# Air drying in old walk in cooler?



## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

I took two cherries and a walnut to my neighbor to saw on his woodmizer the other day and am planning on stacking it in an old 12x12 walk in cooler to dry. I was just wondering what yalls thought were on how it will do in there. It was full of junk, and smells musty and moldy. I started cleaning it up and there was a wood shelf laying on the floor that was eaten up with termites. The cooler is in a large tractor shed and has a concrete floor, but the cooler walls are setting on 2x4s and the termites came in from an outside wall. My plan so far is just to spray for the termites and sticker it off the floor. I'm not sure why it is so musty though. Wondering if my wood is going to mold? I probably should leave the door open, ya think? I may eventually buy darrens plans and see if I can use it for a kiln? Any thoughts appreciated.


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## pwoller (Dec 12, 2010)

I'm no expert but it doesnt seem like a good place to dry wood. At the least you would probably want to get some air flowing through it.


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## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

Personally I think you can incorperate Daren's plans into it and make a great D/H kiln out of it.:thumbsup:


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

JMC'sLT30 said:


> Personally I think you can incorperate Daren's plans into it and make a great D/H kiln out of it.:thumbsup:


I was thinking the same thing. But you may need a larger dehumidification unit (commercial). I don't know. I just ran across on in my local CL and I though "if I only had...".


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## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

djg said:


> I was thinking the same thing. But you may need a larger dehumidification unit (commercial). I don't know. I just ran across on in my local CL and I though "if I only had...".


I haven't gotten his plans yet, but from what I have read in past I figured this cooler may be a little large, but I could probably put an inside wall in and cut the size down to whatever is appropriate.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Yea that box sounds all wrong for air drying, ''musty'' is not good. Like was said you need plenty of fresh/dry air moving over the stack. I air dry in a barn to keep the rain off but still let air move around the piles.



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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

I think the cooler could make a great kiln BUT!!!!!! the musty termite issue is a sure sign there's a moisture problem!!!! Termites CANNOT survive without a moisture source and the musty smell is telling you the moisture is DIFFINENTLY THERE!!!! These can be very pesky and destructive. Using the wrong treatment can enhance problem. Worked for a client many years whom used a "exterminating company" that sprayed for years only to have termites show back up often. They used a "treatment" that "termites supposedly carried back to nest and then killed out colony". When he told me this (as client had same comp. spray again)when I was replacing the end of garage, my question to him was "IF it's so potent then how/why doesn't it kill them while carrying???". Needless to say, termites showed back up :thumbdown:that spring BUT with a new pest control company!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup: 

IF you can stop the moisture issue and the ground contact with the wood then spray for the termites you could have a great space for a kiln BUT NOT for air drying. The air drying in an "enclosed" type structure (even with door open) would only draw the acidicity filled moisture from lumber and stick to wall surfaces then start a corrosion of some sort AND not eliminating any moisture (actually adding) from the air in the enclosed area.

From what I hear Daren's DH kiln plans are great. You might could give Daren the room size/s including dimensions, what the wall covering is, how it's insulated etc.etc. and he might could advise you the upgrades needed to his plan size ( most good plans have a fee) to fit yours.

Have a Blessed day,
Tim


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## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks for the replies guys. When I originally thought to use this box it was just some space I figured i could take advantage of. After cleaning it up some and noticing the smell and termites I got to second guessing my idea and yall are kind of confirming my suspictions. Looks like I may have to find me another spot to store my wood. Good thing is I got some junk cleaned up which we have plenty of and I still may go ahead with the kiln thing. I may try to work a deal with my friend that just bought a mill swapping some services.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Just had an idea, probably not a good one. I don't know how it's oriented to the wind, rain and sun, but maybe you could strip it down leaving a back wall and roof. Mill your own timbers for reinforcement, etc. That way most of the rain could be kept off, you'd be out of direct sunlight and you'd still get plenty of air. Don't know what the dimensions are or the way it was constructed, so it maybe more difficult than it's worth.


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## Hammered Toes (Mar 16, 2011)

MS Sportsman said:


> Thanks for the replies guys. When I originally thought to use this box it was just some space I figured i could take advantage of. After cleaning it up some and noticing the smell and termites I got to second guessing my idea and yall are kind of confirming my suspictions. Looks like I may have to find me another spot to store my wood. Good thing is I got some junk cleaned up which we have plenty of and I still may go ahead with the kiln thing. I may try to work a deal with my friend that just bought a mill swapping some services.


Have you ever seen an old-fashioned corn crib? Where the walls are spaced slats that allow air to circulate through and keep the corn dry? That is how I am going to make my air drying kiln because I knew several farmers in bygone years that would turn their corncribs into drying kilns when corn was no longer grown. Some farmers I knew stopped farming and started logging for a living. I guess there was more year around cash money in logging than in farming, especially in these WV hills where farming was strictly a hit and miss operation.


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