Firebox without brick?

[katmike]

OK I goofed. Last year I intended to rebrick my 2x6 evap and forgot. Most of the old brick has been removed. Now I am looking at 2012 maple season around the corner and the directions on the refractory cement says to apply when at least 60 degrees. I hope I don't see 60 until the season is over!

I am using an unheated detached garage, so I can't easily heat the garage. What are the consequences of using the evap this season without firebrick? If the only reason is for efficiency, I don't have an issue as I have pretty much unlimited supply of firewood. If it's more to protect the structural metal from damage, then that's an issue.

[Starting Small]

Can you just install the brick without the cement and just hold it in place using angle iron? That would protect the arch and buy you time to cement after the season. From what I have heard you can easily ruin the evap if you run with no brick.

[judgejp]

I would brick it, cement it, and fire it up. The heat from the fire will cure it.
Pat

[adk1]

no worries, I was in the same situiation. My sugarhouse is not heated either. I added the refractory cement over my brick. I just made sure taht the cement was i nthe house and at room temp before adding so you could spread it out. I only bricked the firebox, the rest is blanket so that saved me a ton of time not having to brick the entire rig. I have not cured the cement yet, but the directions say consecutive fires. I am going to do that today as a matter of fact. have to tote water to the sugarhouse though..

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Last year after assembling the half pint(Pain in the butt) we just used the refractory cement as normal. Lay out the bricks and put some cement on the walls and on the sides of the bricks that will contact with other bricks. Then fillled them all in and filled the gaps up. when i fired after a day, i noticed a suspicious liquid dripping from the firebox. I believe it was the cement liquid dripping out as it sealed and cured it self. Id just do it , brick it cement it, and warm it up with a fire and then get ready to boil.

[katmike]

"I only bricked the firebox, the rest is blanket "

Pleading ignorance here, what exactly is a "blanket"? Is this a Menards type item (just returned, bought some 1/2 firebrick, looked for something similiar to a "blanket" in the same area as the firebrick... nothing). I assume this is something that can be pieced in?

Also checked Bascoms, didn't see anything as a blanket.

[Jec]

Blanket is ceramic blanket. It is 1" to 2" thick and it is a blanket made from ceramic fibers. Anderson maple sells it. You can get it from other places too for cheaper. http://andersonsmaplesyrup.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=95&products_id=287

[LawnSite]

I also had the issue surrounding lack of heat and bricking. What I did with my new 2 x 4 mason
was really quite simple. First I installed the arch board. Then, I removed the firebox grate and set
a double mantle Coleman lantern inside and covered the arch with a 2 x 4 sheet of plywood. Left the refractory
cement inside as well to keep it warm. Then it was just a mater of cutting the brick with tub saw and applying.
Once completed, I left the lantern run about 6 hours. Worked out really sweet.