2 More Questions Long Winded

[Brad W Wi]

I'm still in the planning stages and trying to get all my ducks in a row. My shack will be 16 foot wide. I will be getting a 2x6 evaporator(more on that next) I would rather not center the evaporator in the center or the room, but off to one side. I have a 6 wheeler with a dump box on the back I want to use to collect sap with, and I would like to store it in the shack when not used. My question is how far off from the side of the building should I keep it. I figure at least 3 ft. for walking around it. But is there a fire danger to worry about? I'm using a wood fired evaporator.
Question #2... I have only used a homemade flat pan in the past. (22"x34") I've never even seen a real evaporator working yet. GMB LLC. out of Wisconsin, makes a flat pan 2x6 with the partions in it for a flow through. Has anyone out there used on of their's or one like it? It seems every one talks about a raised or drop flue. Any advantages or disadvantages to the flat bottom? I want to set myself up right, any suggestions are saved and gone over. I got alot of good suggestions last fall that I'm going to use, and would still like more.
Right now I'm planning on the roof being 24'x32'. On the south side of it there will be a 8' overhang along the 32' lenght for wood and tractor storage. A 6' covered porch on the front. A office or retail room of 16'x 12. And the evaporator room of 16'x14'.
Metel roof, T111 siding, a hood over the evaporator. with some counter space in the evaporator room for finishing and bottling. I will have extra doors and windows for ventilation. For sap storage I have 2 bulk milk tanks one is approx 250 gals and the other is 100-150 gals. These two will be of to the north side out a few feet with their own roof. They will also be set up with a float on the evaporator. If I have them right next to the building and under the same roof I won't be able to clean them very well. I will be running 200-300 pails. "ANY" critism will be heeded as well as needed.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mark,

With a flat bottom evaporator vs a flue'd evaporator, you would get about double the evaporation rate or better with a flue'd evaporator.

Everything else sounds good, 3' should be plenty far away from the wall on the sides as you don't have a ton of heat coming out the sides due to the firebrick/insulation. :D

[sweetwoodmaple]

On the evaporator - Depends on the price, but I would jump up to an evaporator with flues (raised or drop). It all comes down to surface area for boiling rate. If you do the math on a 2 x 6 with a 2 x 4 flue pan that has (7" deep flues, you will be amazed with the surface area difference. You need the flat pan in the front (usually 2 x 2 in a 2 x 6 evaporator) for finishing the syrup and ease of cleaning the niter.

If you are planning for 200 taps, a 2 x 6 flat pan will be lucky to boil 7-10 GPH where a good flue evaporator can range from 25-40 GPH depending on flue depth.

Brian