.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

The problem with owning a mill is the additional equipment like a tractor or bucket machine to lift logs on to the mill. Next is maintaining the equipment. 
Another problem is I would only want it to cut wood for me personally. I have no desire to get in the business of cutting for everyone else. This means I would be putting out loads of $$ for just personal use. I can buy a lifetime worth of slabs and still not be to the point of where the mill would be justified.

So it can get expensive and as said,,, I'm a cheap succa!

Also, I can't compete with the God given eye of some of the professional cutters like Tenn Tim and Milwaukee Woodworks (Allen). The stuff I've bought from them has been awesome.
Tim is west of Knoxville about 50 miles, and I'm located 30 miles east of the Tennessee boarder, so in 
2 - 2 1/2 hours I'm at his mill.
Likewise if I figure it right, your outside of Atlanta somewhere. A 3 hour trip.
And here, I have a local mill that sells me rough cut lumber for $.75c (poplar) to $1.25 (walnut) a board foot.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

I am 100 miles south of Atlanta. I already do tractor work and bush hogging so I already had the tractor. I just automatically assumed u had all that for some reason.


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

Nah, 
I'm a suburbia transplant into the wooded area . I'm now on 2.2 acres in the middle of the Blue Ridge/Smoky Mountains. I just bought my very first lawn tractor. A used 24 hp Husqvarna. That and a enclosed car trailer and a Ford pickup are the extent of my big equipment.
I'm also about ready to put up a 30' x 40' outbuilding.

So your 4 1/2 hours from here.


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## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

Aard said:


> Nah,
> I'm a suburbia transplant into the wooded area . I'm now on 2.2 acres in the middle of the Blue Ridge/Smoky Mountains. I just bought my very first lawn tractor. A used 24 hp Husqvarna. That and a enclosed car trailer and a Ford pickup are the extent of my big equipment.
> I'm also about ready to put up a 30' x 40' outbuilding.
> 
> So your 4 1/2 hours from here.


so your up around Chattanooga or Cleveland


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## aardvark (Sep 29, 2011)

No.
I'm 30 miles west of Asheville N.C. just off of I-40. 60 miles east of Knoxville Tn..
Just east of the Smoky Mountains by about 10 miles.

I was from Chitown (Chicago) out in the suburbs, which once was urban, but ''suburban sprawl'' got to it.
Glad as HE!! to be out of there and down here in GOD's country.


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