Dehyrating Screen Tutorial

This is completely open to any alteration and development of your own!!

My criteria for a successful design was as follows:

• Low cost
• stable materials (not reactive to moisture: metal screen, wood 'untreated'
• High air flow
• light, easy to move yet large enough to do as much as possible and still: ...
• fits through doorway and on a raised surface in my backyard
• "lid" to keep birds off

 I bought the cheapest 'vinyl' screen.

This should NOT be solar screens but Should be a 'single', large, open weave to allow lots of air and light. I prefer the black/brown screen that is plastic feeling on the outside with a fiberglass core. This is usually one of the cheapest ones available ... BUT smell it to make sure it does NOT smell of chemicals etc. Do not use soft metals such as aluminum.

 I bought the smallest size amongst the long pine boards of the cheapest grade;

I selected them from the selection by three factors that make little difference: I laid them on the floor to find straighter ones; I looked for smaller or no knots; And I looked for the finer grained, lighter weight ones because they are less dense and easier on my stapler.

Choose the dimensions: 5 strips per tray.

Identify a raised surface to use (outdoor table, not on the ground)
and determine largest size that still fits within the perimeter (don't want it knocked off easily).
Determine smallest size: Be sure that it fits through your back door while 'tray' is level (with hands on the sides)
Since mine are rectangular, there are three sizes; square would likely be simpler because when cutting there would be 4 strips the same size and one slightly shorter.

I chose mine to be deeper than the width that fits through my single doorway so that it could be bigger overall.  (As an extra step, I planned so that it used the screen in such a manner that the left over strips could be used for sprouting screens on my jars or as two side by side halves for a tray.)

Measure and Cut, squarely and straight:

By being consistently precise it will be better fitting and a safer, longer lasting product. (Trays sitting flat on each other keeps flies out).

Turn the boards so they are taller, not wider.

As can be deduced from the picture, I added a single Middle bar which measures so that it fits snugly inside.  It needs to be nailed in at exactly center so that it stacks neatly on top of the other tray's Middle bar as well.
This gives the screen extra support so it doesn't sag and so the trays do not twist as much.
Since mine are rectangular, there are three lengths; square would likely be simpler because when cutting there would be 4 strips the same size and one slightly shorter.

 "Carpenters' tip to not split your wood"

 Cut the tips off of the nails! I used heavy duty wire cutters.
The "flat" tip now crushes into the wood instead of splitting your wood.

To create a stronger tray:

Arrange your board strips so that the corners are rotating; by putting the boards in a 'spiral', you can only see the end of one from each side.
Use two nails per corner so that boards do not twist.   I have used smaller nails but these work nicely.

Just buy a box so that in a few years you still have some to make new trays with.  It is the most expensive investment.

Attaching the screen:

Cut the screen as straight as easily possible, mostly between rows so that as little of the fiberglass is exposed as possible. Trim when length is exposed. (It creates microscopic slivers that I don't like rubbing my arm on.)
I used staples to attach the screen to the boards. Pull nearly as tight as possible because it will have some give and will sag over time. Pulling too tight; however, creates holes and tears. I assume flat tacks would also work.  My attention to detail also demands that I space them as I go around the square so that I can re-pull/tighten and stagger the staples.
My stapler is a bit wimpy so I have to use a hammer to finish getting them flush.

Make at least two trays:

Use the remnant wood strips to raise screen trays up off the table top for more air flow and also keeps trays from sitting in water if left out in the weather. When juices fall underneath, I can quickly hose off underneath without moving the trays.
Three trays is easy to do with the number of boards.
One tray is always your lid, Others are stacked with food so that they are ALL fully contained.  I have not done more than four trays (three with food). I haven't ever had time to cut more than that in one day, but I think they would have to be rotated if you did as the inner level would not have as good exposure to air and sunlight.

Picture Caption: These are my first and second trays I ever made. Notice in this picture that the top tray has two board ends, but the two bottom trays have just one end showing.  The top tray died quickly.
( By the way, We didn't like the apples. just preference to the juicier = chewy fruits)



Dehydrate anytime the weather is under 60% humidity (which here means 'not raining')  and over 80*F 

Sprouted wheat, buckwheat, and other seeds dehydrate year round, the cooler temperature just changes how many days it takes. Take note: Be aware that the fully swollen seed is 'sprouted' and that after that a longer sprouted tail changes chemistry of the flour. (ex/ growing longer tails made chewy cookies into fluffy cookies)

In the Summer, stone fruit such as peaches, sliced on before 10 am is often dried by nightfall - so quickly it doesn't have time to brown- and can be removed in the evening or even left until morning when another batch can be put on. I often take my bowl of fruit, knife, and a water/trash bowl to rinse in, right out to the screen and cut so that it falls directly onto the trays. 

Have fun!! Great Quality for super cheap and Way faster than the standard machines