Drying wood

[John Torchick]

Have a small toaster oven but like something bigger. I know there are kilns made from old refrigerators. Could one be run off solar panels in my storage building? No room in the shop or basement. Thanks. Asking as my neighbor works with rental managers to clean out old appliances, etc.

 

[John K Jordan]

Have a small toaster oven but like something bigger. I know there are kilns made from old refrigerators. Could one be run off solar panels in my storage building? No room in the shop or basement. Thanks. Asking as my neighbor works with rental managers to clean out old appliances, etc.

I've read many times over the years of people using an (insulated) fridge or freezer, cutting some vent holes near bottom and top so moisture can escape, then heat gently with incandescent light bulbs near the bottom. If you have no power in your storage building, I can't see why solar panels wouldn't work = as long as they can supply enough power to power an incandescent bulb.

I'd have to do some research to try to find what wattage has been used successfully. Or maybe someone will chime in with their experience.

JKJ

 

[John Torchick]

Thanks, JKJ. Will check Internet and Ye Olde YouTube, too. I might be able to shuffle a few things in the basement. Power drain wouldn't be to much.

 

[Wally Crawford]

I use an electric space heater attached to a thermostat for more accurate control. Heating devices like mine are power hungry, so probably would not work with your solar, but if you decide to move it to the basement, it has been an awesome set up.

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

I use to run lights in an old fridge. Now I just run a tiny fan to pull moisture out. I can return a hf in about 2 months . Probably above 98% success rates. The key is to leave just enough moisture in there to keep things slowly drying. Turn down to say 10% of intended form thickness and round corners before you put it in. Weigh ever week or so till it stops losing weight.

 

[John K Jordan]

Now I just run a tiny fan to pull moisture out.

Hey, that's something I'd never heard about and like learn more and try! I'm trying to imaging what kind of fan and how tiny its diameter, speed, what's holding it in place. Is the piece on it's side, vertical? AC I assume, or powered by a 12v power supply to run for a few months.

Just to be clear, the fan is pulling air away from the opening? Is the fan small enough to fit inside or just rely on some outside air sneaking inside around the opening? How do you hold the fan it in place?

Or does the fan direct air down a tube inside the form and the inside pressure cause the moist air to exit around the tube?

If it's a special fan, where did you get it? Perhaps a small muffin fan or the type used to cool computer processing chips?

Do you have a photo of the fan, positioned and in use? I'd love to see your invention (unless it's in the hands of the patent lawyers! )

JKJ, one of your biggest fans!

 

[Timm De]

Hey, that's something I'd never heard about and like learn more and try! I'm trying to imaging what kind of fan and how tiny its diameter, speed, what's holding it in place. Is the piece on it's side, vertical? AC I assume, or powered by a 12v power supply to run for a few months.

Just to be clear, the fan is pulling air away from the opening? Is the fan small enough to fit inside or just rely on some outside air sneaking inside around the opening? How do you hold the fan it in place?

Or does the fan direct air down a tube inside the form and the inside pressure cause the moist air to exit around the tube?

If it's a special fan, where did you get it? Perhaps a small muffin fan or the type used to cool computer processing chips?

Do you have a photo of the fan, positioned and in use? I'd love to see your invention (unless it's in the hands of the patent lawyers! )

JKJ, one of your biggest fans!

If i had the money I would go with one of the newer humidity sensor bathroom exhaust fans. You can set the fan speeds and what level you want the fan to kick on at with a flap that opens to not let any back draft in while not running. They would need a decent power source though at 30-60watts on 120v

 

[John Torchick]

JKJ, I would think (scary, isn't it?) that any fan would circulate the air, directed up to "Push" the moisture/air to the top. Or...a bathroom ceiling fan to pull the air up and out.

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

Hey, that's something I'd never heard about and like learn more and try! I'm trying to imaging what kind of fan and how tiny its diameter, speed, what's holding it in place. Is the piece on it's side, vertical? AC I assume, or powered by a 12v power supply to run for a few months.

Just to be clear, the fan is pulling air away from the opening? Is the fan small enough to fit inside or just rely on some outside air sneaking inside around the opening? How do you hold the fan it in place?

Or does the fan direct air down a tube inside the form and the inside pressure cause the moist air to exit around the tube?

If it's a special fan, where did you get it? Perhaps a small muffin fan or the type used to cool computer processing chips?

Do you have a photo of the fan, positioned and in use? I'd love to see your invention (unless it's in the hands of the patent lawyers! )

JKJ, one of your biggest fans!

I’m down right now with a knee replacement. When I’m able to get out to the shop I’ll post a few pics of my setup and explain how it developed to what it is today. But for now the fan is like a 3 or 4” fan sitting on its own base.

 

[John Torchick]

Ted, hang in there. Had the right knee done in December 2024. Worst was PT as some translate it as Pain and Torture. Mine wasn't too bad as some experienced. I had eight weeks two and three times a week. The PA at the orthopedic clinic said it takes about a year for bone to heal. Still get a bit of discomfort if I stand for a long time. Learned to turn sitting in a stool. Other things require standing; try to limit the time there.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have a kiln made from a student frig. Holes in top and bottom I think 1.5 inch , computer fan for circulation and a thermostat controlling the temperature. Incandescent light bulb is the heat source, think it is 60 watt. I weigh about every 3 days. Can dry a 3x3 blank to equilibrium in about 3 to 6 days.

@John K Jordan By the way the fan is only to circulate the air inside it is NOT an exhaust.

 

[John Torchick]

Did the usual search and found one from 2023 (think it was Wally Crawford) who used an old double commercial refrigerator. Know of a restaurant supply store. Might check if they had one sitting in the scrap heap. Single would fit fine in the basement.

 

[John K Jordan]

Now I just run a tiny fan to pull moisture out.

JKJ, I would think (scary, isn't it?) that any fan would circulate the air, directed up to "Push" the moisture/air to the top. Or...a bathroom ceiling fan to pull the air up and out.

Yes, easy to exhaust air from an enclosed vented space like a box or a room. But from the description of a "tiny fan to pull moisture out" I imagined it pulling moisture out of the inside of the vessel, not necessarily from the surrounding space.

I’m down right now with a knee replacement. When I’m able to get out to the shop I

Yikes, forget all of this and take good care of yourself! One family member had the second knee replaced, getting around fine now.

When discussing the upcoming surgery with our family doctor, he suggested a stationary bike did more for his quick recovery than anything. I said, good idea, I'll look for one.

That doctor is amazing - he said "don't bother, I have a spare one in my basement." That guy loaded it up in his truck, drove to our farm, and set it inside in my piano/music room. What a guy!!! And it did help a lot, at first just for the motion and no resistance, now building strength. The PTs are always saying "Motion is lotion!"



Music room is getting full! Now I need to find homes for some more instruments - a couple of spare accordions, french horn, cornet, harmonicas. I'm keeping the remaining guitars and cello (and the shop piano- everyone has one of those in the shop, right?)

JKJ

 

[John Torchick]

Yes, a stationary bike is good. Even though my surgery was over a year ago, need to dust mine off. Got mine from my wife's cousin. Bike sits on the floor and you pedal while seated. Has an adjustment for tension on the pedals. I liken it to life- you pedal like mad but get nowhere.