Vermiculite and Castable Refractory Cement

[Indiana-Jones]

I'm in the middle of a 275 gallon oil tank build and I have been searching the Maple Trader for answers for questions that keep popping into my head. I have read here that using vermiculite on the slope or ramp will help the rig cool down quicker between boils, as apposed to bricking the whole thing. Has anyone mixed vermiculite and castable refractory cement and formed the sides and bottom of the ramp? I see the bricking of the fire box a must, but being a hobby guy and seeing that quickly cooling the pans between boils as a good thing. And I'm in a more southern location than most, not a lot of snow, cooling is something to think about.
When I was a kid the neighbors built an in ground pool and use vermiculite, cement and a mortar mixer to make light weight concrete to make the bottom of the pool. I'm thinking that I could make a mix of high temp refractory cement and vermiculite and form the sides and bottom of the ramp. Has this been done and did it crack?

The second idea that I keep kicking around ear to ear is has anyone added a slot or chamber or tank to the back of the stack to heat oil? I know that this is most likely way crazy, but heat peanut oil with the heat of the stack and raise or lower a coil of tubing in or out to get the sap preheated and not burn it?? I'm just throwing it out there.

Thanks for reading.

[SevenCreeksSap]

What type ofbusiness sells vermiculite? same as bags of sand or stone?

[Indiana-Jones]

I have saw it at Manards the big lumber yard here in the mid-west. A bag about the size of 4 cubic feet for about 15 bucks. This is a guess on the size and cost, but close.

[Indiana-Jones]

I hope this works.

http://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/insulation/loose-fill/vermiculite-insulation/p-1485908-c-5777.htm

[maple flats]

Large greenhouse supply houses sell it in 6 CF bags. I think the one for attic insulation is a mix of vermiculite and foam beads. The foam won't take the heat. Try to find someone near you, shipping would be high because of the bulk. Castable refractory is another thing, I have some I got for free but have no extra. I don't know who, do a google search, might find something. It is rather pricy. Make sure you get one rated high enough in temperature. I think if it is for in the firebox on a wood fired you want 3000 degrees, 2100 is too low I believe.

[Indiana-Jones]

Large greenhouse supply houses sell it in 6 CF bags. I think the one for attic insulation is a mix of vermiculite and foam beads. The foam won't take the heat. Try to find someone near you, shipping would be high because of the bulk. Castable refractory is another thing, I have some I got for free but have no extra. I don't know who, do a google search, might find something. It is rather pricy. Make sure you get one rated high enough in temperature. I think if it is for in the firebox on a wood fired you want 3000 degrees, 2100 is too low I believe.
I'm at the point of welding in the metal for the back of the fire box and the ramp. Trying to gather up everything that I may need for the upcoming four day weekend.
The idea about mixing high temp cement and vermiculite probably costs more and not work as good as just installing blanket. It is just a thought. To get blanket I will have to make a trip to the big city, but I need arch board anyway.

The best way to go is usually the tried and true way.
I have a set of pans ordered, there about a month away and its killing me!!
Thanks for the reply.

[Indiana-Jones]

I guess no one wants to comment on the wacky oil bath pre-heater. This week on TV they have been showing what happens when there is a mistake deep frying a turkey, lots of flames. Maybe adding extremely hot oil to sap boiling is a bad idea. Ha Ha.

I decided to stretch my arch by 12 inches between the pans and stack, so I can add a pre-heater tank there.

[C.Wilcox]

Didn't notice the oil preheater idea until just now....sounds like a skin graft waiting to happen to be honest. Oil will spontaneously combust at fairly low temperatures and generate huge amounts of smoke (don't ask me how I know this). Also, like you mentioned, water hitting boiling oil causes a MAJOR explosion and flames 20 feet high. I'm envisioning a giant ball of flame erupting at the back of your evaporator and you running around trying to put it out without losing any of the near-syrup in your pans. :)

[Indiana-Jones]

My spot on the porch behind the garage where my evaporator sits makes a hood/vent and preheater arrangement very difficult. So, I have been brain-storming on other ways to get the job done. I had the steel sheared and formed for the floor of the ramp today. I'm adding 24" to the back of the 60" tank, 10" for the stack and 14 for a tank. If someday I build a sugar shack, I could add a hood and maybe a longer sap pan.

The more I think about the hot oil idea, it would be like putting a frying pan of bacon on the stove, cranking it up to high and walking off.

Happy Thanksgiving and may all of your Pilgrims be merry.