Steam Hood Question

[johnallin]

I just finished a hoist system for a new steam hood and am wondering what you guys do regarding the stack when you lift your hoods.

I tried to lift it with the stack in place - 9' total - and it's just too unstable for my liking. Do you remove the stack to raise your hood, or does it stay on?

Sure hope it warms up over here this week...

[Jerome]

9010I have two sections that go up inside each other.

[maple flats]

I do the same thing. My s2 steam stacks are 15" and they go up 4'. Then, suspended from above I have 13" stack that goes down inside the 15" stacks. When I crank the winch, the top ones simply stay put and the 15" ones go up around them. I have mine so I can lift the hood about 24-28". Make sure you are lifting from each corner and that the ceiling pulleys are directly above the attachment points. I can raise and lower mine and it returns to set right back on the pan. My hood is 8' long, the back 5' rests on the flues pan and the front 3' when in place is 16" off the syrup pan. Both sections of the hood are bolted together to form a unit.

[johnallin]

Thank you to both of you, I will try that. What I have in place now is a two part pulley on an overhead beam running to a bridle with 4 stainless cables ending at the tangs on the hood. Due to the location of the arch and my cupola, my stack is almost all the way to the front of the hood, what's happening is the whole hood wants to tip forward when I raise it. I think I will try some "ballast" at the back end to balance it out, and I like the idea of the upper stack to keep it from wanting to tip sideways.
Have you ever had occasion to raise the hood while you're boiling? Other than cleaning the flue pan, is there a reason I can't just disconnect the lifting harness?
Thanks again.