Brown Thumbs Walk In kiln, Flue Cure, Attempt

[grgfinney]

Damn I need a run to BrownThumbville to try some of that beautiful leaf awesome Tom

 

[Brown Thumb]

Thanks Guys.
went to wilting this morning. A mix for shure.
Some over ripe leaf is going to brown up. First pic.
Second pic of the leaf I found turns out The nicest when going to wilting.
Green in the veins and stem area.

 

[Rickey60]

It looks good to me!

 

[leverhead]

You'll have to change your handle to Yellow Thumb now! I've never had a load that came out like your last one, or hopefully like this one. Very nice work! Is there something you've figured out about flue-curing on a small scale that's different from the big scale cure story/graph? If it's a big answer, I don't want to put you on the spot. I'll hold my question for a few months.

 

[Brown Thumb]

I think it is about getting the Rh down in wilting as fast as possible and also in leaf drying.
Last year I let the temps do it with a 3 in hole and a plug to take out Rh . I got a lot of brown leaf.
this year I put a auto vent and fan and seems to have cured my problems so far.
I went to wilt with the fan running and it took over 12 hrs today to get to 55 rh. Still too long. But it is working.
The charts help and if you can follow them you will get good results
but it is a matter of feel also, timing , I am no pro but getting a feel for it.
i have no secrets, Just learning like everone else.

 

[leverhead]

I think it is about getting the Rh down in wilting as fast as possible and also in leaf drying.
Last year I let the temps do it with a 3 in hole and a plug to take out Rh . I got a lot of brown leaf.
this year I put a auto vent and fan and seems to have cured my problems so far.
I went to wilt with the fan running and it took over 12 hrs today to get to 55 rh. Still too long. But it is working.
The charts help and if you can follow them you will get good results
but it is a matter of feel also, timing , I am no pro but getting a feel for it.
i have no secrets, Just learning like everone else.

You're learning very well! With multiple varieties, the yellowing is very uniform. Are you doing a 3 leaf prime? I could be a pest with questions.

 

[DGBAMA]

I need to add airflow to my chamber. But we are on the right track now. The key seems to be removing as much moisture as possible as fast as possible, at the lowest temp after yellowing. This results in "wilting". Then there needs to be a " dwell time " in the 125-130 temp range to create the flue cured sweetness. Then finishing temp must exceed 150 to stop the natural aging enzymes, otherwise nice bright cure will turn brown in a couple months.

 

[DGBAMA]

You're learning very well! With multiple varieties, the yellowing is very uniform. Are you doing a 3 leaf prime? I could be a pest with questions.

LH, your input is valuable and priceless. I learned a lot from you. I might not have even tried a second season if were not for some of the regulars here, like you.

As curing gets hot and heavy, sure do miss the feedback of Workhorse and Fisherman too.

 

[Brown Thumb]

You're learning very well! With multiple varieties, the yellowing is very uniform. Are you doing a 3 leaf prime? I could be a pest with questions.

It is a mix of three diff. Viraties and leaf positions . I did it for chits and giggles to see if it would work. We will see of it works.

 

[Brown Thumb]

LH, your input is valuable and priceless. I learned a lot from you. I might not have even tried a second season if were not for some of the regulars here, like you.

As curing gets hot and heavy, sure do miss the feedback of Workhorse and Fisherman too.

Without you two and Workhorse and Amex , fisherman too. and everone else I forgot . I Could have never done this on my own.
Thank You Guys.

 

[leverhead]

LH, your input is valuable and priceless. I learned a lot from you. I might not have even tried a second season if were not for some of the regulars here, like you.

As curing gets hot and heavy, sure do miss the feedback of Workhorse and Fisherman too.

Than you! You put it together yourself and have done very well. I think Workhorse got a heavy dose of reality, I hope he's OK. I like to think Fisherman finished his boat and is sleeping on the "hook" tonight, somewhere down the coast. Amax has caught the boat bug, it's addictive too.

 

[leverhead]

I need to add airflow to my chamber. But we are on the right track now. The key seems to be removing as much moisture as possible as fast as possible, at the lowest temp after yellowing. This results in "wilting". Then there needs to be a " dwell time " in the 125-130 temp range to create the flue cured sweetness. Then finishing temp must exceed 150 to stop the natural aging enzymes, otherwise nice bright cure will turn brown in a couple months.

I know what you mean about airflow, but you've done pretty well with what you have. Did you weigh the leaf before hanging? Bob's Cozy Can and the old cure barns used natural draft to get it done. I got a distinct sweet/ripe fruit smell that got stronger as the leaves yellowed, the smell got weaker above 120 F, I finished at 160-165 F. The leaves picked up allot of red with age/kilning, but taste good.

 

[DGBAMA]

The volume of air per quantity of leaf I believe is a big issue for our curing chambers, compared to commercial "barns". Something we need to account for in our small scale operations.

 

[cigarchris]

Such great work BT. I've been following along since last season and this thread as well as Bob's have helped tremendously with my Cozy Can attempts. I always had the feeling that too much humidity was the cause of my brown leaf problems last year, but I was too worried about not following the steps I thought were correct. This year has been about one notch better with my first three mini-cures. The one I just started yesterday was the most uniformly ripe, and I have high expectations.

I still have another thirty years before I can retire, but I know what my plans are. Buy a place with a few acres of prime sun-drenched field, and build a cure chamber like you have here. And (hopefully) winters on a house boat in Florida mixed in there somewhere.

Thanks to all you guys for your love of the leaf and dedication to sharing your experiences!

 

[Brown Thumb]

Last week I was determined to figure out my ramping controller so the wife would not have to go over to the garage every hr when I wasent home.
I finally figured it out, it is a step ramp controller and won't do what I wanted it to. I know my wife is getting tired of doing it but has been pleasant about it. So I thought it would be nice of me to buy her a new controller.
Auber on e bay and it looks easy to program. Hopefully it comes by wed night.

 

[Rickey60]

Post a link, sounds like what I need since I can not baby sit my cure chamber all the time. I always have to leave when it is a critical time to change temps.

 

[Brown Thumb]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PID-TEMPERA...ultDomain_0&hash=item2ea91f693f#ht_1818wt_900

Here you go.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Ramp Soak Program for the Auber 2342.
This is the curing schedule I have been using this yr. with good luck.
You have to use Your Own Judgement when to advance to the next step and try not to let the controller do it for you. If it is still green when yellowing you can put it on hold until it is yellow.
I do not use the temps I am posting due to my kiln temps over shoot by 5 degrees. Mine are set 3 degrees lower.
Also set the auto tuning to 0 or it will drive you Nuts. At=0
I am not to be Held Responsible For Brown or Green Baccy.

C01= 75 T01= 240 This step is to slowely bring the baccy up to temp.
C02=100 T02=2880
C03=100 T03=1080
C04=118 T04=240
C05=118 T05=720
C06=135 T06=720
C07=135 T07=720
C08=165 T08=1440
C09=165 T09= -121 To turn off controller.
This pic should give you the idea of what is going on, If you never programmed one.
Im not too good at it Myself.

 

[Rickey60]

Thanks for the information. This looks good. I'm sure the hold function will be valuable. After a few runs we can fine tune.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Why not to mix Baccy. But for the most part we have no choice.
Top rows are Bright Leaf. It has been 48 hrs and they ready for Wilt.
Bottom rows are hickory prior and far from ready to wilt. I will wait for another 12 hrs. Before going to wilt And hope not to degrade the bright leaf.