Solar Lumber Drier - Part 3
#11
I finished the framing by adding the purlins between the front rafters to support the plastic glazing, adding a couple of collar ties inside, and framing for the intake and exhaust air vents.  With that done I wrapped the building in housewrap and then started adding the plastic glazing.  That went up surprisingly easily.  After I got the support strips screwed to the purlins it was just a matter of drilling 1/4" holes at the top of every other rib and carefully driving a self sealing washer head screw; not too tight, not too loose.  

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I ended up buying Suntuf corrugated glazing rather than the Tuftex or Lexan multiwall I had planned to use.  One reason was because I would have had to wait 10 days to get it.  The other reason was because I still would have to put something on the inside of the rafters to smooth the airflow from the fans.  W/o some smooth covering over the purlins there would be a lot of turbulence and poor airflow.  So once I realized that I decided to use the cheap, single wall glazing.  I'll add a layer of 6 mil clear plastic on the inside of the rafters/purlins to smooth the airflow and provide insulation.   

We have been having a dry spell for about a week and I didn't want to push my luck, so I focused on getting the building somewhat weather tight as quickly as possible. So I put the sheathing on the back section of roof next and some tar paper on it, which I extended over the peak and down over the glazing for now.  With that done I started sheathing the walls with LP Smartside panels.   It's pretty nice stuff.  For the most part it's just OSB, but the front has an embossed wood grain pattern and it is already primed/painted so it can take some weather and won't suck up near as much paint as T-111 when I do paint it.  I nailed it on (Yeah, even I use nails sometimes.) with 1-3/4" ring shank galvanized shake nails.  I screwed a temporary ledger board to the floor framing and then just sat the cut to size sheets on it.  The only tricky part was cutting the sheets to fit around the rear roof rafters.  Where the doors are I nailed on a full width piece of siding, then used a piloted router bit to cut out the door panels.  I'll use those panels for the doors.   And, following the directions, I primed every cut edge as I put up the panels.  






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There's just one small piece of siding to be added and then the trim boards so I can put the shingles on the roof.  Good thing, too, because it's raining today and showers are forecast for the next couple of days.  

I decided to go with roofing shingles instead of metal roofing.  It's just a lot simpler and easier for someone who's never used metal roofing.  Plus I have a friend who does shingled roofs, he did my shed roof last year, and he volunteered to do this one, too.  Even I could do this one just leaning over the step ladder except for the peak, so I'll happily let him do it. 


Even w/o insulation or doors it's hot inside the drier when the sun shines.  I can see how this things work.   

John
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#12
Nice progress so far...
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#13
Pretty darn nice John. That should do a good job of drying lumber quickly.
Thanks,  Curt
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#14
Nice job as always, John!

Doug
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#15
I really hate to tell you this John but I was on your wife's facebook page and she was talking about the new greenhouse her husband was building for her!  
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Big Grin  Seriously, that looks great.  Anxious to see how it works out.

Lonnie
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#16
(08-07-2019, 06:00 PM)Mr Eddie Wrote: I really hate to tell you this John but I was on your wife's facebook page and she was talking about the new greenhouse her husband was building for her!  
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Big Grin 


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#17
How wide are your man doors John?
Are you going to have a ramp there to walk up? That might get to be tiring having to step up with every board.
Or maybe you'll shove 10 boards in then sticker and stack?
Steve

Mo.



I miss the days of using my dinghy with a girlfriend too. Zack Butler-4/18/24


 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#18
(08-07-2019, 07:10 PM)Stwood_ Wrote: How wide are your man doors John?
Are you going to have a ramp there to walk up? That might get to be tiring having to step up with every board.
Or maybe you'll shove 10 boards in then sticker and stack?

The doors will be about 35" wide when finished.  I haven't decided yet on what to do about the step.  You're right that it will get tiring stepping up that high a hundred times or more to load the drier.  Having a helper would make it a lot easier, and I'll definitely need help to load some big slabs I cut last Fall.  I've been thinking about some concrete blocks under each door as a step, but haven't really decided.  I figure it will tell me what's best after I start loading it the first time.  

My wife and I did talk about it making a pretty nice greenhouse after my wood drying exploits have run their course.  So that's not out of the question - in due time.  

John
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#19
Hmmmm. Maybe a fold-down shelf on the back wall for plant start containers.
Steve

Mo.



I miss the days of using my dinghy with a girlfriend too. Zack Butler-4/18/24


 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#20
(08-08-2019, 08:17 AM)jteneyck Wrote: The doors will be about 35" wide when finished.  I haven't decided yet on what to do about the step.  You're right that it will get tiring stepping up that high a hundred times or more to load the drier.  Having a helper would make it a lot easier, and I'll definitely need help to load some big slabs I cut last Fall.  I've been thinking about some concrete blocks under each door as a step, but haven't really decided.  I figure it will tell me what's best after I start loading it the first time.  

My wife and I did talk about it making a pretty nice greenhouse after my wood drying exploits have run their course.  So that's not out of the question - in due time.  

John

If there is room, maybe consider a ramp?
If you are going down a river at 2 mph and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to shingle your roof?

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