New Block Arch

[Jonnie Maple]

Graduated from a barrel arch with 1 hotel pan to a block arch with 3 pans this year. Finally got to fire it up today.
The good - went through 50 gallons of sap in about 9 hours / holds the heat way better than the barrel
The bad - got a lot of smoke through the spaces around the pans, back and front (not as bad once I got a hot fire going) / gasket around the door did not stay put
The Ugly - the steel front I made bowed as soon as it got hot and blew out the concrete screws that held it in place.

I still need a better way to preheat the sap and deliver it to the pans. My preheat pan sits on a steel plate over the back of the arch. It was heating sap from 42 degrees to 106 in a matter of minutes. Problem is it only holds a gallon and a half and I have to dip load the sap to coffee cans to drip in the pans. Seems like I spent all day moving sap from here to there.

[Troy D]

Looks real nice!!! WAYYYY better than the one I slapped together on Sunday nice work

[pauliwalnutz]

Very nice. Can you put a pic of the back of the arch?

[Jonnie Maple]

Very nice. Can you put a pic of the back of the arch?

I don't have a pic of the back but I'll see if I can get one next time I boil ... Sat?

[Shakeyjake36]

Does the arch shift or move when the ground under it thaws?

[NhShaun]

I built my first block arch this season but still haven't fired it up yet. Hopefully this weekend if I can get enough sap.
For your front piece of steel issue.. look into getting some nickel chromium wire. Simply drill some holes in the steel and attatch some ceramic insulation. This will prevent it from warping, blowing out the screws, and help keep the heat inside. it's relatively cheap for the wire, and a small piece of insulation. Also if you purchase some by the foot, pick up an extra foot or two and cut it into strips to use as gasket around your areas leaking smoke.
Your block arch looks great though
, I'm sure it is an upgrade from previous methods.

[Trevor5]

Looks good! A lot better than my first block arch.

Here are three pictures, one of my first block arch with steam tray pan, then last year with 2x4 flat pan and then this years rendition with an upgraded door and stack.111841118711186

[Jonnie Maple]

I built my first block arch this season but still haven't fired it up yet. Hopefully this weekend if I can get enough sap.
For your front piece of steel issue.. look into getting some nickel chromium wire. Simply drill some holes in the steel and attatch some ceramic insulation. This will prevent it from warping, blowing out the screws, and help keep the heat inside. it's relatively cheap for the wire, and a small piece of insulation. Also if you purchase some by the foot, pick up an extra foot or two and cut it into strips to use as gasket around your areas leaking smoke.
Your block arch looks great though
, I'm sure it is an upgrade from previous methods.

I lined the inside of the arch with cement board. It seems to have held up very well after the first boil. I might have enough left over to cover the front.

[Jonnie Maple]

Does the arch shift or move when the ground under it thaws?

It hasn't yet. Had a couple of thaws and freezes and no noticeable movement. For the base I laid in about 4" of stone dust.

[Jonnie Maple]

Very nice. Can you put a pic of the back of the arch?

Here is the back, outside and inside

[Wizbi]

How long did the cement board hold up to the fire? It's much cheaper than fire brick, but if it has to be replaced more often, it could wind up a wash.

[pauliwalnutz]

Here is the back, outside and inside

Thanks. Very nice job.

[Jonnie Maple]

How long did the cement board hold up to the fire? It's much cheaper than fire brick, but if it has to be replaced more often, it could wind up a wash.

After the second boil it is cracking, but hasn't fallen apart yet. I'm sure I'll go with fire brick next year.

[CampHamp]

My steam pan experience was to keep the fire below the sap line or you get burnt sap at the foam line. I ended up setting my pan edges right on top and filling the gap between each pan with wide, hollow rectangular rods. I used a siphon between pans to keep them all at the same 1" level...

[Wizbi]

CampHamp,

I concluded the same. I use 5 6" deep buffet pans on a cinderblock arch. I adjust my pans to be 3" into the firebox soas to keep 3" available for the boiling level. What I found is that as the boil occurs, the thin sap that is returning to the sap pool will scorch if there is fire on the pan at that location. Basically, keeping the fire limited to the sap pool. This way, I get the added heating area that the 3" of pan sides offers. It really does increase production. I used 1.5"x1" and 1.75"x1" rectangular steel channel to serve as the pan risers (flame blockers). They filled the gaps between the pans and added support for the pans. A little aliuminum foil laid across the risers before seating the pans helped to seal for eliminating smoke.

I have been having issues with getting siphoning to work. I started with simple pan to pan tubes, but found they air locked too easy. Graduated to using cups at the siphon feet to reduce bubbles entering the siphons. Worked better, but still air locked, albeit less often. Then graduated to using a sealed buffer tank attached to the siphon top with a more elaborate foot design that helps to divert air bubbles entering the siphon tubes. Worked like a charm. The buffer tank exchanges sap for the air that does get into the siphon tubes (much smaller number of bubbles in quantity and size). The siphons don't have to be burped for 4 hours - and I use sap in the buffer tanks so its a workable solution. One note though, the warm air bubbles do condense as they cool, so the tanks need to be structurally sound - I watch my first sealed container (6 gal food-safe plastic jugs) concept crinkle up as the pressure decreased inside the tanks.

[Wizbi]

CampHamp,

53 gal on 120 taps ?

How often do you collect and boil?


On our site, I get about a gallon a day at best per tap. Using that basis, and about 50 gal sap : 1 gal syrup ration, it would seem that your season is at least 25 days long or your sap sugar content is superior.

I am wondering if the sap vac pulls more sap than gravity. This has caught my interest to understand how you are this successful.
Please offer any tidbits that may enlighten me.

[CampHamp]

I think it's mostly having high vacuum pressure by using 3/16 lines on a hill and an RV water pump for suction. This season is not looking as good. Only 29 G bottled and perhaps 5 days left in our season.

[Jonnie Maple]

2016 improvements:
got fire brick to replace the cement board. The board held up, although there were a bunch of cracks in it.
Also got 3/4" ceramic blanket to cover the front (door) and to line around the pans.
Got a 5 1/2 gallon tub to use as a preheater. still have to move it to the individual cans that feed each pan.
Had first boil today. Got about 6 GPH. I think that's the best I can do with hotel pans. Gonna have to go flat pan next year.