Boboro
Well-Known Member
Now that we have leaf hang'in, in boxes and jars. mabey we could follow what we do with them. to make it smoke,able. Grow'ins jast part of it. Its all about how you process it. I want to know what ya'll doin with it.
Our 2012 leaf blog
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One day I need to build a kiln. As it is now I color cure then let father time take over
BarG
Founding Member
I got my thermostat for my kiln this evening, will try to set it up tomorrow.
My kiln is an old gutted freezer with a thermostat, fan and crock pot. It runs at 130°F +0-4°. The fan is a bit over sized (an old tabletop HEPA fan) but it was free.
John
John
My kiln is a bar fridge with a 12v computer fan. I shred and store the shred in the bags I got from Don. I can kiln 10 lbs of shred at a time. I keep it set at low = 110, High = 120 & RH = 75 . Like John mine has a plus\minus of a few degrees Russ
Boboro
Well-Known Member
I have a old up right frezzer with a computter fan crock pot and I replaed the 100 watt with a 150 watt bulb for midrib dry'in. I like the 150 watt and think I will use it for cur'in.
BarG
Founding Member
I cleaned out the fridge section of an old ref-freezer w/ the freezer on top to use for mine. It was in my shop for storage. I'll set it up soon, I figured its more important to get my tobacco out of the elements as soon as its cured as a first priority, plus Im still visualizing on how to set it up.
BarG, I've seen at least one pic on this site where a member took an old over/under and cut away the roof/floor section to increase his capacity. Can't find the pic right now. It seems to be all plastic and foam so it shouldn't be that hard to do. You have the tools and skills.
John
BarG
Founding Member
John
I'll try just the lower fridge section first since I'll just be using the crockpot for the heat and humidity with no fan. I will make a hole in low bottom for air intake and a regulated hole at top for a bit of air flow i suppose. I plugged in the crockpot without the thermo. and it soared to 150 deg. in a short time. I will experiment and ask or call for any help with the set up.
I can't wait to try some kilned filler as I have never tried any homegrown.
If all goes well I'll cut a substanstial hole between the 2 and expand the capacity.
Tim
I'll try just the lower fridge section first since I'll just be using the crockpot for the heat and humidity with no fan. I will make a hole in low bottom for air intake and a regulated hole at top for a bit of air flow i suppose. I plugged in the crockpot without the thermo. and it soared to 150 deg. in a short time. I will experiment and ask or call for any help with the set up.
I can't wait to try some kilned filler as I have never tried any homegrown.
If all goes well I'll cut a substanstial hole between the 2 and expand the capacity.
Tim
BarG
Founding Member
John, you said you pack a lot of leaf at a time when kilning?
My leaf in the kiln is all in hands. they all hang from hooks and are not packed tight. I have an over sized fan sitting in the bottom and try to arrange the hands so air can circulate. I'll try to remember to get a pic tomorrow.
John
BarG
Founding Member
That would be cool to see a pic.
My experience has been that leaf in a kiln needs only humidity and heat, but not air circulation. I have successfully kilned leaf that is pressed tightly into "books", and enclosed within unzipped Zip Lock freezer bags, and closely fitted into the kiln. Whether the temp and humidity cycle, or stay perfectly steady seems to make little difference, so long as the temp and humidity swing into the proper range at least intermittently.
I suspect that absolutely precise control of temp and humidity (perhaps aided by fan circulation) will allow the production of more consistent (i.e. non-varying, factory reproducible) final product, a feature that is of little concern to me.
Bob
I suspect that absolutely precise control of temp and humidity (perhaps aided by fan circulation) will allow the production of more consistent (i.e. non-varying, factory reproducible) final product, a feature that is of little concern to me.
Bob
I agree. I have another concern. The insulation in the walls of my freezer is not very good and when it gets really cold outside I sometimes get condensation on the walls. I don't want wet leaves so I need to give a little space around the leaves. The air circulation seems to me to keep all the leaves at about the same case.
John
You might consider some sheet styrofoam on the exterior.
Bob
Bob
Randy
Well-Known Member
Bob,have you posted a picture of your kiln yet,if not could you I like to see it. thks
Randy
Randy
I already did that on the fridge inside that I use for brining. It looks ugly as the devil and I hesitate to do it on the outside kiln.
John
i agree, i didnt have any air circulation, when i have my 2 ...... 250 watt heat lamps on,,
but when i was sweating them ,, with just the 2 crick-pots, on and no heat lamp;s.... i had a timer, and a small 4 inch fan, that would come on every 4 hours,and circulate for 15 minutes, and then go off,
after sweating them for 4 days, i would go back to heating them for 2 weeks, then sweat them again,
my kiln is big though,,, the back side of a camper. about 5 weet in width
real big that i think i had it packed, with 45 very huge hands,
which are currentlly all being shredded and stored,
pic's of all that later, when i get it all done,
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