Maybe a silly question, but.... does/has anyone put a fan on their stack to speed up the drying process? I have a section of locust that I think will be dry by winter, but I would like to be sure.
I didn't do this but was recommended if you had wood that was flat and was in the rain before bringing it in. I tried putting wood in my garage with mixed results, should have put a fan on it to jist wick the moisture off but it really didn't matter as the wood is dry now for the most part. The bigger issue is to make sure that you aren't putting wood that is wet under an enclosed place without some form of airflow, must be adequate. I made a poor decision in keeping wood in the garage that was pre-rained on. It was flat boards, large lumber, untreated. So the water just soaked then rain never reallt stopped, until it did it was already too late, mold had formed.
I wouldnt bother with a fan as that will cost you power. If you dont think it will be dry enough for when you need to use it why not try a solar kiln? Ive never done one but Im sure if you do a search on this site you will find numerous references on how to make one. The other option is to split it on the smallish side and stack it off the ground in a single row loose stack where it gets lots of sun and wind. Dont store wood that isnt dry inside a structure especially if you need to use it this winter. With summer barely getting started you have some good summer drying months ahead. Im assuming this isnt green and has had some time to dry already somewhat?
Its got me interested because I have a pile of locust same as him. Its been up to me making my splits small not only to dry it faster but to initiate a better burn as well. In iowa though, the humidity is something else. Sweltering almost. So the solar oven is a great option to build, just needs that optimal airflow and maybe not such a large fan is needed?
Solar kiln all the way. Or if you have a shed or small space fire up a torpedo heater and let it cook in there for about 4 to 6 hours then vent. 30 magazine clip on my ghost gun
A solar kiln should not be "vented". The idea is to trap the heat in to get the most out of the heat. You will need small drains at the bottom to let the water out. The moisture will condensate on the plastic and run down to the bottom. Mostly at night when the outside air temp is cooler than the inside of the kiln.
Ah thank you for clarification! I was thinking of just one that would be plastic sheeting over a frame with small air holes.
