Steam table drop tube?

[Sam Caruth]

Hey all. I last year boiled on a dual steam table pan barrel evaporator. Looking to do the same set up, but making the back pan into a drop tube flue pan. I have some experience with silver solder and stuff, but what else is needed to make it a drop tube? Any advice would be helpful.

[RileySugarbush]

You need a way to flare the tubes to 90° ( I made a 45° flare and hand bent them flat) and cut holes in the pan ( I used a greenlee punch)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uekyxmghj6hcaxr/AACnxyG0GAOEKSi_M6AqKNDaa?dl=0

[Sam Caruth]

Thanks Riley. Did you find it improves the boil a lot? I've heard close to double?


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[RileySugarbush]

More that doubles the evaporation from that pan. You still need at least one plan to finish in so...

I ran two with tubes and two without. With a blower I could get close to 15gph. Not bad for a little block arch!

Where are you at Sam? I grew up in Portage.

[Sam Caruth]

Thanks Riley. Im in Holland. I'm always running down to Portage to fish Long Lake! Small world.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[RileySugarbush]

Sure is. I lived on Gourdneck Lake not far from Long. Good luck with your pans this Spring.

John

[Fleman202]

Hey guys,

2015 will be my second season and i am totally hooked after getting ten gallons my first year. I am planning on building a much improved evaporator this winter. I have and will continue to look through what has already been said but still want to put ask a couple questions.

What are the most important things to consider and make sure are a part of an evaporator/arch?
Are blowers really necessary? it looks they are...
Drop flue or raised flue?
Good preheating system?

I will have I am guessing 150 or so taps probably on buckets. Is there a huge advantage besides labor time to putting a portion of those taps on a gravity or vac line? Will I get a lot of volume difference using buckets?

[RileySugarbush]

What are the most important things to consider and make sure are a part of an evaporator/arch?
Are blowers really necessary? it looks they are...
Drop flue or raised flue?
Good preheating system?

For a high evaporation rate at a given size pan....

First get a flue pan - raised or drop doesn't matter, you need the additional area

Next add under fire air so your fire is always hot and never choked for air flow. May need to balance an airtight arch vs amount of air flow so you don't blow ashes all over the place.

Preheating is nice but in the absolute best case my get you close to a 15% gain, more likely less than 10%. The first two items can give over 100% gains!

There are lot's of added features after that, but a flue pan and some forced air are the first steps

[70 Buick]

Drop tubes really help
I am getting close to 12 gph with mine

first I made this

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

made this for pre heating

http://shootthebull.freeforums.org/download/file.php?id=212&t=1

then this to improve the boiling

http://shootthebull.freeforums.org/download/file.php?id=263&t=1

sounds like a v8 when it gets going it really works well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cptD17GQHYo

[saekeaton64]

Check out this link: http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?19759-Drop-tube-pan-build

I made a drop tube pan a few years ago and it worked great.

[VTmaplehobby]

70 Buick, where did you get your stainless tubing? Also, did you buy caps for the ends or build them out of flat steel? What did you use for solder/brazing filler?