Made an oil tank evaporator.... What's the best setup inside it??

[garykirkeby]

This is my second year tapping maple trees, I decided to make an evaporator after using a turkey fryer last year. I can't decide the best way to finish the inside of my tank, I was thinking a metal mesh in the middle so my ashes would fall to the bottom for shoveling out. Should I incorporate fire brick? Why do some people make a ramp towards the smoke stack? Any and all input is appreciated!

Thanks,

Gary from MN

[garykirkeby]

Sorry I'm not sure why all of my pictures posted sideways.

[Pete S]

Fire brick is a must! If you have a small budget, bricking the bottom to avoid burn-out would be first. The sides waould be nive to aid in heat reflection so you can stand and work your pans w/o scorching your legs.

Expanded metal would last about till noonish. Try to gind cast iron, or HEAVY steel for the fire grates.

There's a htread on this I believe that isn't too old.

Check out scrap yards, and recycling places.

Nice job!

Good luck in 2013!

HEY, you will notice a BIG difference if you increase your stack to at least a 6" or an 8" if you can. A bit taller will help too. Ditch the cap, unless ordinances or you're concerned about brands coming out.

[Ausable]

Looks pretty good Gary. I have an Oil Tank Arch too - except mine is upright. We have some Friends that have their Oil tank Arch on its side like yours and have used it for years. They batch boil and have a very large flat pan on top - and the make a lot of Maple Syrup every year. I would go with at least an 8 inch stack though. The idea behind the burner grate and ash cleanout door - is not just something to rest your fuel on when burning or to dig the ashes out of the Arch - I think the main function is to get Air under the Fire for hotter burning. I use my ash cleanout door to control combustion air entering my arch. Normally I will run with the ash cleanout door wide open and the Fuel Door closed. Last year was the first time I had to partially close the ash door as I was burning Ash Slab Wood and things started to get away from me - didn't know that bugger could burn that hot - LOL - I'm not gonna even think about forced air for now. I have fire brick up the sides of mine and sand on the bottom and that has worked for three seasons. I used steel factory floor grate for my burner grate and the heat has made it sag. I will have to turn it over or replace it for next year........The small stack You have would probably be all right if you were using Your Arch to heat a space - but You are boiling maple sap with it and You need a Hot Fire so a larger diameter stack is necessary. -- Hope I helped some. ---Mike---

[Ausable]

Gary - the idea behind the ramp or arch is to make the very hot gasses from your fire do as much work as possible before it goes up the stack. Ours are fairly short - only five feet - My Fire Box is approx. 30 inches then I have a steel plate on an angle up toward the stack. --- Now if You look at some of the pictures of factory built archs on this Site You will better understand the idea. Like say an Arch 3 feet wide and 12 feet long - The exhaust gases from the fire in one of those - does a lot of good work before they go up the stack. ----Mike----

[garykirkeby]

Thanks for all of the input, I will return my 4 inch stack and go with an 8 inch I didn't even think about that. So did you line the bottom with sand then the grate over that with firebrick on the sides? I'm not sure where to put the sand, trying to keep this cheap I've already gone over my budget! I have 3 holes on the side that I think will work well or ventilation.
Thanks again!

[garykirkeby]

So does your ramp connect above the hole to your stack? I was planning on making the whole thing a firebox...I see that might not be necessary! I still have a lot to learn!

[Ausable]

Hmmmmmm! Even though we both used an oil tank - we have a different set of problems. I have a lot of up and down space - but not much width. You - On the other hand - have a lot of width - but not much up and down space. Mine is a basic flow through evaporator and yours is a batch boiler. Can You access your pans without getting burned when you have a rip roaring fire going? Mine has firebrick on the sides behind steel mesh - but - I don't have an insulation blanket of any kind and it gets plenty hot. ---Mike---

[Pete S]

EXCELLENT point "Ausable"! You may want to be sure you can get a hold on each of your pans. When things get done or near done, you will want COMPLETE control over getting that suff off the heat!

[Ausable]

LOL - Learning never stops for any of us. I'm 72 now and I am amazed at how little I know and how much I still have to learn - LOL - but - darn - I'm running out of time. Hey - don't ever feel odd about asking questions on this Site - the majority here are fine people and willing to help - just remember - when the shoe is on the other foot - help others just starting out. Have fun and make lots of good maple syrup. ----Mike---

[garykirkeby]

Anyone have any good pictures of the inside of an oil tank evaporator? I've seen a few on here but haven't seen quite what I'm looking for yet. Thanks!

[Pete S]

7052705370547055

These are shots of mine when I was building it. It will be seeing season #3 this year, or is it 4.

Anyway works good as it holds a pre-heat pan with a pipe and valve that discharge into the main pan.

[Pete S]

70567057

This is the finished product.