Almost done my arch...opinions?

[RyanB]

Hi everyone! I have almost completed my new arch and am wanting some opinions and see if any changes need to be made before I line it with firebrick. If all goes well, I will be tig welding the pan up in a few days.

For this season its just going to be a natural draft and am planning on doing AOF for next year so the current door is just temporary as its not air tight. And the ask door will also be changed.

The whole thing is fully welded and will be air tight once the door changes are made....I was running out of time and only had yesterday to build it.

What do you think?
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00102-20110227-1555.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00102-20110227-1555.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00101-20110227-1555.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00100-20110227-1555.jpg

Lets hear some opinions...good or bad!

Thanks in advance...Ryan

[danno]

I think you could begin building arches commercially. Very nice work. Let's see the inside! What did we do for grates?

[wnybassman]

That thing is sweet!!!

[RyanB]

the grates are the only mild steel peices that arn't done yet. I am going to wait untill I get to play with the fire brick before I figure out the final size of them. I am busy in the shop right now (self employed cabinet maker) and have a home show this comming weekend and have a ton of stuff to do. Just playing with the evaporator when I have some free time.

[RileySugarbush]

Looks great. That thing is built like a tank! Make sure you insulate the door or it might warp and bind up.

[TC matt]

Looks great! Very nice work. I built one last year, similar dimensions, but not as nice! You will want to insulate that door with a ceramic blanket - I attached mine with SS bolts that will glow red when your fired up, but hold up well - you can still unscrew the nut with your fingers afterward. I found a little old blower fan that I blow under my rack/bricks into my ash door and it increases my evap rate significantly.

[Brian Kloepfer]

That thing looks very nice. :)

[Ausable]

Ryan - Nice Work - Sturdy looking and thats good - Your Great Grandkids will be making syrup on your rig ------- Mike

[buxtonboiler]

SWEEET !!!! Nice looking rig.

[70 Buick]

very nice work
if the cabinet business slows down , sell arch's LOL

[3rdgen.maple]

I was running out of time and only had yesterday to build it

Man at that rate you could make 30 of them a month and sell 29 of them. Nice job.

[CBOYER]

your arch seems very strong, ready for abuse whit a lot of high temp boiling.
Is it a truck bumber at back of ach in your pictures?? looks cool:cool:

[RyanB]

your arch seems very strong, ready for abuse whit a lot of high temp boiling.
Is it a truck bumber at back of ach in your pictures?? looks cool:cool:

Actually that is my brothers little shop...I don't like welding in my wood shop!!! He builds custom bumpers for trucks...that one is for a dodge.

[SColum]

Off topic for the trader but do you have a site showcasing some of your cabinetry work. I was thinking of going to school for it, so I love seeing finished work.

[RyanB]

Off topic for the trader but do you have a site showcasing some of your cabinetry work. I was thinking of going to school for it, so I love seeing finished work.

No problem Scolum...my website is actually down for major repairs and should be up and going by Thursday of this week but its www.premiercustomwoodworks.com or if you are on facebook...just search Premier Custom Woodworks and you will find my page with hundreds of pictures.

Ryan

[SColum]

Thanks alot I joined the group only had a really quick look, wicked work, I will enjoy taking time tomorrow to go through the pictures.

[Merklin Maples]

Very nice. Maybe I can get one made for myself. Have a neighbor who works and welds from his garage. Not enough money this year. Will have to do with what I have.

[RyanB]

Thanks alot I joined the group only had a really quick look, wicked work, I will enjoy taking time tomorrow to go through the pictures.

Just got the new site up and running today Scolum. www.premiercustomwoodworks.com

[sap runner]

looks great,I would put acouple of sheets of steel to keep the heat away from the back of your pan[between the upright stack and the pan] usually the arch has a gap of 3-4 inchs,I did the same as you and the sap boiling splatters causing it to burn against the back.The fix,two pieces of sheetmetal and problem was fixed.have fun :)

[RyanB]

looks great,I would put acouple of sheets of steel to keep the heat away from the back of your pan[between the upright stack and the pan] usually the arch has a gap of 3-4 inchs,I did the same as you and the sap boiling splatters causing it to burn against the back.The fix,two pieces of sheetmetal and problem was fixed.have fun :)

Its hard to tell in the pictures but the raised part before the stack is actually tappered. It goes from 10" wide at the bottom to 7" at the top so it tappers in 1.5" enough or should I still put a piece of steel on it?

[sap runner]

i think it should be just fine if you have it tapered,if it does start burnin on the back you know what to do. Your rig looks like everything I build,build it once very solid and heavy and then you wont have to rebuild it again.A guy has barely enough time to build it once,to many other things to build.:lol:

[ACollette]

Ryan,

I may be jumping to a conlusion too fast without seeing photos of the rest of the fire box but it appears that you have a critical flaw... You need someway to let air get into your fire box. This design looks a lot like Davy Jones - (I built a Jones designed rig last winter). In his plans he has the hinges for the ash door on the top of the door, this is so he can prop the door open to let air in. Your design (bottom hinge) looks like it must be either open or closed - no in between. I think you need to take a look at reevaluating this set up before you start lining it with bricks.

When you go to put your grates in - I used 3/8 angle iron with the V up to catch the ash. It has worked really well with no sag because they fill with ash. I did my ash door as a spit door that is on slides. I ended up doing air under with a blower to increase my burn rate. It makes a dramatic difference.

Good luck.

[Brian Kloepfer]

ACollette

Can you post some pictures of your set up?

[ACollette]

Here is a photo of my set up. You can see the split ash door and how I have put air under my fire. The wood frame that the blower is on actually has a air intake regulator on it so I can influence how much air I'm putting in. The second photo shows the grates.

[RyanB]

Well, 2 weeks into our season here in Ontario (everything came to a stand still Wed morning with 6" of snow and -15+ C temps). And the new arch is working great! I was averaging only 10 GPH with the natural draft and added a blower to the arch and picked up at least 6 to 8 GPH. I have done 2 major boils with it (I can only boil every 3rd day) and luckly the temps have keep the sap nice and cold. I have pulled off just shy of 12 gallons so far and its great to have a very light amber color and an amazing taste. I am already thinking ahead for next year and am getting ideas for air-over-fire! Here are a few pics of it up and going.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00061-20110317-1811.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00149-20110317-1853.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/RyanBambach/IMG00145-20110317-1847.jpg

[nelstone74]

Looks good, I also like the bumper in the background

[mike z]

I had a hard time finding a stainless elbow to draw off. Looks like you had that one made. I ended up paying for a tri clamp elbow.