my little arch

[beaglebriar]

Here's what I have so far it still needs some finishing touches. I have to add a port to the preheat pan and a latch to the ash door along with building grates and bricking. So far I've only spent around 60 bucks for the barrel stove kit everything else was scrounged. Should I add something to the firebox to hold the pan in place? It is sitting on a 2" lip. I'm pretty happy with how it's coming along. I know a few things are less than ideal but hopefully it will turn out some decent syrup. Should be a good time boiling with my kids.

[ronintank]

Looks like you have a nice setup so far.

[Ausable]

Nice work - Chances are Your ash door will be partly open - to allow more combustion air in for burning fuel. Looks good to me.

[flyyer]

Hey great job and inspiring! I'm in the process of building a barrel evaporator but already looking at doing something exactly like where you are with you neat little rig. I don't have many taps, so bigger isn't better for me, But don't like buying propane for turkey cookers either! What size is your pan? Purchased or did you build the pan too? I assume ihe entire evaporator is scratch built? Do you think given the small nature of your pan you can achieve a continuous process flow with the dividers? Again, super job! Thanks, Sam in Va.

[flyyer]

Any pictures inside? thanks

[eustis22]

I would suggest adding pan gasket to that two-inch lip in order to seal the pan to the stove. Otherwise it's a sweet setup. How many taps you running?

[beaglebriar]

Hey great job and inspiring! I'm in the process of building a barrel evaporator but already looking at doing something exactly like where you are with you neat little rig. I don't have many taps, so bigger isn't better for me, But don't like buying propane for turkey cookers either! What size is your pan? Purchased or did you build the pan too? I assume ihe entire evaporator is scratch built? Do you think given the small nature of your pan you can achieve a continuous process flow with the dividers? Again, super job! Thanks, Sam in Va.

It is 2'x3' and I built everything including the pans. I have access to a brake and shear at work so that helped a lot with building the pans. I'm hoping to get continuous flow. Some of the hobby type evaporators of th same size that are sold commercially claim to be able to. There's not much to see inside the firebox right now basically just an empty box. I will take some pics when I start bricking and adding grates. Plan on tapping 25 trees this year and don't plan to tap many more than that in the future. I also plan to add the pan gasket mentioned. I appreciate everyone's comments. I've learned quite a bit lurking around here.

[buckeye gold]

I ran a half pint for several years (now converted to a full pint hybrid w/ extended arch) that was very similar. Put a valve on that preheater pan so you can continuosly run new sap in and she'll run a gradient just fine. I would suggest a port and valve on both sides of the preheater and pan so you can reverse flow without flipping the pan. The valves on the pan should be on opposite diagonal corners. may as well add a manifold for a blower while your at it.

[maple flats]

Add the second draw off valve as suggested at the opposite corner. Then add the ball valve (small) to the preheater and just place the top pan to feed the pan from one direction and to reverse it just slide the top pan to the other end and turn it around, or better you, have 2 valves, the one feeding the left channel as we look at it will be short and the one on the other corner should have a long pc. of copper tubing so it adds sap at the front corner. That way you reverse flow by closing one valve and opening the other at the cost of 2 ball valves.

[beaglebriar]

I already have a port on opposite corners of the pan. I was planning to add only a single port to the preheat pan but I will go with two as suggested. Thanks for the input guys. What can I use for a blower? Preferably something cheap. I want to keep it low cost as I tend to go overboard on projects like this and so far I'm doing good.

[NhShaun]

Looks good, should handle your 20 taps no problem. I see a lot of pans with a thermometer next to the draw off valve. I will be putting on one mine, something to consider.. they aren't too expensive.

[lpakiz]

Can you scrounge a blower from a power vent water heater or furnace? An old oil furnace blower with the fuel pump removed? Or a blower from an old wood furnace will work. Something with a wheel 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide and 4-6 in diameter. You won't need very much air to make that thing red hot! Make a swivel gate to restrict how much air it takes in. This gives you a way to control the burn.
Good luck, and have fun!

[beaglebriar]

Can you scrounge a blower from a power vent water heater or furnace? An old oil furnace blower with the fuel pump removed? Or a blower from an old wood furnace will work. Something with a wheel 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide and 4-6 in diameter. You won't need very much air to make that thing red hot! Make a swivel gate to restrict how much air it takes in. This gives you a way to control the burn.
Good luck, and have fun!

I will be on the lookout for a blower.Where's the best place to buy a thermometer and other supplies?

[Sugarmaker]

Is that the town Northeast PA as near Erie, or across the other end of the state?
Get a good digital thermometer that reads in tenths. about $30.
You pans and arch look great. I thought you bought it. Nice work!
Have fun making syrup.
Regards,
Chris

[beaglebriar]

Is that the town Northeast PA as near Erie, or across the other end of the state?
Get a good digital thermometer that reads in tenths. about $30.
You pans and arch look great. I thought you bought it. Nice work!
Have fun making syrup.
Regards,
Chris

I'm actually in northeastern pa not the town. I will look for the thermometer you suggested. Thanks!

[beaglebriar]

Got the little feller bricked yesterday and built my grates today. Hopefully I can get my trees tapped Monday and do a test boil before my first run.I'm no mason but I think it will work just fine. 10762

[Quagmire33]

It looks great. Just like my half pint. I agree with adding a second port on your preheater to reverse flow. Here's a pick of my rig. Maybe it'll help. 10778

[Evets]

It looks great. Just like my half pint. I agree with adding a second port on your preheater to reverse flow. Here's a pick of my rig. Maybe it'll help. 10778

I'm still pretty new at this and am wondering; what's the reason for reversing the flow?

[Greenthumb]

Helps to clean the niter and sugars and off. Never really could tell when I had a half pint if did

[Quagmire33]

Helps to clean the niter and sugars and off. Never really could tell when I had a half pint if did

If you reverse the flow, the niter won't build up so much at the one outlet. I will reverse flow every time I fill the preheater until I get maybe 40 gallons in. Then I will keep it going in one direction to create a gradient so I can draw off. When I'm done for the night I will just let the fire go out. When it cools you lose your gradient. So the next day I will flow in the opposite direction and draw off that side. It just keep the niter from building too much on one end.

[Evets]

Alright, that makes sense. Thanks! I appreciate your response.

[beaglebriar]

Quagmire, How often do you draw off? I'm wondering what to expect and would like the first boil to go as smooth as possible.

[Quagmire33]

I have to start off by saying I'm still just a rookie and all I've learned is through trial and error and through this site. That being said, there are a million variables. I guess at 5gal/hr evaporation rate with 40:1 ratio I guess technically one could draw off one pint per hour. I like to do bigger draws. So I mess with stuff until I think I can draw around a gallon or so. I would just draw some into my hydrometer and check to be sure I'm close to syrup. Then draw till I thought it was getting too thin and check again. Have to be careful though, cause if your feeding one end and diluting the finish end to get a bigger draw, you can end up with syrup in the center and not syrup on either end. This year I added a thermometer to one outlet to make things easier. I plan on trying smaller draws more often this season. Drawing off at maybe 216 or so and stop when the temp drops to maybe 214 or something. Not real sure. My last boil last season was pretty stressful cause I wasn't sure exactly how to stop. so I ended up with over 4 gallons of syrup in a boiling pan. Ran out of sap to push the syrup through. Wish I had better info for you but like I said, I'm still a rookie. Here's a pic of how I installed the new thermometer this year. Can't wait till the weather breaks so I can start boiling and try it all out. 10781

[NhShaun]

Info from a rookie is still good info. Trial and error is a great way to learn and I am sure this season(my 2nd) will have plenty of that in store. I think the thermometer will help you out with the draw off Quagmire. Where did you purchase that from?

[Quagmire33]

Info from a rookie is still good info. Trial and error is a great way to learn and I am sure this season(my 2nd) will have plenty of that in store. I think the thermometer will help you out with the draw off Quagmire. Where did you purchase that from?

I got it from bascoms. It was on their discount/used wall of fittings and things. I think I paid $30 for it.

[beaglebriar]

I like your thermometer set up. I was just going to stick a candy thermometer in the draw off area but I might order one of those. Guess I will have to do some trail runs to figure what's going to work best for me. Thanks for the info.