Evaluate my Pan Design - 2 x 4

[PapaSmiff]

Attached are some JPG files taken from my Sketchup attempt to design a 2x4 (approx) pan. It's actually 24" x 46", so that I could use a 4 x 8 sheet and have two dividers. I'm not sure if we will weld or solder. Although the "assembled" picture only has one corner bracket, I plan to have a bracket on each corner.

The opening at the end of each divider is 3" square. Should I make it a triangle? Is the size about right?

The Draw-off port is 3/4". Is that the right size? I welcome your comments. I have the Sketchup files if they will be useful.

[RileySugarbush]

Nice work!

Your dividers can be shorter, so go for 48" if you want. The openings seem fine, though I think those in my pan, originally a half pint, are a bit bigger. 3/4" is reasonable depending on how big a flue pan you may add to it. When I run my 2x6 at over 40gph my half inch fittings are way to small and I plan on increasing to 1 inch fittings

[3rdgen.maple]

Looks pretty good Papasmiff. If you tig weld it though you could skip the lap joints and just butt weld it. Tig is the way to go if you can get it done. Solder works too but would not be my first pick. Are you going with the 2x6 or a 2x4. Something to be proud of right there,,,,, boiling on a homemade rig.

[PapaSmiff]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Although I'm hoping to buy a professionally built pan, I don't think I'll have the capital. So I'm planning to build my own, if needed.

3rdgen - I'm still trying to decide if I'll start with a 2x6, using this pan as the sap pan and building a 2x2 syrup pan. Or will I start with a 2x4, using this as my only pan, and expand later as I add more taps.

I know that Tig welding is the way to go, but my son-in-law will be doing the work for me. He has not done Tig before. He has done Arc and Mig welding. He's a heavy equipment mechanic. So rather than burn through the material, I'm thinking perhaps some spot welds and solder. But I'll have to see what he feels comfortable with when the time comes.

I'm also trying to decide if I should go with 20 gauge or 22 gauge. My source does not carry Bright Anealed. Does that matter?

I'm still collecting the materials for my arch. Got some bed frame angle iron and some thick sheet metal that came from a kitchen table top. I'm a little worried about the coating on the sheet metal, but I expect that it will burn off after the first few firings. I still need a little more angle iron and sheet metal. Perhaps I'll take apart one of the tall filing cabinets in my basement for the sheet metal.

[Jim Schumacher]

Bill, don't worry about getting bright annealed. Bright annealed SS and 2b SS have the exact same porosity. BA is used because it is so much prettier. I built the pans for my first evaporator out of 2b and they looked very nice. Yes, just cut a triangle out of the partitions. Good luck!!

[PapaSmiff]

Jim . . . . thanks for the advice. I'm still hoping to buy one of your pans, but this is a fall-back option if "the one who must be obeyed" doesn't allocate the capital.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Buy the pans from Jim and use the 2B for the arch your son will build and the wife will be thrilled and everyone will live happily ever after:)