home made Arch/Evaporator..oil tank

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Well here are those pic's Brandon.

As you can see I used a 250 gal oil tank.
Cut 1/4 of the top off.
Than welded a piece of flat steel onto it. Cut holes in it for the pan size I have. It will hold a 2x6 pan if I get one??

I also have a hitch on it and a axle that I can put wheels onto it to move it if I have to.

Made a steel support for the free fire bricks and than made a steel grate.

Sure wish I could paint it, but Im sure it will burn off??

It does have a six inch stack, but I beleave if I take off the reducer it will take the 8 inch kind?

Still have more bricks left, Think I may line the bottom than cover it w/cast Iron steel so I can get the ashes out easyer.

The Only thing I bought was a piece of used steel for the top. Everthing else was free including my labor:}

"Any other suggestion welcomed"!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/hinkjc/Maple%20syrup%20Making/100_0288.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/hinkjc/Maple%20syrup%20Making/100_0282.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/hinkjc/Maple%20syrup%20Making/100_0283.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/hinkjc/Maple%20syrup%20Making/100_0284.jpg

More pic's on my phote site.

Charlie

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Charlie,

Looks great! The only thing I might suggest is a support for the center of the grating system like some firebricks as the heat will probably make it sag really fast without it! You may have to go to 8" stack with the size of the firebox and the elbows in the stack. The elbows really cut down the draft! :?

Great job! :D :idea:

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Yes, Igree with the grate support. I didnt add any supports YET till I add the fire brick ETC into the bottom first.

I was thinking about switching to the larger stack? I have burned some wood in it and it seems to burn ok once it gets going.

But yet I think I may change it over. I wanna wait till I get going and if it doesnt work Like Im hoping I will change it on a off day.

What about paint. My Father says it wont burn off the paint because I have those kil bricks in. He says the sides will bearly heat up Becuase they are 2-1/2 inch thick kil bricks. I didnt fire it up for to longe yet.

Thanks For the suggestions Brandon.

Charlie

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Charlie,

May want to wait until after season and sand it down a little and get some of the high temp paint. Might have to prime it first after you get the rust sanded off pretty good. I think it should stay on good, but no really any worry about it now as close as season is! :D

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Brandon, I think your right, I will wait till the off season to paint it.

Plus make other modif. if I have to.

Cant wait to get it cookin.

Hows your temps holding out down that way??

Its cold out today hear..:lol:

Charlie

[MASSEY JACK]

Hey Slate Belt,

In my oil tank evaporator the grates are 1 1/2 or 2 inch pipe layed cross ways. The side rails have pieces of 2 inch angle iron cut in 1 inch long pieces and they are welded in like and upside down "v". In other words the side rails look like saw teeth and the pipes just lay in the notches. When one pipe burns out you just toss in another one. Mine was a homemade furnace that someone gave to me so I can't take credit for the grate idea. I just cut the top out and framed it up for my flat pan last year. I did not have to change any pipes last year and we put 5 cord of wood through it. Some of it was pallet wood that burned nice and hot. Just something to think about if your grates give you any trouble.

Jack

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Charlie,

Weather down here has been bad for syruping. It will most certainly be the warmest Jan on record in the past 100 years. It is cold and snowing today and supposed to get down around 15 tonight and only 30 tommorrow, but after that, warm again for several days. Not sure what will happen, but hopefully we can get some cold weather. So far this month including today and tommorrow, we have had 5 cold days where the temps have been 32 or less. 8O 8O 8O

[Sugarmaker]

Charlie,
That is a very slick oil tank evaporator. Just a thought on the paint. I just bought a quart of the 2400 deg stove black and it was $24. A rough sanding or wire brushing and you would be fine. I agree that you may not get much paint burn off because of the bricks. The front and door might get a little warm, but that is what the stove paint is for. Really like this set up and the cost is right in line too!

Chris

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Hey Jack,
Yes It sounds almost like mine, except I just used angel Iron for the grates. It is removable. I Got lots of replacment angel laying around here.

I have 3" pipe with braces for my brick supports and the angel grate is just laying in on the pipe.

Im going to add a center support for the grate once I get the fire brick on the bottom and then lay some cast iron steel over the brick.

Do you have any pic's of your rig I could see. :?:

Charlie

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Brandon, I hope it gets better out there.

I beleave it will get colder soon and then we will end up waiting for the 2nd or 3rd week of feb.

Charlie

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Hey Chris, Thanks.

Hows your weather lookin?

I think I will paint it, but Im gonna wait till Im done tapping and makeing any adjustments and paint in warmer temps.

By the way where did you get that high temp paint?

Like to get a sheet of that fire sheet type stuff.

I beleave they sell it in 4x8 sheets?

Like to cut a piece to fit the door and the smoke stack end.

Charlie

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Charlie,

You posted in the for sale section about increasing your gph. One thing you could do is fill the back of your arch up with sand or dirt to force the heat up to the pans. 18 to 24 inches of firebox would be plenty and force the heat up into the pans. If you could get a little ceramic blanket or firebrick and cover the sand or dirt, it would help even more!

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Hey Brandon, I would do that, but I happend to get 6 truck loads of free barn wood all cut to 4 foot lengths. So as you can see it will fit right into my Arch with out even touching the length.

It was the eastest wood Ive ever gotten.

Plus I have about 2 cords of regualar hard wood cut and split. So we have about 6 cords of wood to use.

It was stacked up right next to the womens house and she told me I could have it all.

This spring she is having an old Norway cut down and it will be cut to around 25" chuncks. I will just have to split it.
This thing is huge. It will take about 3 -4 poeple arms lenght around it. I did tell her that I will only take what I can split. So mabe I can try that next year.

Chuck

[MASSEY JACK]

Brandon is right, we burned 4 foot wood in my 275 evaporator last year and it was a waste. The stack got real red and we sent a lot of heat up the chimney. We had to keep the fire box really full to get a good boil. As the old timers say"the flames have to be lapping the pan or you don't amount to much". If I was to use that rig again this year I was going to put a 45 degree ramp in the rear with fire brick on it and burn 2 foot wood. I think it will increase the gph and make it a more uniform fire. My stack is 12 inch with a damper in it and I got a better boil with the damper throttled a little. You should really consider filling the back end like Brandon suggested.

Jack

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Well the wood is full of nails, so I dont want to go threw the chain blades Or saw blades.
I had thought about cutting it up, but the risk is to great on damaging blades. Mabe next year I will do that.

Last year My cindor block arch was wide open inside and I did manage to get about 8-9 gph out of it.

Im know it would make a big differnce with ramp thing inside.

tHANKS
cHARLIE

[Sugarmaker]

Charlie,
I got the paint at a local hardware store in Erie. I just finished painting and polishing the arch. The weather has been just right for making syrup today. We are supposed to get rain tomorrow and then a cold spell. We are going to wait another week at least before we tap.

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Hey Chris,
I will check around here after the season is finished and get a good coat on it for next year.

I think we are also going to tap to. I put 2 5/16 taps in today just to see how it is flowin!

It is flowin like crazy. I didnt even get the bit out of the tree and it was running down the side of the bark.

But, Im kinda rapped up in cleaning some skulls(bear, bobcat ,2 coyotes) With my beetles right now and Im going to wait till this saturday and I should be ready to go.. :mrgreen:

Charlie