The Australian wood kiln I saw was, a 5 gal. drum a 15 watt light bulb and a cake cooling rack. Bulb goes in the bottom ventilation holes punched around the perimeter of drum, at the bottom edge. cake rack suspends wood above bulb. No lid. leave it run for days or weeks until the wood is at a contant weight.Sounds simple I'm sure end grain sealing would help the cause.
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Drying wood for fun and profit
- Thread starter mikeS
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 12, 1999
- Messages
- 1,110
sounds good, but what about logs?
Logs don't dry very well the center will stay wet and rot. Commercialy wood is cut and "stickered" slts between the layers of boards to allow air circulation. I have seen do it yourself kilns for a large quantity, of lumber some type of roof to keep of rain plastic sheeting or glazing on the south side. You will also need air movement. Fans with humidistats and thermostats could be installed to draw air through the enclosure. I have cut 3in. walnut and dried it in the rafters of my garage, allow 1yr. per inch of thickness, some say this is the best for the wood. At the old military fort in Fort Scott KS. the front pillars of the officers quarters are about 30 ft. tall and 36 in. at the base they were cut in the woods, then a 3in. hole was bored through the center, then they were turned on a lathe, no cracks in them and they are 100 yrs. old. The stuff that I cut for knife handles I cut oversize slabs and blocks"to allow for shrinkage and warpage" 1/2 to 3/4 slabs 16 to 24 in. long and 1 3/4 block the same length and just put them on the shelf in my shop, and get them out next year. Have fun, What kind of wood?
- Joined
- Jun 12, 1999
- Messages
- 1,110
i have 2 logs about 3' long of maple, i plan on getting it stabalized too. shouldn't you insulate the drum with fire proof insalation, so the heat doesn't escape.
[This message has been edited by magnum .44 (edited 07 November 1999).]
[This message has been edited by magnum .44 (edited 07 November 1999).]
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1999
- Messages
- 834
Hey Guys!
There is some real good info on that wood drying box in the book "Step By Step Knifemaking" by David Boye. You can find the book at most bookstores.
Hope this helps.
Barry
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=126319&a=926274
There is some real good info on that wood drying box in the book "Step By Step Knifemaking" by David Boye. You can find the book at most bookstores.
Hope this helps.
Barry
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=126319&a=926274
Down here in Texas we are always running the central heat or air conditioner. Both of these applications make the air very dry.
I cut my handle wood up into oversize scales, dip the end in the most convenient leftover paint bucket to stop end checking. Then I take the air conditioner/heater filter out and cross stack the little blocks in the air chamber behind the filter.
A few months does a great job of drying them out.
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Ben R. Ogletree, Jr.
I cut my handle wood up into oversize scales, dip the end in the most convenient leftover paint bucket to stop end checking. Then I take the air conditioner/heater filter out and cross stack the little blocks in the air chamber behind the filter.
A few months does a great job of drying them out.
------------------
Ben R. Ogletree, Jr.