Hey guys, here is another fun and cheap DIY build that I’ve almost finished. I built this dryer specifically for drying malted grain, for the oversupply of chili in the vegetable garden and hopefully for my hop vines around this time next year.
So many ways to do this so not a compete walkthough with all the dimentions etc... Just some pictuers and tips however let me know if you want any specifics.
I designed the box to be 350x350x400 so it could be comfortably cut from a 900x1200 sheet of 7mm thick ply (about $15), also used 2 x 2700mm lengths of 18x18mm pine ($3.50 EA) and a few meters of old 42x19mm pine that was laying around. 2 bayonet light sockets, 240V switch panel, 12V switch, fan, switch and socket.
Heat is generated by 2 regular house globes and you can experiment with different globes to find the temperature your after. Testing with 70W and 90W (equivalent) halogen globes the temperature on the middle tray is stable at 40C. You could also try different fan speeds or use a dimming switch and dial instead of the two switches. The dimmers are about $18 at bunnings.
Of course there are so many ways to make a dryer like this and I’m sure there are much better wood working techniques and practices but I hope this gives some ideas for anyone looking to malt their own grain. Post pics if you made something similar!