arch

[hard maple]

I'm getting ready to brick up a new s.s. arch. If I use insulation board and then the firebrick over that, will the heat discolor the stainless sides of the arch?? I'm inclined to just use the full size firebrick (which I already have), but if I can prevent the "blueing" I'll definetly use the insulation board too.

[Pete33Vt]

There is no doubt in my mind that the arch board will help. With just fire bricks it would be ok for a while but I think heat will get through eventually. So why not put in extra protection to begin with. Just my thoughts!! Pete

[Parker]

I used fire brick, refractory cement, arch board, and ceramic blanket around my firebox and it seems to have made a big diffrance,,it takes 4-5 hours of hard boiling befor the sides of the rig really start to warm up,,and they have never gotten so hot that you could not stand next to it,,I also believe the more heat you can keep under the pans the better...

[HanginAround]

I would say definatley use the insulation board too. If I wasn't concerned about the SS and was trying to go cheap, I wouldn't bother, but I think it's a good investment really.

[digman_41]

I re-skinned my arch with stainless steel and used full thickness fire brick.
After firing it only a few times my stainless looked like @%*# I would definitely spend a little extra money and insulate it! I don't know how much gain you get from the insulation but I'm sure your stainless will look prettier longer. Mark

[hard maple]

thanks for all the replies. looks like it's time to buy some insulation board...

[Parker]

Useing Ceramic blanket and the board is what made the diffrance in mine I think

[maple maniac65]

Since you are wood fired I would recommend using the arch board. Cut the arch board for a tight fit placing vertically on the sides of the arch. Lay full size bricks on their sides and build the courses up. The last course of brick could be half size so that the brick just comes to the edge of the rail. This leaves no cold spot under your pan. You will end up with just a 1/2" of your pan on the rail. Also dry fit your brick and borrow or rent a brick mortor saw. I used my sears table saw and it has never been the same since :oops: After your bricks are fit number them with a pernament marker, soak them in water for at least a week, then morter them in with high heat thin set. One bucket should do. Under the flue pan I went back to full size brick. I have a Leader forced draft 30x8 and consistantly have a box temperture of 1800 degrees. Normally I make 35-40 gallons of syrup per cord of wood.

[Sugarmaker]

I would also recommend some additional insulation next to the stainless steel. I re tinned my arch with brushed stainless from bulk tanks and with only fire brick, it turned blue during the first season. The good news is that I was able to buff out all the blue and bring back the stainless look. This was some work, (took several days of sanding to do the entire arch (3X10) but looks good enough for our upcoming PA sugar house tour.)
Regards,
Chris

[HanginAround]

Maniac, I never heard of soaking the bricks before... what does that do for them? I bricked a 6' x 16' evaporator this spring, nearly a pallet of brick, not sure how we could have soaked them, but really, I would be worried about the moisture in the brick when you put heat to them. Of course, if you aren't going to have a fire for six months, it won't matter, but the one I did was fired about a day and a half later.

[maple maniac65]

Although the high temp fire brick looks smooth it is made from a porous material. By soaking them you allow the thin set morter to dry slowly. No moisture from the thin set is sucked into the bricks. The adhesion of the thin set will last longer under high temps. Most natural draft arches (wood fired) only reach temperatures of 800-900. When a volume of air is put into the fire box it becomes turbulent and the heat increases.

[maplehound]

When I bricked my evaporator, the recomendation by the dealer and I think also the manufacturer was to first lay in a layer of corigated tin. I used roofing tin in mine. Then fire blanket followed by fire bricks. 3 years later my sides are as brite as the day I bought it.