deluxestogie's Trash Can Cozy Flue-cure Chamber

[ashbroom]

Just because it works doesn't mean it's perfect... Not that I know the difference, at this point, but it doesn't hurt to have ideas and to keep thinking about it. Look how far the world has come over the last hundred years because people are always trying to improve.

LeftyRighty, don't the leaves have to have plenty of air flow around them to cure/ferment correctly? Wouldn't the string hinder that process? I have no clue, I'm just asking.

 

[deluxestogie]

In a flue-cure chamber, the heat must be distributed reasonably, and the dissipating moisture has to escape adequately. Air flow, in and of itself, is not required for either flue-curing or kilning.

For color-curing, air flow will help to minimize the risk of mold, again, by allowing the air that immediately surrounds a leaf to be similar to the ambient air in the curing shed. Beyond that, the air flow doesn't contribute to the process.

As for possible improvements, the Cozy Can is approaching the lowest common denominator for cost and simplicity in flue-curing. It was my shot at understanding the minimum requirements for flue-curing. What's not to like about a trash can? That it works at all is its only real claim to fame. If you think of improvements, by all means try them and let us know how they worked out. And post pictures.

I searched for a larger galvanized steel garbage can, but was told that nobody makes them any more. (I know that many small farmers and ranchers store feed in them, to keep out the rodents that will chew through plastic.)

So, although the Cozy Can "ain't broke," practically any imaginable change is likely to be an improvement in some way. If you can figure out how to make it simpler or less expensive...well, that would be something.

Bob

 

[DonH]

Just re-read this thread and am thinking about building one of these. I already have a Ranco that I got for kilning purposes. I was wondering if for kilning purposes you could get some kind of wire rack and cut it circular to the right diameter so it will sit in the can above the crockpot. Then you could just place stacked or even slightly pressed leaves on top of the rack to get more volume in than you could hanging leaves.

 

[deluxestogie]

There are a number of barbecue grills that are circular and small. Coat hanger wire can be rigged as stable hangers to perch on the the two rack bolts. But you'll have to lift out the whole shebang each time you add water. Unless you turn to the dark side, and add complexity.

Bob

 

[DGBAMA]

There are a number of barbecue grills that are circular and small. Coat hanger wire can be rigged as stable hangers to perch on the the two rack bolts. But you'll have to lift out the whole shebang each time you add water. Unless you turn to the dark side, and add complexity.

Bob

Just fashion a cheap "funnel tube" from the top down to where the water sits so you dont have to remove the tobacco.

 

[deluxestogie]

When using my Cozy Can as a kiln, I find that I add 2 cups of water to the 2 qt. Crock Pot (set on low) every 3 to 4 days. So DGBAMA's tube (heat stable) with a funnel inside the top would be easy to work with.

After a year of continuous humidity, the interior surface of my can and its lid are a nearly uninterrupted layer of rust. I probably won't do anything about that. But if you are building one from scratch, a good coat of primer and paint (well cooked after it dries) may be worth considering.

Bob

 

[DonH]

There are a number of barbecue grills that are circular and small. Coat hanger wire can be rigged as stable hangers to perch on the the two rack bolts. But you'll have to lift out the whole shebang each time you add water. Unless you turn to the dark side, and add complexity.

Bob

Didn't think of barbecue grills. Great idea.

Would convection be enough for air flow for regular kilning? I'm thinking that with the requirement of maintaining the right humidity, that this setup might work best for flue curing. Since I would be doing kilning in a garage, most likely when the temps are getting low, it might be hard to maintain both the right temperatures and humidity for a month.

 

[deluxestogie]

Again, I have used it as a kiln since last summer. No fan. Lid completely closed. Convection only. I have not subjected it to outdoor, winter temps. It runs in my enclosed back porch, which never gets below 50ºF. But it's all about insulation. You may need to keep the whole thing covered with a fleece blanket.

Bob

 

[AmaxB]

When using my Cozy Can as a kiln, I find that I add 2 cups of water to the 2 qt. Crock Pot (set on low) every 3 to 4 days. So DGBAMA's tube (heat stable) with a funnel inside the top would be easy to work with.

After a year of continuous humidity, the interior surface of my can and its lid are a nearly uninterrupted layer of rust. I probably won't do anything about that. But if you are building one from scratch, a good coat of primer and paint (well cooked after it dries) may be worth considering.

Bob

Did you have a drain in yours Bob?

 

[deluxestogie]

Did you have a drain in yours Bob?

No drain.

Bob

 

[DonH]

Again, I have used it as a kiln since last summer. No fan. Lid completely closed. Convection only. I have not subjected it to outdoor, winter temps. It runs in my enclosed back porch, which never gets below 50ºF. But it's all about insulation. You may need to keep the whole thing covered with a fleece blanket.

Bob

Good to know. So I guess I don't understand how the convection works if the lid is completely closed. I know there's a hole near the bottom. Is there another one?

 

[johnlee1933]

Good to know. So I guess I don't understand how the convection works if the lid is completely closed. I know there's a hole near the bottom. Is there another one?

There doesn't need to be. Convection is the natural movement of a fluid. Air is a fluid. As air is warmed it expands and gets lighter. The lighter air moves upward. Cooler air above it must fall to fill the space vacated by the warm air. This is natural convection. Having established warm air rises and cool air falls to take it's place then directing it if you choose is up to you but is not necessary. This is the basic principal that governs home heating with base boards and iron radiators.

The hole in the can, I believe is just to provide release for air as it expands and contracts with temp changes.

Hope this helps.

 

[DonH]

That does help, thanks.

 

[deluxestogie]

The hole in the can, I believe is just to provide release for air as it expands and contracts with temp changes.

Nice explanation of convection.

The hole at the bottom is so that the electric cord for the crockpot can be passed. It's mostly blocked by the Tygon used to cover the sharp edge, and the insulation is completely covering it.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

Nice explanation of convection.Bob

Thanks. When I was professionally employed I had the knack of translating PhD most anything into "people speak".

 

[DonH]

Thanks. When I was professionally employed I had the knack of translating PhD most anything into "people speak".

That's a great skill to have.

So convection means the air is circulating vertically in a (mostly) closed system. Since the trash can is into completely sealed there will be some air exchange and the gasses will be slowly removed (quickly when adding water).

I think the only thing I might add would be a hole for a syphon tube to feed water into the crockpot. I do travel and might have to leave the thing alone for several days at a time.

The idea of being able to get smokable flue cured by the end of August is very appealing. But Amax and Leverhead's dark side set ups are way beyond my skills.

 

[deluxestogie]

...Amax and Leverhead's dark side set ups are way beyond my skills.

One of my purposes for creating the Cozy Can (other than laziness) was to define the minimum complexity, minimum cost of a flue-curing chamber. It's not a great one. It does work. Consider it a baseline. While AmaxB's complexity is not over the top, the cost seems reasonable to me only if it is heavily utilized for flue-curing, and is able to function in that capacity with few additional expenses.

For just kilning, there are many arrangements that are much better that the Cozy Can (e.g. old fridge), and cost about the same.

With either use, the addition of gadgets to make it more convenient is part of the fun.

Bob

 

[leverhead]

But Amax and Leverhead's dark side set ups are way beyond my skills.

The Dark Side is powerful. Getting good, smokeable flue-cued buy the end of August is asking allot. Year old or more is much better.

 

[deluxestogie]

By mid-winter, when I do the bulk of my pipe smoking (I won't smoke cigars indoors.), my flue-cured leaf was a fairly nice pipe tobacco blender, though more age, I'm sure, would be better. An option with freshly flue-cured tobacco is to sentence it to one month in the kiln.

Bob

 

[DonH]

The Dark Side is powerful. Getting good, smokeable flue-cued buy the end of August is asking allot. Year old or more is much better.

I thought that once leaf is flue cured, it's pretty much ready to smoke. Guess I was mistaken.