Ken,
I made a fruit leather drier that worked real well. Thin stripe hard wood bottom
and 50 watt light bulb. Was great for logan bread too. HArd maple bottom steel wooled down to fine = nonstick

For jerky I just use the oven on low setting with door cracked open has always worked well. Better then any jerky rack I ever used

Drying fruit I use fishing line strung up in kitchen. Soak any fruit breifly in lemon juce and it won't mold on ya. Great for tomatos sun drying is grand. I know a guy who does this witha solar still arrangement in reverse

If your looking to dehydrate food like stews ets a blower is good. It gets water out faster. Be careful here though. Most places that are commercial freeze dry such thing and its a good thing. A friend went up into the white MTs with me last year.....Promised he had become a gormet camp cook with his new homemade dehydator......Got all three of us wicked food poisoned at altitide during winter ascent. Yikes! If your looking to dehydrate such stuff I'd go with a comecial grade thing.

Also while your considering preseving food consider making a small smoker. Different woods can really make meat very tasty. Try LAke trout = Birch Nice red beautiful flavor If I am not foraging, my BWCA trips ususally are front loaded with smoked meats. Not bad at sea either. Turkey drum sticks. Trade off is weight. Squirel smoke in apple shavings is great.

No matter what your drying consider using natural preservatives in you marinades. Garlic bazil lemon juice etc

Bon apatit
!RUSS