Jonnyp390
03-25-2014, 05:43 PM
Last year I built a 2 steam pan barrel arch and I am finally getting around to sharing it with you all. Sorry for the length of the post. One of the guys on the Michigan thread wanted some details on how I built it, so I figured I would explain everything as best as possible.
I started with a removable top steel molasses drum I got from a bakery. I couldn't find a closed top drum, so I settled on the removable top and I am glad I did. Working on the inside of the drum (cutting, welding, insulating, bricking) was much easier with a removable front. I twist some aluminum foil and lay it in the groove on the barrel head before attaching it to drum to make a pseudo-gasket to make the top/front air tight. I cut the top of the barrel off about the midway point. Measuring on a drum proves difficult, so I made multiple templates with scrap 1"x1" lumber and a hot glue gun to play around with the pan supports before cutting into the drum. I wanted the 6" steam pans to sit about 3" deep into the fire box, that way I could maximize my heating surface area and minimize the scorching/warping on the side of the pans. I then welded 1" angle steel to make the pan supports and welded on the sides plates and the curved pieces on the front and back corners. I used the Vogelzang Kit Door, Feet and the Chimney connector (sans damper). I then drilled and tapped the corners of the pan supports so that I can level the pans individually and control the depth they sit into the evaporator.
943794389439
For the inside of the drum I welded in a piece of angle steel across the drum at a depth of 20". This established the back of my fire box and allows me to fill in the back void of the drum to keep the heat under the front pan and then along the bottom of the second pan. I lined the whole inside with Roxul Mineral Wool. The first year, I placed the leftover scrap that I removed from the one side of the drum, inverted it, and used line the inside of the firebox, but that quickly burned out. The whole bottom the firebox is now lined with a layer of fire bricks. 2 split bricks down the middle (This allows air into the 2" bung for draft and I can poke the embers out of the way to keep under the grates clean), 2 full bricks on each side (the added height gives me more room under the grates) , then 4 splits on each side above that placed vertically. At the back of the firebox is a stack of full bricks that go up to the previously mentioned cross support steel. Behind that is filled in with multiple compressed layers of Roxul, topped with a piece of hardi-backer, then a full layer of split bricks. Above the firebox, on the sides, I through-bolted pieces of hardi-backer. Looks hideous, but it does the job and I have not done anything to fix it.
Finished Dimensions of the firebox is 18" deep, 16" wide, 11-12" from the grate to the bottom of the pan. I kept burning out cast iron grill grates last year, so I welded up a new one this year out of 1" x 1" x 1/4" thick angle. Works great (Grate)!
94409441
I started with a removable top steel molasses drum I got from a bakery. I couldn't find a closed top drum, so I settled on the removable top and I am glad I did. Working on the inside of the drum (cutting, welding, insulating, bricking) was much easier with a removable front. I twist some aluminum foil and lay it in the groove on the barrel head before attaching it to drum to make a pseudo-gasket to make the top/front air tight. I cut the top of the barrel off about the midway point. Measuring on a drum proves difficult, so I made multiple templates with scrap 1"x1" lumber and a hot glue gun to play around with the pan supports before cutting into the drum. I wanted the 6" steam pans to sit about 3" deep into the fire box, that way I could maximize my heating surface area and minimize the scorching/warping on the side of the pans. I then welded 1" angle steel to make the pan supports and welded on the sides plates and the curved pieces on the front and back corners. I used the Vogelzang Kit Door, Feet and the Chimney connector (sans damper). I then drilled and tapped the corners of the pan supports so that I can level the pans individually and control the depth they sit into the evaporator.
943794389439
For the inside of the drum I welded in a piece of angle steel across the drum at a depth of 20". This established the back of my fire box and allows me to fill in the back void of the drum to keep the heat under the front pan and then along the bottom of the second pan. I lined the whole inside with Roxul Mineral Wool. The first year, I placed the leftover scrap that I removed from the one side of the drum, inverted it, and used line the inside of the firebox, but that quickly burned out. The whole bottom the firebox is now lined with a layer of fire bricks. 2 split bricks down the middle (This allows air into the 2" bung for draft and I can poke the embers out of the way to keep under the grates clean), 2 full bricks on each side (the added height gives me more room under the grates) , then 4 splits on each side above that placed vertically. At the back of the firebox is a stack of full bricks that go up to the previously mentioned cross support steel. Behind that is filled in with multiple compressed layers of Roxul, topped with a piece of hardi-backer, then a full layer of split bricks. Above the firebox, on the sides, I through-bolted pieces of hardi-backer. Looks hideous, but it does the job and I have not done anything to fix it.
Finished Dimensions of the firebox is 18" deep, 16" wide, 11-12" from the grate to the bottom of the pan. I kept burning out cast iron grill grates last year, so I welded up a new one this year out of 1" x 1" x 1/4" thick angle. Works great (Grate)!
94409441