Curing Shed Design

[Michibacy]

I'm looking at ways of getting a bit more room for curing tobacco without needing it in the garage. I went to take a look around in the snow covered back yard and noticed that I have a few pallets left. what're your guys' thoughts on taking one of the 72"x36" pallets, putting a "deck" of plywood on top (cover the existing boards) then build a light weight frame out of 2x4's, about 8 feet high then putting 3/8" ply as a skin on the frame. I'd build it to withstand the weight of snow, make it so I could tip it over to transport i and also make anchor points so I could attach it to the shed so it didn't flop over. It wouldn't be a permanent shed, wouldn't have any utilities in it (obviously. it's too damn tiny!) I would paint it to protect the wood and such.

Again, it would serve as a curing shelter and probably a storage area in the winter. I don't see it being much different than these plastic sheds you see at Lowes or Walmart for sale for $200.

Let me know your thoughts!

 

[Knucklehead]

I don't know how far you are planning to transport it but I built a small hunting house similar to what you describe. It was 4'x4'. I put skids on the bottom to drag it from one location to another with the four wheeler. You could nail 2x4's horizontally along two inside side wall to support the ends of your tobacco sticks and maybe get 3 layers in there. Look at the structure BarG built in his grow blog and just imagine the horizontal supports being nailed to your side walls. He left three feet from the floor and then two feet between each additional support. I plan to build a similar drying rack inside my shop but with four corner posts so it is self supporting. I will make it so I can easily take it apart and set it back up the following year. With the moisture leaving the leaves in such a confined area it may raise humidity quite a bit. I would place it so I could get a drop cord to it in case a fan became necessary. You can also make wooden shutters from plywood to open and close to allow the introduction or closing off of natural airflow. Close it at night when humidity gets high or when it rains. A good point of it being so small is that a couple light bulbs could heat it if the cold catches you.

 

[DonH]

Will it have access to power. You wil want to be able to run fans and when it gets cold a heater.

 

[Michibacy]

I plan to transport it where ever I need to. It'll be light enough I can just topside it and lay it on my trailer, strap it down and transport it. I'm at a rental house that I really don't plan on being at too long but don't want to give up this obsession...um...I mean....hobby!

That's a good idea about skids though. I will (I imagine) have to reinforce the pallet a bit just to be sturdy, that might be a good time to bolt on some 4x4's that have been tapered into skids.

I'll wander over to Barg's log and see what he did, thanks for the ideas!

 

[Knucklehead]

A couple more ideas occurred to me. If you plan to use the tobacco stringing method Don posted here: http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?1071-Stringing-Tobacco You will want the door the width of the shed rather than a normal size door cut into the end. I plan to use this stringing method. The members that have tried it raved about the amount of tobacco they were able to get per tobacco stick. Also look up Kreg jig: http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-R3-Pocke...=UTF8&qid=1356541984&sr=1-3&keywords=kreg+jig and the flat botton screws: http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-SK03-Pocket-Hole-Screw-Sizes/dp/B001DC9USC/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_z I put my hunting bling together with pocket holes and screws and will do the same with my rack. I will number the boards and I should be able to put it up and take it down in about 30 minutes after the initial build. This joint is extremely strong as the screws never go straight into end grain. They go in at an angle to side and end grain so tear out is not a problem.

 

[FmGrowit]

If the pallets are 7' x 3', get about 10 of them, stand them on end and screw 'em together with 3 1/2" utility screws. You don't need a floor in a baccy curing shed. Use some scrap pallets for parts to build a short knee wall on top of one wall, use more pallets as a roof system and cover it with a tarp.

The walls will have slats like a corn crib, so you'll have plenty of ventilation. The tarp will keep the baccy dry. The most you'd have to do is hang a tarp on a couple of walls if it gets to windy and dry before the leaf color cures.

 

[Michibacy]

Don, I'd do that but being in the city they have an Appearance Ordinance. Everything has to look all pretty. As much as I don't mind the looks of pallet, I think they would.

I'll keep that in mind for a more permanent structure when I move though!

 

[BarG]

If they allow corrugated tin, or R panels you could set four posts and a top and bottom rail on three sides with one wall taller to get a slope on the roof, Set your posts according to the width of your tin[ 2"- 3"] dimensions and a variety of heights.
Leave one side open or partialy close and add a door any size you want. You should get some ventilation thru the top from the ridges in the metal panels.

 

[leverhead]

If he builds a pole barn in Michigan, they'll think he's a rebel spy!

 

[Michibacy]

I've considered a pole shed. Haha believe it or not we mostly have pole buildings here, the warehouse I work in is one, most detached garages and such are as well. A lot cheaper than modern construction.

 

[DrBob]

The bigggest problem I see with a permanent pole structure would be a building permit. Where I live in northern wisconsin the permit would cost $250.00 If it were a portable structure, no permit would be necessary. I Like your Idea using pallets and if you could get 10 of them as don suggested you would be off to a good start. However, it would be only 6x6 or 36 square feet. Meybe enough room to hang 75 plants.

 

[LeftyRighty]

most building codes allow an exception on building permits, for out-buildings --for gardens sheds to store the mower, garden tools, etc., or for small attached structures for the same purpose if this structure is unheated or unpowered. Check your local building codes or ordinances. My city allows structures up to 120 sq ft.

 

[Knucklehead]

If he builds a pole barn in Michigan, they'll think he's a rebel spy!

Or an unusually astute Yank.

 

[Michibacy]

I'm going ahead and building this unit (if/when I find time, I've got all season to build it).

As an experiment I may try to make a propane powered heating unit. Nothing more than a pipe that couples inside of another pipe. That section will sit inside a furnace duct work that goes through the bottom of the unit, heats up and hopefully heats the unit up (during the cool evenings in the late part of the harvesting season). It will hook up to a 5 gallon tank with a low pressure regulator on it. The other end of the pipe will emerge from the opposite site and vent off the burnt gasses.

Any suggestions are welcomed. I'm not a professional at plumping propane your help is appreciated.

 

[Boboro]

Pole barns are modern construction.

 

[johnlee1933]

I'm going ahead and building this unit (if/when I find time, I've got all season to build it).

As an experiment I may try to make a propane powered heating unit. Nothing more than a pipe that couples inside of another pipe. That section will sit inside a furnace duct work that goes through the bottom of the unit, heats up and hopefully heats the unit up (during the cool evenings in the late part of the harvesting season). It will hook up to a 5 gallon tank with a low pressure regulator on it. The other end of the pipe will emerge from the opposite site and vent off the burnt gasses.

Any suggestions are welcomed. I'm not a professional at plumping propane your help is appreciated.

I suggest you use the burners from a dead gas grill. The air/gas mix is accomplished with a venturi as you suggest but they are hard to adjust. So why not just use whats available. In some of the older units they are cast iron and will last forever. -·-