Forced Air Circulation in a Solar Kiln

Home » Knowledge Base » Knowledge Base Article





	Today's Sponsors: VyTek W. Moore Profiles, Ltd. W.L. Fuller Wadkin North America Wagner Electronic Products WalzCraft Industries Webb Abrasives WEIMA America, Inc. Weinig Group - USA Western Dovetail Williams and Hussey Wisconsin Knife Works WMIA WMMA Wood and Wood Products Wood Doctor's Rx, LLC Wood Tech Enterprises, Inc. Wood Technology Inc Wood-Mizer Wood-Ply Lumber Corp. WoodCabinetDoors.Com Woodcraft Supply Corp. WoodcraftPlans.com WoodenBoat WoodFinder WoodJobs.com Search Consultants WoodLINKS Woodmaster WoodPlanet Inc. WOODWEB Woodworker's Supply/woodworker.com Woodworker's Directory Wright Timber Stairguy Stairbuilding Videos Stefani Steve H. Wall Lumber Co. Stiles Machinery Stiles Shop Solutions Stor-N-Fold Systems Super Source Tooling Inc. Supergrit Abrasives Superior Wood Products T-Tool USA LLC Target Coatings Techno CNC Routers Template Services Teragren The Cayce Company The Veneer Store Thermwood Corporation Tiger Wood Ltd. TigerStop TigerwoodDecking.com TimberKing Timesavers Inc. TMS Machinery Sales Tongass Forest Enterprises Tooling on the Web Toolstoday.com Touch Up Solutions LLC Tractivity TradeJobPlacement.com TradeSoft Trakware Systems Inc. TRB Flooring Company Tropical American Tree Farm Tropical Hardwoods UC Coatings Corp. Unique Machine & Tool University of Wisconsin UWMO Auctions VacDry Kilns Vacuum Pressing Systems, Inc. Vacuumpods.com Vecoplan LLC Vector Art 3D Vectric Ltd. Veneer Systems Inc. Veneer Technologies Inc. Vintage Perkins VortexTool Co. Inc.

WOODWEB DISCLAIMS any and all RESPONSIBILITY and LIABILITY for the accuracy and application of the information below. Readers agree to evaluate the significance and limitations of the information provided, and accept full responsibility for the application of this information. Read More ...

Would you like to add information to this article?
Interested in writing or submitting an article?
Have a question about this article?

Forced Air Circulation in a Solar Kiln

An example of a fan-and-plastic-sheeting setup that forces air through the lumber stack. May 14, 2006

Question
I have heard people talking about a drop curtain mounted on the bottom of the fans that goes to the floor, but I have not seen any design specify to use a drop curtain. Should I use one or not?

Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor B:
You need some way to direct the hot, dry air through the wood stack. When I close the kiln door, I attach the near edge of the plastic to the side of the door and all air blown from the collector has to go through the stack.

Click here for full size image

From the original questioner:
Thanks for the picture. How do you attach the plastic to the wood stack, also the door, and the far wall? It looks like attaching the plastic to the wood stack, it would be hard to keep the air blocked. I like your idea. I just don't understand how you get the plastic to work.

From contributor B:
The inside of my kiln is plywood, so I just stapled the 6 mil plastic to a 1x2 and rolled the plastic around it about 1 1/2 turns and screwed it to the ceiling next to the fans and straight above the leading edge of the wood stack. I wrap the bottom of the plastic around a 2x4 and roll it up until it is even with the top of the stack and I just lay it on the stack. I have about 18" on each end and I slit the plastic, take a sticker ( I use 1"x4' strips of 3/4" plywood) and roll a bit of plastic under it and screw it to the wall and pull the other side of the plastic to the stack and staple it to the stickers in a few places - enough to get a decent seal. Above the stack I use duct tape to close any cut plastic together. Just use common sense and you can figure out how to seal up so the air is directed through the stack. It is not air tight, but does not need to be. When I empty the kiln, I bunch the plastic up a bit and get a sticker under it and screw it to the ceiling. About 3 stickers hold up the 19' of plastic.

Click here for full size image

Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?

KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing

KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Kiln Construction

KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Kiln Operation

Would you like to add information to this article? ... Click Here

If you have a question regarding a Knowledge Base article, your best chance at uncovering an answer is to search the entire Knowledge Base for related articles or to post your question at the appropriate WOODWEB Forum. Before posting your message, be sure to review our Forum Guidelines.

Questions entered in the Knowledge Base Article comment form will not generate responses! A list of WOODWEB Forums can be found at WOODWEB's Site Map.

When you post your question at the Forum, be sure to include references to the Knowledge Base article that inspired your question. The more information you provide with your question, the better your chances are of receiving responses.

Return to beginning of article.

Refer a Friend || Read This Important Information || Site Map || Privacy Policy

Letters, questions or comments? E-Mail us and let us know what you think. Be sure to review our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact us to discuss advertising or to report problems with this site.

To report a problem, send an e-mail to our Webmaster

Copyright © 1996-2008 - WOODWEB ® Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission of the Editor.
Review WOODWEB's Copyright Policy.

The editors, writers, and staff at WOODWEB try to promote safe practices. What is safe for one woodworker under certain conditions may not be safe for others in different circumstances. Readers should undertake the use of materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk.

WOODWEB, Inc.
RR4 Box 265A
Montrose, PA 18801

Contact WOODWEB