2 By 3 Hobby Arch Build

[Zucker Lager]

This 2 by 3 hobby arch build will take me from two LP burners under my stainless flat pan to boiling using wood from our land. I will be tapping only 15 red maples but could someday tap maybe 20? Some of the material size for this build was chosen because it was free so its a heavy little guy for its size. The frame is 1 - 3/4" angle iron 3/16" thick. The sheet metal is 1/8" thick cold rolled, the ash pan bottom is 3/16". Face frame is 1/4" hot rolled welded up from pieces. Will be making the fire door from 1/4" also with a 1/2" square edge to make it ridged. Still have to make the grate. The draft door will be 3/16". Then paint and the bricking starts hope to get done by the time its ready to tap. This cold weather here in Northern Wisconsin is slowing me down a little working in an unheated pole barn. Will post more pictures when its further along. Happy Tapping Jay


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More pictures in the next post. Jay

[Zucker Lager]

Here are the rest of the pictures: Jay

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[optionguru]

Looks great and it will be easy to extend another two feet in two years when you get addicted like the rest of us. After 4 years I welded three different arches. Happy with what I have now but should have started bigger. Yours will be great for under 25 taps. Have fun.

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Pete:
Oh I think I'm addicted already ha ha. This hobby is just another that lets me build things (I like building "things") and maybe that is the real reason I do it ha ha. Thanks for the input and yes it will be very easy to take a few cuts and extend the back of the arch. jay

[Zucker Lager]

Here is the door and latch build Jay


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[Zucker Lager]

Family emergency set me back a few weeks but yesterday I got the brick ledge and grate installed..................I think I might get whistle bit? really close to tapping here in northern Wisconsin. Arch board and bricks next can I cut the bricks with an angle grinder / masonry wheel or do I need a wet saw? Jay

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[Bricklayer]

Grinder will cut them fine. Get a cheap diamond blade and it will cut like butter. Just make sure to wear a dust mask if cutting dry

[Zucker Lager]

Thanks Bricklayer:
OK on the blade I see that Home Depot has one for my grinder. I've seen mason's cut with those 2 cycle saws and that sure does make a ton of dust. Will be working like a fool to get done for tapping time now. Jay

[MunsterMapler]

If you have a metal chop saw or have a buddy with one that might work better. I just bought a 14 inch masonry blade for it and it worked like a charm.

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Munster:
Some of the manufacturers of those blades say wet with water do you need to do that to keep the blade in good shape or just make a dust cloud? Jay

[LoghomeShooter]

I have a 8" diamond blade that I put on a old table saw. It will cut anything bricks, metal, whatever. It does make a bunch of dust or sparks depending on what you are cutting. I think I bought the blade at Home Depot for under $20.

[Zucker Lager]

Got the arch board in and bricked up and completed just in time to go to the emergency room and a week in the hospital and two weeks rehabing and I never got to tap this year. So it sits in the barn I guess waiting for next year. Will take pictures of the finished arch and post soon. Jay

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[Zucker Lager]

Here are the last of the bricking pics. Jay

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[johnpma]

Well done!!! What is "Arch Board"???? Never heard of it

[psparr]

Well done!!! What is "Arch Board"???? Never heard of it

It's just a rigid fire insulation. Can cut it with a utility knife.

[johnpma]

It's just a rigid fire insulation. Can cut it with a utility knife. Where do you purchase this stuff??? I need some

[psparr]

Bascoms carries it. I'm sure many of the maple suppliers do.

[Zucker Lager]

So after a late start I did get to boil this year. The little guy worked out great. If I kept the stack temperature just over 700 the whole 2 by 3 pan was a full rolling boil no dead spots. Did some math and figure I was boiling just over 7 GPH. the rain kept me under tarps but still had a blast. So how do you like my hood ornament? ha ha Jay

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[Zucker Lager]

If this video link works make sure to turn up your volume. Jay


https://youtu.be/ECGC4kzJgAI

[psparr]

Nice rig!!!!

[Run Forest Run!]

That's some serious sizzle going on in you pan! Love the maple ornament on your evaporator. Great job all around.

[Z/MAN]

Looks like a great little unit.

[highlandcattle]

So nice looking. Confused though. Did you make it or buy it? If so, what brand?

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Highlandcattle:
Its all homemade I like to build things so I went from a turkey fryer to this little guy so that we could burn wood. If your interested I have the build pictures all posted in earlier posts. Thanks for the kudos it was a fun build and fun to use too! Jay

[Lucky Dog]

Looks great, thanks for posting the photo's.

I'm thinking about building one myself, so looking at yours helps me a lot in my planning.

Question for you, did you brick the entire inside? or use the brick / arch board combination that you show in your pictures?
How do you attach the arch board?

Thanks.

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Lucky Dog:
I ran arch board over the entire inside surface. Its held in by a pressed fit, if you get one of those dry wall rasps that look like a hand plane it makes it easy to get a tight joint. If you go back to the pictures I posted on 3/16 it shows all the board installed. Then I bricked just the area around the fire box so that wood won't damage the arch board. Hey good luck on your build we'll expect lots of pictures. Happy Sapping Jay