evaporators

[hambone]

I just got back from looking at a 4 year old 2x6 waterloo/small lightning 200, it has raised flue ss pan, it looks in good shape. We plan to have about 250 taps this spring. Is this a good evaporator? It's all fire bricked and grates look good.

[the old guy]

I JUST BOUGHT A USED 2 X 6 D&G IN GOOD SHAPE. THE VETERANS ON THIS SITE TELL ME THAT IS A GOOD SIZE FOR 150 - 300 TAPS. THERE ARE MANY "EXTRAS" THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED--LIKE FEED TANKS, STORAGE TANKS, A GOOD PLACE TO HOUSE IT (THOSE THINGS ARE HEAVY), ETC--THE LIST JUST KEEPS GETTING LONGER. BUT WITH ANY HOBBY YOU ALMOST HAVE UNLIMITED WANTS. HEY, GOOD LUCK WITH RIG IF YOU DECIDE TO BUY IT. I PAID IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $2700 FOR MY RIG. IT CAME WITH A NEW STACK, FIREBRICK, AND ADD-ONS LIKE THERMOMETERS, A FLOAT BOX, SAP MEASURING GAUGE AND SOME OTHER ODDS AND ENDS. A NEW LEADER 2 X 6 DELIVERED WAS NEARLY $6000.

THE OLD GUY

[Russell Lampron]

Hambone,

Waterloo/Small is a good evaporator. The 2x6 evaporator should be good for 300 to 350 taps. It should evaporate at 30 to 35 gallons per hour stock. Adding things like a blower or steamhood with pre heater will add 10 to 15% to that giving you room for expansion.

Russ

[hambone]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm a little confused, maybe the guy selling the evap. doesn't know what he has. He told me it was a waterloo small 2x6 but when I looked at it, it says Lightning across the top of the arch and 200 at the bottom below the doors. I did a search on the web and lightning came up as a Grimm product. It has raised flue, what is it?

[Russell Lampron]

Hambone,

Do the doors on the arch or does the arch front say anything like Waterloo or Leader or G H Grimm?

Are there any stickers on the pans that would identify the brand?

Russ

[hambone]

looking at the front of the arch,across the top it says THE LIGHTNING, on the left door is 2LD, on the right- 2RD and on the draft door at the bottom it says 200.

[hard maple]

I think both grimm and small brothers each made a rig called the lightning. The numbers on the doors, arch front, draft door, etc.. are what the foundry uses to identify the castings (different sizes)

[HanginAround]

Yes, Small Brothers made a lightning, and the one on the floor in dad's shop (from Lapierre/Waterloo/Small now) has the 2rd and 2ld on it.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If it is a SB Lightning, it is likely more than 4 years old as SB has been out of business longer than that. :?

[HanginAround]

I can't say for sure... Dad would know, but after the Waterloo-Small merger, and then Lapierre buying the works, I think Waterloo/Small and then Lapierre/Waterloo/Small, still used the name, and probably the same castings too.

I'll be out there tomorrow or Monday, I'll have a look at the new one in the shop, and in the catalogue.

[hambone]

Hey thanks for all the help, now I'm really curious to see what it really is. The seller said during his first season of sugaring his new back pan leaked so the dealer gave him a used one to get thru the season and then they replaced it with a new one later in the year. So in theory that has been used one season. It seems to have 8 or 9 flues and is in great shape.

[Jim Brown]

Ham bone; I have a rig just like the one you are discribing. It is a Waterloo/Small says lighting across the top of the doors, has their red sticker on the side of the flue pan and the syrup pan with their name, the serial number and date of manufacture. Last year we were able to get about 30 gallon per hour max while holding 700 degrees in the stack base.( forced draft) We added a steam away this year and hope to get near 50 gallon per hour.We will need it as we have increased our taps to 700 and 400 of those will be on vacumn

Jim

[mapleguy]

Lapierre Waterloo Small, Lapierre USA (formally Waterloo USA)both still handle the Lightning name that was once Small Brothers. Up until a couple years ago Waterloo USA was also handling this brand, so it may me only a few years old.

[hambone]

Thanks again for the replies, I just talked with the dealer who sold it and he thought it was an older arch from small bros. and the pans are newer welded ones.

[HanginAround]

I looked at the Lightning at Dad's shop.... it is brand new, but probably a yr or more since manufacture. It is a 24" x 66", the front casting says "The Lightning" and the doors says 2LD, 2RD, and 2DD. The pans have Lapierre/Waterloo/Small labels, but I forgot to look at the date on them. I did not see Lightning in the new catalogue though. It's obvious they were using the Small Brothers Lightning name and castings for awhile after the Lapierre buyout anyway, and maybe still are.

[Pete33Vt]

I looked at my Lapierre catalog its 2007 and under standard wood fired rigs they have too models ones a Waterloo Evaporator and the other is a Lightning, so must still making them.
Pete

[hambone]

Thanks to everyone who responded, it was a great help in our decision to buy the used equipment. As you can see our profile has changed from a barrel stove. We are really looking forward to learning a lot more about sugarin' and setting up the sap house. It turns out it is a2x6 waterloo/small older arch with raised flue, one pan is 4 years old and the other is two. Going to bring it home this weekend.

[HanginAround]

Congrats on your purchase! Glad we could help.

I didn't see it Pete, but I was in a hurry :oops: Oh, actually, I think the U.S. catalogue is different anyway.

[Pete33Vt]

Congrats on your purchase, your in for a really fun time.
And no problem HANGIN I do the same when I get in to thinking of sugaring.
Pete