Kiln Drying Short Course - Ohio Forestry Association

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Kiln Drying Short Course
2025 Dates Coming Soon

CLASS LOCATION:
Yoder Lumber Company
7100 County Rd 407
Millersburg, OH 44654

Class Information

Class is 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM on Monday and 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM on Tuesday. Lunch is included. This is a 2-day complete drying class. Schedule of topics is below.

Day 1

8:30 – 9:00 Check-in and Registration
9:00 – 9:30 Welcome, Introductions and Overview
9:30 – 10:00 Kiln Drying Overview
10:00 – 10:30 How Wood Dries/Wood Drying Basics
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:15 Measuring Moisture Content--Calculations
11:15 – 12:00 Measuring Moisture Content using Sample Boards
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch provided by OFA
1:00 – 1:30 Additional Information and Review—Measuring Moisture Content
1:30 – 2:15 Dry Kiln Buildings, Equipment and Controls
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 3:15 Lumber Stacking, material preparation
3:15 – 4:00 Major Defects—Causes and cures

Day 2

7:30 – 8:00 Review Q&A
8:00 – 8:45 Kiln Schedules
8:45 – 9:30 Equalizing and Conditioning
9:30 – 10:15 Effects of Air Velocity on Drying
10:15 – 10:30 Break
10:30 – 11:15 Economics of Drying
11:15 – 12:00 Drying Oak
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch provided by OFA
1:00 – 1:45 Control of Warp, Checking, Splitting, Honeycomb
1:45 – 2:30 Evaluating Incoming/Green Lumber
2:30 – 3:00 Moisture Meters—Use and Care
3:00 – 3:15 Break
3:15 – 3:45 Dry Lumber Storage and Humidity Control
3:45 – 4:00 Course Wrap Up

Instructors are Chad Neiman and Bob Pope for the 2-day program.

Sponsored by:

Instructors

Bob Pope is a regional sales representative for SII Dry Kilns, headquartered in Lexington, NC. Bob joined SII in 2017 after a 30-year career with another kiln manufacturer. He has been involved in the forest products industry for over four decades, starting his career as a lumber grader with a furniture company. Since 1977, he has helped train many kiln operators as an instructor with a number of different kiln-drying workshops across North America. He has also provided individual/small group onsite training. Bob has a Master of Business Administration and a B.S. in Wood Science and Technology.

Chad Niman is a Forest Product Specialist with the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, interim Assistant Director to RCARS Research Station and the Wood Utilization Center, as well as Secretary/Treasurer of the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association. He started his career as a Forester managing timber and woodlands, graduated from the NHLA Inspector Training School 181^st class and since then has transitioned into wood products manufacturing with an emphasis on quality lumber drying. Other areas of focus include hardwood markets and grading systems. He works in Extension with the University of Kentucky in applied wood products research, onsite trainings for wood industry and teaches the undergraduate wood products course in the Forestry program. He is also one of the authors in the annual Kentucky Forest Sector Economic Contribution Report, which highlights the enormous benefits provided by Kentucky’s forests, woodland owners, loggers and forest industries.

Lodging

Holiday Inn Express Millersburg
Phone: 234-301-9005

Comfort Inn Millersburg
Phone: 330-473-4774

Hotel Millersburg
Phone: 330-674-1457