Reconditioned 55 gal barrel arch

[shiirooms]

Thought I'd throw this out. I burned out my barrel arch last year, totally unusable. Found a new barrel and salvaged the Vogelgang parts and 18x30 flat pan. New design follows the look of commercial 2x3's. Here's what I did. Cut out slot on the top of barrel for the pan, and bent the edge upward to fit the pan sides snuggly. From the center waste, cut and formed end pieces to contour the round of the barrel and fit to the pan snuggly. For an exhaust stack I used a 2x12 to 6 in dia HVC connection. This I riveted to the top rear area of the barrel just behind the pan slot. I Welded 1.5x1.5 angle iron to from a rectagular brace which slides over the pan slot in the barrel supported by the bent up barrel sides. Made sure the angle iron frame sat level, since this frame supports the pan. Cut out for Vogelgang door, and mounted such that the outer frame nearly touched the top rim of the barrel. Did not use the Vogelgang draft stuff. For a draft door I cut out a 9in wide section under the cast iron door, down to the bottom of the barrel and installed a piano hinge to the top of this section so it would swing open. I used long thru bolts in the bottom row of fire door. These would thus support the front, of a cast iron 16x19 Ben Franklin grate. While the rear grate legs would rest on the barrel about 1/3 way back. To take up space behind the grate I placed a sheet of diamond plate 3/16 (or 1/4) thick cut 18x22. This just rests inside the barrel half way up, since the barrel is 22in dia inside. From a piece of scrap cut out of the top of another barrel this being 22in dia I cut a piece, to fill the gap between the diamond plate and the barrel bottom. I added extra height to form a lip which overlapped the diamond plate. This sealed the area under the diamond plate and created a step behind the grate and made a large ash area under the grate. To complete the arch I bricked the side of the barrel, the top of the diamond plate and the step up, behind the grate. I used reclaimed house brick and filled the holes with refractory cement (22#). I had some leftover ceramic blanket and insulated the rear of the barrel behind the brick and above the diamond plate. Salvaged the 9 ft stack and cap from old arch. At this point I want to fire up and tweak, then finish off by cementing all the bricks in. Possibly extra insulation needed.
Note: some masonry skill needed to cut brick to contour. I used my old pan but two large restaurant steamers would also work with plan alterations. (See other threads) I use a small steamer pan for my sap preheater which simply sits on the edge of the evaporator pan.93679368

[hodorskib]

Nice job looks like it should work well. Good luck.

[Skoaler27]

Are you able to attach some pictures of the inside of the barrel? I'm currently working on making a barrel arch and am looking for some pointers. Also, what are the dimensions of your flat pan and what gauge metal are you using? I think I am going to go with a pan like that rather than steam trays, thoughts?

[shiirooms]

Skoaler27
Post a PM to my notification box, and I'll send you a dozen pics to your email. My flat pan is 16 x 30. It could have been a bit longer to fit in the barrel full length. Mine was made by an HVC contractor, with I believe 18g galvanized sheet. The side are 6 in high with a folded over lip on the sides about 1 in wide. The ends are simply rolled over. My original design had the pan siding down into barrel and resting on the pan lip. The second redesign I had the bottom of the pan setting on four bolts, pan setting down into the barrel about 1.5 in. The new design has the pan setting on the angle iron rail on top of the barrel. The length of your pan will be determined by how much space you leave when you cut the barrel opening, and where you decide to place your exhaust stack opening, back of the barrel or top of the barrel. Lots of designs on other threads. I kind of picked those element I liked or had seen in the commercial models. Having taken a new look at what I have built I am thinking I should have cut the opening wider and made a wider flat pan. This would have lowered the pan closer to the fire and reduced the height of the space behind the fire box, so more heat would directed to the bottom of the pan before exhausting. On some of the threads I have read that the pan to rear brick height should be about 2-3in for flat pans. I can see this advantage, especially in the shorter hobby evaporators.
DB

[shiirooms]

Skoaler27 playing around in Maple Trader site and downloaded a bunch of pics of the barrel arch build. Go to Gallery and search out member gallery -- SHIIROOMS. These should help out.
DB

[shiirooms]

Skoaler 27 read your PM thanks for the reply. I noticed you indicate you are going to build a pan. On the new 2x3 I purchased, it came with a 3 section divided pan. See leader half pint pics. If I were to build a pan I would make it with dividers. You have to be more aware of the boil etc but the efficiency really goes up. I must say that the flat pan is more forgiving having the ability to batch boil larger volume of sap and leave unattended for a while.
DB