Do-it-yourself vacuum wood dryer drawings. Drying chamber for lumber (diagrams, videos and DIY creation)

The drying process is the initial moment in the entire preparation of the semi-finished product (wood) before processing.

Drying chamber for lumber and wood - perfect solution task, you can do it yourself. In order to avoid deformation of the logs, drying is carried out in specialized conditions, which are carried out exclusively in a drying apparatus.

What is drying for?

For a long time, when making any crafts from wood, timber was used, cut down several years earlier. Products made from wet or dry boards will warp or become covered with numerous cracks.

When the tree dries up, it shrinks, the raw wood material will "behave" over time, huge wide cracks will form in the frame. In underdried semi-finished products, fungus is likely to start. But it is also not advisable to dry out the tree, because it will begin to absorb water, which will lead to swelling.

What are the modes of drying chambers?

There is whole list modes of drying wood materials. In the built with my own hands machines, the mode from lowest to highest changes gradually, extracting all excess water from the semi-finished product. The drying process is carried out based on the following material characteristics:

• wood species;
• overall dimensions of the semi-finished product;
• finishing and starting humidity levels;
• unit specifics;
• quality indicators of lumber.

Drying can be performed at high temperature or low temperature. The second case is notable for the fact that primary drying is performed at a mode that does not reach 100 ° C.

Low temperature conditions can be as follows:

• soft - after completion of drying, semi-finished products have their original properties, without changing their strength and color;
• moderate - the color changes slightly, strength characteristics decrease slightly;
• accelerated - in the process of subsequent processing (breaking, sawing, cutting), increased fragility is possible, the color fades.

Change temperature regime in low-temperature processing, it is performed in three stages.

High temperature processing is carried out in two stages. The second stage begins when the moisture level of the semi-finished product drops to 15%. Such technological process used if necessary for further design of secondary structures.

The main types of drying chambers

Drying of semi-finished wood products in industrial volumes is carried out in specialized dryers. Moisture is removed from the wood due to heated air, which subsequently escapes into the atmosphere. The device provides the passage of a full cycle of drying sawn timber. The machine body can be:

• solid / prefabricated metal;
• made with building materials.

The latter are mounted directly in carpentry workshops in the form of a structure, or as free-standing ones. Walls are made using reinforcement and concrete mortar... Alternatively, bricks can be used. Large factories make a system of cameras, combining them into whole modules with centralized control of control and supply of communications. The air moves inside the dryer horizontally or vertically transversely.

Heat sources in the dryer:

• a radiant source from specialized units;
• red-hot shelves;
• electric current that passes through raw semi-finished products;
• high-frequency electromagnetic field.

Cameras are equipped with the main and auxiliary equipment... Basic systems:

• supply and exhaust equipment;
• heat sources;
• humidifiers.

According to the principle of operation, drying machines are divided into:

• convective equipment;
• condensing equipment.

In convective machines, semi-finished products are "doused" with hot air waves, heat is directed by the convection method. Transit time full cycle varies from 5 to 13 hours. Such units are installed at large-scale sawmills.

Chamber-type dryers are more compact, the entire volume is kept constant temperature and the environment as a whole. This type of dryers will allow you to dry any type of wood material to the required condition, which is why many entrepreneurs who are associated with the need to dry lumber choose chamber dryers.

Based on the technology of the drying process, the moisture that is released from the wood settles on the cooling elements, is sent to containers and then drained. The efficiency of such a unit is quite impressive, but time-consuming, leads to large heat losses. Price policy machines and the profitability of condensation drying is lower than convective drying.

Drawing

Drying chamber for lumber: step by step instructions

To build a drying apparatus with your own hands, you do not need to use technical documentation... You just need to provide:

• the area where the camera will be installed;
• insulation materials;
• source and communications for creating heat;
• blowing.

The area of ​​a personally built car, as a rule, is no more than 10 square meters... A room with a square cross-section is more suitable for ensuring the movement of warm air currents. It is preferable that at least one of the walls of the equipment is concrete, others are allowed to be made of wood. Inside the chamber in mandatory lends itself to insulation. An excellent insulation material is wood shavings. If there is no foil at hand, then it is allowed to replace it with penofol.

A separate extension for the dryer can be constructed from aluminum sheets, such a structure will serve very long time... The base is made on the basis of profiles, it is covered with sheets of metal, which is then insulated. The thickness of the insulation must be at least 150 mm. The floor is covered with roofing material, a thick layer of shavings is poured over it, which will be excellent in the quality of heat saving.

The heat source can be supplied as a heating pipe system. The temperature of the liquid in the pipes should be at the level of 60 ... 90 ° C. For an oversized camera, it will be quite acceptable to have a stove for two burners. If the source is located directly in the room, it must be overlaid with bricks. The bricks are excellent at collecting heat and directing it to the lumber dryer.

Continuous circulation of the liquid is important, which is provided by a compressor or an entire station. The room must be equipped with wet and dry thermometers.

For more convenient loading of semi-finished products into the chamber cavity, you can use a rail cart.

Video: do-it-yourself lumber drying chamber.

The vacuum dryer is another modern invention that allows you to quickly and efficiently dry wood. But the scope of its application is not as wide as that of an infrared dryer. Let's take a closer look at the properties of both devices.

One of the properties of wood is hygroscopicity, the ability to absorb moisture. Freshly felled wood is saturated with moisture, and raw wood is not suitable for making furniture and crafting building structures... It is highly susceptible to biological damage, warping and cracking.

For further use, freshly cut sawn timber must be dried. Natural drying is a long process, therefore equipment was invented to speed up the drying of wood.

Different dryers differ from each other in principle of operation and performance. You can choose the optimal equipment for specific operating conditions by comparing them. In this article, we will focus on infrared and vacuum dryers, we will figure out how they work, how much lumber and how long they can dry, how much energy they consume, and what their market price is.

Principle of operation

IR dryers produce infrared rays, which, by heating the wood, dry it to the required moisture level. These rays are of the same nature as visible light... They pass unhindered through the air. Nitrogen and oxygen molecules do not absorb infrared radiation, so all the energy is directed to heating wood, not air.

This drying method does not imply the use of a coolant, which eliminates the need to monitor its performance and equip equipment with sophisticated automation.

Infrared heat acts gently on the wood without causing strong internal stresses and warpage.

Vacuum dryers the market offers two main types: with cyclic and contact heating of the material. The principle of operation of the former is based on convective heating of wood and vacuum removal of excess moisture. Working temperature usually does not exceed 65 ° C, but a pressure of 0.09 MPa causes moisture to boil even at 45.5 ° C. The vacuum allows the lumber to dry without being exposed to high temperatures, so the wood does not crack. During drying, when the temperature reaches 65 ° C, the boiler automatically shuts down. The surface of the wood begins to cool down, and moisture from the inside flows to drier areas. During the entire drying period, shutdown and restarting occurs many times, while the moisture is drawn out evenly.

In contact dryers, heat is transferred to the material by means of thermosetting plates that are stacked. The plates are heated either with water or electricity.

Appearance

Infrared dryer is a set of thin thermoactive cassettes that are stacked in a pile of sawn timber in a certain sequence and connected to a power source. The stack, prepared for drying, is covered with a material with a reflective layer so that the condensate can drain off the outside of the stack. The drying process is controlled by a thermostat, which is responsible for maintaining the set temperature. The equipment is compact and convenient to use; if necessary, it can be easily transported from place to place in the trunk of a car


Vacuum Dryer is a sealed chamber made of of stainless steel, made in the form of a cylinder or parallelepiped. The chamber of the first type is tightly closed with a door, the second is covered with a rubber membrane in a metal frame.

In dryers with contact heating, the boards are laid inside the chamber in layers, alternating with heating plates. When used as a heating agent hot water, its circulation in the plates is provided by a water pump. The water is heated by a boiler, and the vacuum is created by a liquid vacuum pump.

In cylindrical chambers of large volume, material is loaded along a rail track, which is mounted inside and outside.

Size and weight

Convenience infrared dryers are their small size and weight. One thermoactive cassette has a size of 1230x650x1.5 mm, that is, it is a thin plate small area... The weight of the cassette is 5.7 kg. A standard set for drying 1 m³ of sawn timber includes 12 cassettes with a total weight of 69 kg. With crate, control panel and cabling, the weight of the equipment does not exceed 130 kg. Its transportation does not require the use of special equipment.


Vacuum press dryer even with a small load volume has a significant larger size and weight. Thus, the unit in the form of a parallelepiped with a loading volume of 4 m³ has dimensions of 4800x1700x2005 mm and weighs 2300 kg without aluminum plates. The size of the heating plate is 4000 × 1400 mm. To transport such equipment, you will need a rail or road container.

Autonomy of work

IR dryer works completely offline. Having installed and connected the equipment correctly, there is no need to make additional control of the operating parameters. You only need to set the drying mode, based on the quality of the source material, and in the future, the thermostat will monitor the maintenance of the set temperature.

Drying process in vacuum chamber is also automated, but in this case more complex automation is used, since it is necessary to monitor the parameters of the coolant (if any) and pressure. In some types of dryers, the process can be carried out manually. Most models provide an indication of an emergency state, which is activated when the temperature is exceeded, the degree of vacuum decreases, the parameters of the coolant change, etc.

Drying time

Drying time depends on the wood used and its initial moisture level. Drying process pine board up to 8% moisture using infrared equipment can last from 3 to 7 days. The thinner the boards, the faster they dry.

V different types vacuum dryers the timing is slightly different, but on average, the drying time of a pine board with an initial moisture content of 50% to a final moisture content of 8% lasts 16-18 hours.

Loading volume

IR cassettes can be used to dry any amount of lumber.

Vacuum chambers are offered with different loading volumes: from 4 to 20 m³.

Power supply

Infrared cassettes connected through the control panel to the 220 V network, the voltage of 380V is also suitable.

Vacuum chambers require connection to a power supply with a voltage of 380 V.

Power and electricity consumption

Maximum power infrared dryer - 3.3 kW / m³. During the drying of 1 m³ of sawn timber, from 200 to 400 kWh of electricity is consumed.

Average power consumption vacuum chambers is 15-37 kW. Unfortunately, there are often cameras on the market with truly fantastic energy costs - from 50 kW / m³.

Price

Price is a powerful argument when purchasing equipment.

Prices IR dryers FlexiHIT is very accessible:

• a set for drying 1 m³ of a three-meter board - 59 288 rubles;
• a set for drying 1 m³ of a four-meter board - 69,329 rubles;
• a set for drying 1 m³ of a six-meter board - 70,007 rubles.

Prices vacuum chambers domestic production fluctuate within 500 thousand - 1.5 million rubles, imported equipment costs 3-4 times more.

conclusions

IR dryers easy to use, can be used in production and in everyday life, suitable for drying any volume of lumber and have an affordable price.

In vacuum chambers wood dries quickly and evenly, does not deform and even evens out, its color remains unchanged. But due to their high cost and high energy consumption, it is advisable to use them mainly for drying expensive wood species.

Vacuum drying is a treatment various materials which is on this moment has become very popular in many directions. This type of processing is used in food, industrial and similar industries that need equipment to carry out such processes.

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If we talk about the industry where vacuum drying has become an integral part, then, of course, this is the furniture industry, where the creation of high-quality furniture cannot take place without such a process. This type of processing is used in the furniture industry during the primary processing of wood. After going through the process vacuum drying, the tree takes on its own characteristic properties... Firstly, it becomes better quality, secondly, it is more practical and, most importantly, furniture made of such wood looks just incredibly beautiful. In other industries, vacuum drying has a completely different working principle. In addition to the furniture industry, this process is also very popular in Food Industry, but there the principle of operation is completely different. Vacuum drying is a laborious process that has great amount nuances that you should never forget about:

1. The first point is the presence a large number quality equipment, which is an integral part of such a process.
2. The second point is high performance indicators of equipment, without which it will be quite problematic to achieve high efficiency results.
3. The third point is the place where the vacuum drying process will take place. In order for everything to happen efficiently, you need to have a place that will meet the norms of humidity, air, light and similar criteria, which play a huge role in this matter.

The cost of vacuum drying is a rather controversial issue, and it is very problematic to give an exact answer to it. The price of such a process directly depends on many factors, ranging from the material that will be processed and ending with the vacuum equipment in which this process will take place. An equally important aspect is also the time it takes you to do the vacuum drying process. All this plays a certain role, which is why the price of such a process can be completely different. All these aspects play an important role, which means that in any case they must be taken into account if you want to get a specific answer to what the result of vacuum drying will be afterwards.

Vacuum drying technology

Vacuum drying technology also boasts big amount interesting moments... Now we will try to disassemble the principle of vacuum drying, taking wood processing as an example, since it is this material that most often lends itself to vacuum drying.

We have already said that before creating furniture, the tree must necessarily go through a vacuum drying process, which will remove all excess liquid from it and significantly reduce the size of the tree. Main vacuum drying processes:

• Removal of excess liquid from wood by evaporation method
• Water circulation through wood

First, there is circulation in the system, as this process takes much longer. The speed of wood processing by the vacuum drying method directly depends on the speed of water circulation in the wood. The main part the process of vacuum drying is the complete drying of wood, and this is done so that the wood loses its extra dimensions and has only its own mass, which will later be used when creating furniture. It's no secret that in this industry there is a rule that states that before creating wood products, its surface must be completely free of wood. Since only in this case, it will be possible to extract moisture from the core of the tree, which will be released by circulation. But it is worth noting that in addition to vacuum drying of wood, this technology is also actively used in other areas, which we will now tell you about:

• Vacuum drying of meat
• Vacuum Cheese Drying
• Vacuum drying of powders
• Vacuum drying of liquid viscous products
• Vacuum Milk Drying

This is just a part of the list of areas where the vacuum drying process is actively used. This technology has already gained immense popularity, which is only increasing every day. This technology is really unique, which is why it began to be used in many enterprises, which now simply cannot fully function without this process. This means that there is a possibility that vacuum drying will continue to spread. Perhaps soon this process will be applied in all areas, without exception, providing an opportunity to increase productivity for many enterprises.

Vacuum drying chambers

Vacuum drying chambers are mechanisms that are designed to carry out a huge number of labor-intensive tasks. We have already talked about how useful the vacuum drying process is. As for the chambers for vacuum drying, this is something without which such a process simply cannot be carried out. Vacuum drying chambers in this regard play just a huge role and without them, you can completely forget about some performance indicators.

The price segment of vacuum chambers for drying at the moment is far from the lowest. If you wish, you can find already supported installations, which will be quite average in terms of price. But it is best to buy new installations, as only they can provide you with all possible quality guarantees. On modern market you can see a huge number of types of vacuum drying chambers, which can have completely different purposes. All these cameras have their own functional features, as they are used in a specific industry. Now we will consider the main types of drying chambers:

• Vacuum drying oven
• Vacuum chamber for drying fruits
• Drying chamber for drying food
• Drying chamber for wood

The principle of operation of each camera is individual, as it is designed to work in a particular industry. But in any case, we can say that such equipment at the moment is really very effective.

Vacuum Freeze Drying

Freeze drying is a process that relies on the constant sublimation of ice crystals in frozen products. Such a process, in a short period of time, produces high-quality dehydration of products, and it does it really well.

The important point is that dehydration does not in any way affect Chemical properties products that remain useful in the future. In addition, vitamin activity remains in the same form, chemical composition and anatomical structure. Vacuum freeze drying consists of three key steps:

• Primary freezing of the product
• Sublimation of ice without the presence of heat inside the system
• Final drying in special. heated chamber

Based on this, we can conclude that the efficiency of freeze drying is on high level and this process is really worth the money invested.

Vacuum drying of wood

In the previous sections, we took this type of drying as an example. As a result, we came to the conclusion that given type processing is very effective, but it also has a certain number of nuances that are also worth paying attention to.

The vacuum drying process can be effective only if the environment in which it takes place fully complies with all standards of humidity, temperature, light and similar aspects. The cost of vacuum drying at the moment fluctuates within the middle price segment. If you wish, you can find a place where such a process will cost you a few pennies at all, but in this case, you will not receive any guarantees of quality. It is best to overpay a little, but in the end you will get a high-quality work result that can be used in the future in the production of reliable and beautiful furniture.

Any lumber is obtained by longitudinal sawing of a log. As a result, bars, slats, boards of various thicknesses necessary for construction and repair are obtained. Only dry lumber is used in construction. They have higher quality indicators. For drying wood at home, a special do-it-yourself lumber dryer can be equipped. The construction process of this structure will take a lot of time. But as a result House master will always be provided with quality material for various works.

The quality of the timber depends on how dry the wood is. The moisture content of the timber should be 12%.

Dryer construction

Construction of the simplest do-it-yourself dryer for drying small volumes of wood in natural conditions consists of several stages:

1. It is necessary to select and prepare an area for placing the building. You can build a dryer at the house land plot... Suitable for building a small dryer flat roof... The floor can be made of several layers of roofing material, sprinkled with sawdust.
2. The wood to be dried is stacked in a stack no more than 120 cm wide. Optimal size along its width - 80 cm. The stacking height is 50-70 cm. Separate layers of boards or beams are laid with slats at least 2 cm thick. It is recommended to lay the stack across the air flows in this area.
3. Protection against rain and snow is created. Dry stacks are stacked on the top row wooden beams with a section of approximately 50x50 mm. Iron is placed on them, which is pressed with the same beams.

In such a dryer, the material is blown with air, the moisture gradually evaporates, and the moisture level decreases.

Drying chamber

The wood is dried most effectively in a special drying chamber. In it you can set automatic systems, which control the whole process of drying wood of specific species. At the exit, the lumber will have a predetermined moisture level. You can also build such a camera with your own hands. But this construction will cost a lot of money. For construction you will need:

• aluminum profile;
• sheet metal;
• material for thermal insulation;
• waterproofing film;
• sawdust;
• heat construction gun.

Construction is carried out in the following order:

1. You should start with the construction of any type of foundation. It can be piled, tape. For its construction, you can use brick, concrete, metal pipes and other materials. It all depends on the size of the chamber.
2. A frame is built on the foundation. The best way to do this is to use aluminum profile... It is assembled with bolts and nuts. Other methods of connecting the frame elements are possible.
3. The finished frame is sheathed with aluminum or steel sheets... They are fastened with self-tapping screws, bolts, welding. Walls can be made of bricks, concrete, and other materials.
4. Thermal insulation is arranged from mineral wool 10-15 cm thick.
5. The floor is covered waterproofing film and sawdust.
6. For stacking piles of lumber, supports are prepared from bars in the form of a kind of well. This is done in order to raise the bottom row of the stack above the floor level.
7. The timber, prepared for drying, is stacked through wooden spacers. Air must flow freely between the rows of boards. The stack height is limited only by the ceiling height.
8. For forced circulation of heated air, fan heaters or other heating devices are installed. The air flow should be directed across the planks in the stack. This contributes to a more efficient drying process.

Dryer inside the house

A small number of boards can be dried inside the house or summer cottage. The dryer is arranged like this:

1. You need to choose a room that has a fireplace or stove. Can be used electric fireplaces and ovens.
2. The room is separated from the rest of the house by partitions. Tight-closing doors are installed. A vent may be needed for ventilation. All cracks must be sealed, since extraneous air currents and drafts negatively affect the quality of the dried material. It is also recommended to insulate the walls. On top of the insulation, they can be faced with bricks, which well maintains heat from the stove and from electrical heating devices. For forced circulation warm air install fans.
3. Raw sawn timber is stacked on specially made sturdy metal shelves.

Check the moisture level of the material before drying. This is done using a moisture meter. High humidity causes early wear and tear of buildings, the appearance of mold and mildew. Overdried wood deforms due to moisture absorption and swelling. Drying of wood is usually carried out to a moisture level of about 8-12%. So that it does not crack, experts recommend treating the ends of the boards with a mixture of drying oil and sifted chalk. In its consistency, the mixture resembles thick sour cream.

Lumber can be dried with or without bark. You just need to remember that birch, aspen, poplar and beech in the bark can be affected by rot. In general, the drying process can take up to 2 weeks. During this time, temperature changes in the dryer must not be allowed. There must be a fire extinguisher in the dryer room. This is required by safety rules.

Drying chamber operating modes

The camera must not be immediately heated to a high temperature. In normal mode, it works like this:

1. Within 15-20 hours, the air in the chamber heats up to about 45 ° C. The ventilation system is not working yet. Moisture should appear on the walls of the cell.
2. When the temperature reaches 45 ° C, open the supply air and exhaust system ventilation. In about 2 days, the temperature rises to 50 ° C.
3. The dampers must be fully opened and the temperature brought up to 55 ° C. This is usually sufficient for a normal drying process. As soon as the humidity reaches about 8%, all dampers must be completely closed, turn off the heat supply. The fans continue to run for another day. After the temperature drops to 40 ° C, you should get dry lumber, ready to use.

Optional equipment

As additional equipment automatic equipment can be installed in the drying chamber. Its properties:

• the system is capable of working with cameras different sizes and with different heat sources;
• is relatively cheap;
• does not require special knowledge to service it;
• easy to install;
• measures the temperature and humidity in the chamber;
• provides a fully automatic or semi-automatic mode of operation of the drying chamber;
• automatically controls the operation of valves, dampers and fans.

For the system to work, it is enough to set the thickness and species of sawn timber, the desired final moisture content. The system helps to dry various types of wood: pine, spruce, oak, birch, beech, linden, ash, maple, alder, hornbeam, poplar, aspen, sycamore. Every 2 hours, the automation takes readings of humidity and temperature and makes the necessary adjustments to the operation of all air heating and ventilation systems. approximate cost such a system ranges from $ 400-450.

Building a dryer with your own hands is quite troublesome and expensive.

But the result covers all costs. This is especially important for those who are engaged in the manufacture wooden products like furniture and wood carvings. Dry wood is several times more expensive than raw wood. In addition, in your own dryer you can achieve a certain moisture content of the workpieces. Everything can be done independently with a strong desire and the availability of a suitable place.

There are more advantages to this method. The use of vacuum drying allows you to avoid the destruction of lumber, their cracking, warping or other possible defects... In this case, a piece of wood will dry out evenly, regardless of its thickness and length. This will take relatively less time, because the evaporation of moisture from a tree in a rarefied environment occurs very quickly.

The equipment required for this is easy to transport and install, so that it can be used in a variety of places, even directly at the felling of a forest.

However, vacuum drying technology is expensive, which is why small businesses and households can almost never afford it. Despite the small volume of the chambers (up to 10 cubic meters), the device consumes a lot of electricity. Perhaps, this is limited to its shortcomings.

Professional drying

The body of a professional wood drying chamber is made of stainless steel. For complete sealing, its top is covered with elastic rubber, framed in metal. Sensors are installed inside to measure humidity.

The specialist controls the camera from the outside - the equipment necessary for this is placed in a separate vestibule. It is imperative to have a vacuum pump, the power of which will be enough to pump out air and accumulated condensate.

For warming up are used aluminum radiators(in the form of plates) with water, which is heated by means of a boiler outside the chamber. Due to the lack of complex elements, it is easy to operate such a machine.

Temperature and vacuum sensors are used to control the process. If something goes wrong, the specialist will track it according to the readings on the monitor.

But professional equipment is expensive - you will have to pay an amount of 3 million rubles or more for a medium-sized camera. But it copes with damp wood in just two weeks, while with natural drying, wood dries for years.

The specific drying time depends on the type and condition of the wood:

• boards made of freshly cut oak will dry for about a month, and fresh logs and thin cut - 15 days;
• wet (30%) oak boards dry from 16 days, but in a thin version (25 mm) - a little more than a week;
• boards made of freshly cut pine dry for 8 days, and less moisture (30%) - only 6 days;
• construction timber with dimensions less than 150 x 200 mm and humidity of 65% will dry in 12 days, but thick types (200 x 300 mm) - about 21 days.

Times also vary due to differences in instrument settings for different breeds. Some breeds are hardy, while others should be handled sparingly, gradually, slowly.

Vacuum dryer operation

Vacuum drying of wood is divided into several stages. First, the wood is loaded into the chamber. In this case, the lumber is placed in layers between the aluminum plates for heating. The specialist adjusts the drying parameters (temperature and pressure). This is required to work with different breeds tree, after which you can turn on the device. During drying, the pressure is kept at the same level, but the temperature can change.

Note! Normal pressure is used during the warm-up phase, the vacuum pump is off. This is to prevent defects from occurring.

When the wood is heated to the required temperature, turn on the vacuum pump. It removes air from the drying chamber, thereby creating the right pressure... The moisture in the wood moves from the center to the outer layers. Since this moistens the material, no additional products are required. Even distribution moisture saves wood from damage.

The moisture released to the surface of the material evaporates due to the high temperature, settles on the walls of the case and is removed by the pump.

The vacuum environment accelerates this process, because evaporation begins already at a temperature of 40 degrees - this would not have happened at normal pressure. The air surrounding the wood is never heated to a temperature of more than 70 degrees. When pumping out, the upper rubber coating of the chamber is pulled inward and presses on the boards, creating a kind of press.

The final stage is conditioning. It is used only after the wood has reached the required moisture content. The heating is stopped, but the vacuum pump is not turned off. The wood gradually cools down, while continuing to be under pressure, which is necessary to prevent changes in the shape of the material. When the temperature reaches room temperature, the pump is turned off and the wood is removed from the device.

Do-it-yourself room equipment

A do-it-yourself vacuum wood dryer is cheaper than buying a professional device. To do this, you need to select the camera and equip it with a heat source and a fan.

The use of inexpensive heat ventilation instead of a powerful pump is the main point of savings. Therefore, it is better to install the unit in spacious room... It must be ventilated so that the air inside the enclosure can be constantly renewed, covered and dry enough, otherwise the tree can become infected with mold or other diseases.

Camera

Most a good option housings for - iron conveyor. It is cheaper to use the used one (they are actively used on railroad), but you have to worry about its purity.

A container for sea transportation is suitable for the case, you just need to look for a more sealed model. You can also use old scrap metal and weld the camera yourself. This is the most economical option.

To preserve the internal heat, the walls must be insulated with foam and trimmed with clapboard. It is better to purchase a special insulation material for reflection, but you can use foil or foam foam, while the second option is preferable.

Equipment

When the chamber is ready, proceed to the assembly and installation of the heating device and the vacuum pump. Heating system dryers must be installed separately from the general heating circuit, because it must function stably and independently. A radiator is selected that can heat water up to 65-90 degrees.

Important! To distribute the heat evenly during drying, you will need to install a fan.

This is a mandatory step, as uneven heating spoils the quality of the wood. Dryers pay great attention to fire safety in self-construction.

To facilitate the loading of the tree, a loading system is needed. So, you can use carts on rails or a forklift. Raw materials can be dried both on the shelves and directly on the floor. If the safety of wood is important, then it is necessary to install temperature sensors, which will help control the process. This is especially important for expensive wood species. If the structure is built correctly, then the temperature in the chamber will change evenly.