Filing cabinet evaporator. Cant wait to give her a try!

[Yellowdog64]

9057 Just need to put the doors on it!

[bushmoose]

The last thing I would want to do is a discourage anyone from at least trying to make syrup. Having said that, I should also say that with your pan completely set in like it is, the sides will burn as the sap level goes down. Regarding the filing cabinet, it will probably warp 3 ways from Sunday once the fire gets rolling? My suggestion would be to spend some time looking around this site and see what other newbies are doing. Learn from their mistakes. There are a multitude of ways to build a nice little arch that will suit your needs and desire to make syrup. Good Luck!

[Ittiz]

Paint would be a bit smelly as it burnt off for the first use too.

[optionguru]

I would at least put some fire brick on the bottom and up the sides, otherwise it's going to warp like crazy. Otherwise It will be a cool experiment, keep us up to date.

[maplestudent]

it sure beats the campfire method I used the first year I made syrup (1.5 quarts). don't be discouraged from experimenting with whatever you've got to work with (well, unless it's dangerous). a couple years ago there was another guy on here that had a file-cabinet evaporator......either a 3 or 4 drawer unit, that he had laid on its back with the drawer openings facing up. Maybe if you do a search you can find it and get some tips.

if anything, this tread reminds me why I debate (with myself) posting a pic of my wood 2-handed tubing tool.

[bushmoose]

i

if anything, this tread reminds me why I debate (with myself) posting a pic of my wood 2-handed tubing tool.

Why debate it, show everyone a pic? The tone I get from the above quote is that you aren't comfortable with people offering comments or suggestions? Isn't that what this site is all about? To help someone? Maybe offer a few pointers based on experience? By virtue of anyone even coming on this site suggests that a person wants to see what others are doing, how they're doing it and learn from it.

[Yellowdog64]

It will be fine for my first season I think. Next year I will probably build something out of cinder blocks. this was a quick throw together repurpose project that I had laying around. Thanks for the firebrick idea and I will definitely do a good test burn off before the real thing.

[The dairy farmer]

I would actualy tip it over long ways so u can have another pan and it will be longer so u don't have to have such small fire wood ?

[maplestudent]

I'm not trying to tick anyone off (or hijack this thread either)....but sometimes people just want to share what they've done and aren't necessarily looking for a critique of their work. In my view if someone is looking for suggestions on how to improve something, they usually ask. I didn't see that in the initial post. So that's how I interpreted the initial post and those that followed.

[bushmoose]

I'm not trying to tick anyone off (or hijack this thread either)....but sometimes people just want to share what they've done and aren't necessarily looking for a critique of their work. In my view if someone is looking for suggestions on how to improve something, they usually ask. I didn't see that in the initial post. So that's how I interpreted the initial post and those that followed.

Fair enough. I see your point.

[maplerookie]

I think it is a cool reuse of an item that would end up in the scrap yard then bought by some foreign company looking to make some stupid trinket that us dumb Americans will buy. that said do a burn off of the paint. before anything else. happy mapeling!.

[SevenCreeksSap]

Only thing I can see you might need is a grate up about 8 inches below your pan to keep the flame there, and let the ashes fall through. split your wood about wrist size and Gotta keep the flame on the bottom of the pan. I say, burn it up, warp it, boil it til it melts, then figure out how to do something better next year, we all seem to do that.

[maplestudent]

Fair enough. I see your point.

Thanks for your consideration of my perspective; I do appreciate it. In the future I will try to keep in mind that even when people aren't asking for suggestions, that those commenting are trying to help and not bash others.

Have a great season!

[325abn]

Post pics after you fire it up and before it warps to high heaven. :)

[Swampmapleman]

Go to home depot and buy a sheet of concrete board for tile flooring. Then cut it to fit sides and bottom and back. I use it and for 9 dollars for a 3 x 6 piece it's cheaper than firebrick. Especially for experimental use. I have 3 layers of it on my homemade pile.

[70 Buick]

It will work fine , I have used this to boil down sap for 3 years now
Just have a good fire in it to burn the paint off before you boil, in 3 years I had to replace the stack once LOL

http://shootthebull.freeforums.org/download/file.php?id=215&t=1

It just helps out when your main unit is overwhelmed

http://shootthebull.freeforums.org/download/file.php?id=197&t=1

[Ausable]

Hi 70 Buick - My first rig was close to your barrel stove - Vogelzang kit and all - only I had one large batch pan. I did preheat with a stainless pot on either side of my stack as you show in the picture. LOL - I really like the two drawer filling cabinet evaporator - First time I have saw a rig like this - good idea. Hey! Have a great season.

[Ausable]

9057 Just need to put the doors on it!

Yellowdog - My apology - I read the last post first. This is the First time I have saw the filing cabinet evaporator. Both You and 70 Buick have made one - I think it is a great idea. Hope You make a lot of maple syrup on it.

[70 Buick]

When you have no $$$ you make do with what you have

Sometimes it is just about having a good time, get the family outside have a few beers and laughs

[SevenCreeksSap]

How is this working Yellowdog 64? made any syrup yet?

[Chemist]

I built one last night for a 12.75 by 20.75 inch steam table pan. I will be insulate it with ceramic fire blanket and use it as backup or supplemental cooker during heavy sap flow.

[BSD]

since this post re-surfaced i'll post a picture of my setup from last year. as stupid as it looked we made a lot of syrup on it. i ended up just tossing it in the scrap pile (it was free anyway) at the end of the season since it got so warped. I didn't put any firebrick in except for on the bottom, i really should have done the sides too but i was pressed for time and up to my eyeballs in sap that i had to boil. I took it to the max of about 1100F on the sides when i put a blower on it to superheat it at the beginning of a boil.

15203
15204

[psparr]

You can't beat free!

[Chemist]

My ceramic blanket stuff came today and I bought a stack. Ran it for four hours with tap water in the steam table pan. It worked surprisingly well. I'm glad I built it. For a guy who makes 7-10 gallons of syrup per year an extra gallon or two of sap evaporating each hour helps. If my regular pan works out with the copper drop tubes I will put them in the steam table pan too.