Newbie Putting Together an Evaporator with questions about Pans and fuel

[jrm]

Hi. I've spent many hours on this site; the reading is addictive.

I am going to tap for the first time this year -- only 2 or 3 -- next year may be closer to 10. I have a Weber Propane grill with cast iron box and hood. It can fit a full size steamer pan. I am also pulling together the parts to make a barrel evaporator with wood kit legs/door.

I'd be ready to roll using the grill. Comments on the effort, for this season, to get the barrel evaporator up and running vs the grill?

If I go the propane route, any idea of how much propane needed for a 6-10 hour burn?

Trying to decide on pan depth? Better to go with a 4" or 6" depth?

Thanks.

[happy thoughts]

can't help you with the propane but I'd go with the 6" steam pan. There is more room to keep things under control if your boil gets out of hand. A boilover can happen in the blink of an eye and that extra depth can give you a little more time to react.

[optionguru]

As far as the barrel evaporator goes, do you have welding skills or torches or are you handy with an angle grinder? I built an oil tank evaporator last season in about 2 days, wasn't too pretty but functional. After last season I took more time to fix it up and make improvements, now she's the prettiest poor mans evaporator around (In my humble opinion). I would put the money you're going to spend on propane towards building your evaporator and tap more trees. Looking at the weather, I think you have some time before season really starts.

Good luck and have fun.

[MapleLady]

Definitely go with the deeper pan. You won't regret it! :)

[Big_Eddy]

You're just starting and thinking about 2-3 trees for this year. The steamer tray on the barbecue is perfect.
By end of season - I predict you will have 10 trees tapped and the barbecue will be having a hard time keeping up.

It's too late for the barrel arch for this year. I would start searching now for 10-15 concrete blocks to make a block arch. Add a second and maybe a third steamer tray and you're good for 10-30 trees.

Then spend your summer working on your barrel arch and pans.

[Rangdale]

I use propane as well and get about 12-14 hours out of each tank and can make a gallon of syrup on 1-1.5 tanks. The burners I have are a little more efficient than a grill I think though.

[Lethalbowman]

I used a fish fryer last year, they burn way hotter than a grill. I would use the grill to pre-heet the sap then boil on a turkey fryer or block arch.

[tcross]

my suggestion... definitely use the deeper pan! I'd advise not using the propane method! you'll spend a lot of money in propane! I would take the money you want to spend in propane and use that to build a block arch like big eddy said! I had I made one last year (my first year)! it worked great for the 42 taps I had! it was 3 blocks deep 2 blocks wide and 3 blocks high! I added a small fan underneath and had a 6" stove pipe out the back! I even went as far as to fill the blocks with Sand to insulate... and was happy I did. seemed to keep in more heat and the sides of the arch were warm but wouldn't burn you warm! So unless you are really handy with a torch and welder, I'd say go with a block arch!

[Bernie/MA]

What part of MA are you in? I'm in north-central, Orange. I have 3 stainless pans I made, 6" deep. I haven't put the dividers in yet. They are 18"x36" made to fit on a block arch one block wide. I made a frame that sits on the blocks with a hanging door and an 8" smokepipe fitting on the back. It also has a grate for the firebox. I made one for my grandson and made the pans planning to make more. I'm a retired welder with a small shop. I can send pics if you're interested.

[jrm]

What part of MA are you in? I'm in north-central, Orange. I have 3 stainless pans I made, 6" deep. I haven't put the dividers in yet. They are 18"x36" made to fit on a block arch one block wide. I made a frame that sits on the blocks with a hanging door and an 8" smokepipe fitting on the back. It also has a grate for the firebox. I made one for my grandson and made the pans planning to make more. I'm a retired welder with a small shop. I can send pics if you're interested.

I'm in Middlesex, roughly 495 and 2. I'd be interested in the pics and more.

I'm not a welder, checking to see if anyone we know is. (Our Colorado neighbors are a little too far away to ask. :-|) Thought will the barrel to add the feet and door from the kit and cut in.. I've heard some chatter that I have to be careful about strength/integrity if I have an entire end as a door. So, considering that as well.

Group consensus on deeper pans. Thanks!

Big_Eddy, I've already been thinking I'm hooked and I haven't even started, so I see your prediction coming true. Nice links you have in your sig. Quite helpful.

Decided to wait until we this cold snap passes then will get my taps in... at least a bit more time to continue mulling which way to go.

Thanks all.

[birdmancf]

Hey jrm,
My first evaporator was a barrel stove evaporator that I built in my basement with a drill, sabre saw with metal cutting blades, pop rivets and no welding skills. It is certainly doable and I would have gladly passed it on to a friend as I expanded had it not been crushed underneath our tree crushed garage. I think it is a great way to make a starter rig that can be expanded.
Here's some of my thoughts and remembrances.
1) Use the barrel stove kit legs and door and forsake the stack collar.In hindsight I would put the barrel's large bung hole at the front bottom and possibly use it for additional draft or connecting a blower.
2)I used 2 pans, both 6" deep, one half pan and one full pan. I didn't want to sink the pans completely into the barrel, as I wanted to limit scorching on the sides of the pans as the sap depth dropped. I set the depth of the pans by having them sit on 2 rails inside the barrel that were held by bolts with nuts on the outside surface of the barrel. Some similar setups I've seen use gasket around the openings to eliminate any flames coming up the sides of the pan but I found I could control it easily with a damper control in the stack.
3) The stack opening was cut in the back end of the barrel. I simply cut a circular opening to match the 6" pipe used.
The first year I did this the barrel was uninsulated and would grow red hot as I boiled at night. The following year I made some adjustments that included building a heat shelf, adding firebrick, and adding air to the fire from the back end of the stove.
I'll attach some pics in another post.

[birdmancf]

8895Here are some pics of the first year...

8896and the 2nd year.

[jrm]

Hey jrm,
My first evaporator was a barrel stove evaporator that I built in my basement with a drill, sabre saw with metal cutting blades, pop rivets and no welding skills. It is certainly doable and I would have gladly passed it on to a friend as I expanded had it not been crushed underneath our tree crushed garage. I think it is a great way to make a starter rig that can be expanded.
Here's some of my thoughts and remembrances.
1) Use the barrel stove kit legs and door and forsake the stack collar.In hindsight I would put the barrel's large bung hole at the front bottom and possibly use it for additional draft or connecting a blower.
2)I used 2 pans, both 6" deep, one half pan and one full pan. I didn't want to sink the pans completely into the barrel, as I wanted to limit scorching on the sides of the pans as the sap depth dropped. I set the depth of the pans by having them sit on 2 rails inside the barrel that were held by bolts with nuts on the outside surface of the barrel. Some similar setups I've seen use gasket around the openings to eliminate any flames coming up the sides of the pan but I found I could control it easily with a damper control in the stack.
3) The stack opening was cut in the back end of the barrel. I simply cut a circular opening to match the 6" pipe used.
The first year I did this the barrel was uninsulated and would grow red hot as I boiled at night. The following year I made some adjustments that included building a heat shelf, adding firebrick, and adding air to the fire from the back end of the stove.
I'll attach some pics in another post.

Birdmancf -- Great insights. I'd been wondering about being able to keep the pans from fully sinking. I can envision the rails and bolts working quite well. Pics would be great when you're able. I've been trolling for firebricks on CL but haven't seen any yet, also will check around for prices from the local stone folks. ? is a heat shelf the idea of raising up near the stack? I've seen others posts mention using sand in a barrel or brick arch to angle up towards the stack. Thanks.

[jrm]

Are the flaps fold-backs from your opening cuts? Or, did you add those in with bolts? From your experience with the door part of the kit, do I need to start with a closed at both ends drum? Or, can I work with a drum open on one end, with lid available?

[Bernie/MA]

Hi, I can send the pics tonight. I need your phone # if to your phone or to email. Send your phone # to bearlysane43 at yahoo dot com using.at and dot symbols. Put sap rig in the subject line. Bernie

[birdmancf]

Jrm,
The shelves happened to be a byproduct of the original cuts. There was a drill hole at each corner that made making the straight bend much easier(as well as the cuts). At one point I had put narrow pans on there for preheating sap, at another time I placed firebricks there to cut down on any wind induced heat loss ( my shelter was 2 sidewalls and a roof), and if I remember correctly I may have cut them down or off entirely. Use them anyway you can. A word of suggestion, I would not use this design in a fully enclosed sugar house, the pan fit is not airtight enough, at least as I worked it. However it is easily transportable and can be moved in/out of the garage as needed.
I used a closed on both ends barrel, but either should work if the door fits the face.
As far as feeding the barrel, the 1st year it was all firebox. Longer wood could be used and I could make one heck of a pile of coals, but I also had one heck of a torch coming out of the top of the stack. To me that all added up to wasted heat and wasted wood, so like you I started reading the Trader looking for efficiency and the best ways. The most important part of the upgrade was adding a grate to get air under the fire (and eventually introduced air both over and under the fire, but that's far too much to think about this year.)
I'll try to get more pictures up, some didn't attach last night. You can pm me any time or keep the thread going. Keep it simple as you have time for and have fun. You'll always want to do more next year, but you'll have 10 months to get that together.
Chris