Just loaded my Flue Curing Chamber: @jaredwyoung

[jaredwyoung]

Recently built an exoskeleton chamber. Thank you to everyone for the great write-ups and discussions! I currently have it loaded with Costello, lower and mid leaves. (The other variety I have is Virginia 116) I have a 120mm pc fan running constantly inside and a 7 qt crockpot set on low. I have the crockpot plugged into a johnson a419 temp controller (leftover from a previous chest freezer kegerator). Right now it's hanging out at 100⁰F. Pretty cool how it all came together!

thanks again!

 

[adamziegler]

Very nice looking setup

 

[jaredwyoung]

Very nice looking setup

Thank you!

 

[Knucklehead]

Great looking kiln. I love my Kreg jig. Happy kilning!

 

[jaredwyoung]

Great looking kiln. I love my Kreg jig. Happy kilning!

Thank you! the kreg jig certainly makes joning boards together simple and easy! I've made a number of cabinets and book cases with mine, slick!

 

[jaredwyoung]

I just completed my first 4 week run as a kiln, primarily corojo 99, with a few hands of Ohio dutch and golden burley. I tried some of each right out of the kiln, and I would say it was a success!

I did encounter issues with moisture however. The aluminum hvac tape i used to tape the seams loosened and i had intrusion in multiple locations. I have a roll of tyvek tape, which I will use to retape. There also was significant condensation on the inside which led to a constant trickle of water dripping from the door (there is a floor drain nearby). So maybe i need to figure out a drain line.

My hygrometer was reading in the 70%s and my thermometer was reading 125⁰ +/- 2⁰ throughout the run.

 

[JukkaPekka]

Looking good!

 

[kshamala]

Absolutely brilliant. However, from my perspective on evaporation mechanics, you will require a vent located at the top of the oven—complete with adjustable ventilation control—to effectively mitigate the water vapor forming on the oven’s interior sides. Best of luck.

 

[FarmingMachinery]

Great build and congrats on the successful first run! 125°F with 70% RH is a solid range for flue curing.

The condensation issue is very common with DIY chambers - kshamala's vent suggestion is spot on. A few additional thoughts:

1. **Top vent with adjustable damper**: Installing a 4-6 inch vent at the top with a simple butterfly damper will let you exhaust the moist air as it rises. Start with it mostly closed and open gradually until you see condensation reduce.

2. **Insulate the door frame**: The dripping from the door suggests that area is a cold spot. Adding weatherstripping or an extra layer of insulation around the door frame will reduce condensation there.

3. **Elevate the crockpot**: Putting it on a small wire rack instead of directly on the floor improves air circulation around it and can help with more even humidity distribution.

I've seen small-scale commercial curing units from Chinese manufacturers that address exactly these issues - they come with built-in adjustable ventilation, condensation drains, and better insulation seals in a compact stainless steel box. The DIY approach is great for learning, but if you ever want to scale up or reduce the maintenance, those commercial options are worth looking at.

What variety are you planning to cure next?

 

[UmbriaFarmer]

Recently built an exoskeleton chamber. Thank you to everyone for the great write-ups and discussions! I currently have it loaded with Costello, lower and mid leaves. (The other variety I have is Virginia 116) I have a 120mm pc fan running constantly inside and a 7 qt crockpot set on low. I have the crockpot plugged into a johnson a419 temp controller (leftover from a previous chest freezer kegerator). Right now it's hanging out at 100⁰F. Pretty cool how it all came together!

thanks again!
View attachment 57594 So are you going straight to fermentation? Aren't you going to cure them first?

View attachment 57592

View attachment 57593

 

[FarmingMachinery]

Great question, @UmbriaFarmer! This is actually a common point of confusion.

The key difference is the goal of each stage:

**Flue curing** is primarily about *drying* the leaf while preserving color and stopping enzymatic browning. It's typically done at higher temps (100-170°F) with controlled humidity ramps, and the leaf goes from green → yellow → orange/brown over several days. The crockpot + fan setup at 100°F with 70% RH could work for the early yellowing stage, but true flue curing usually requires higher temps later in the process.

**Fermentation** is about *flavor development* — it happens after the leaf is already cured and dried. It's done at 110-130°F with 60-75% RH, and the leaf is piled or hung in bulk so the heat from oxidation builds up in the center.

So if @jaredwyoung is putting *fresh green* leaf in at 100°F, he's essentially doing a slow cure/early fermentation hybrid. If the leaf is already dried/cured, then this setup is perfect for fermentation.

The commercial units I mentioned earlier often have programmable stages — they can do the curing ramp first (gradually increasing temp, decreasing humidity), then switch to fermentation mode automatically. That's one of the advantages over DIY setups — you don't have to manually adjust conditions between stages.

Either way, looking forward to seeing how the leaf turns out!