New 2x6 Small Bros - Optimum Setup?

[RyanFarms]

Folks - Thanks to Bill Mason (WFMason - great work!) I have aquired a 2x6 Small Bros Raised Flue on a "Lighting" arch. I am excited to set it up in the Sugarhouse, but want to hear from the experts on the best way to set it up(I have only experience with a small homebuilt hobby evap!).

Here's what I have to work with:
I have a 12'x16' sugarhouse with a wood floor. I currently have my homebuilt installed on a bluestone hearth. Attached is a picture of the current setup. The existing stovepipe is a 6" ID.

My initial concerns:
1. Should I raise the evap? What is the benefit?
2. Will my current 6" stovepipe be too restrictive? The new 2'x6' comes with 8" flu pipe. Can I just buy a reducer?
3. Wood floor - I am obviously going to need to have a hearth of sorts like I currently have.

If any of you folks have pictures of your setup, I'd love to see them. I just hate reinventing the wheel - which makes me want to thank the MapleGuys for hosting this great site.

Thanks,
Danny

[brookledge]

Danny
First of all raising it off the floor is basicly done to make it easier to feed the fire. But at the same time it makes it harder to see whats going on inside the pans and reach across. Alot of others will lower the area around the front of arch instead that way it is easier to feed the fire and still easy to see whats going on in the pan. That is called a "pit"
As for your smoke stack you don't want to reduce the size and you need atleast 12 feet of stack including the base stack
your wood floor problem could be taken care of by making a fire pit.
Also make sure your wood floor is sturdy enough to hold the weight of the larger evaporator. You will have several thousand pounds between everything
Keith

[Fred Henderson]

Don't put any elbows in your stack, run it straight thru the roof.

[brookledge]

Good point Fred, I didn't look at the picture the first time. I agree, you will need to go straight up through the roof for better draft
Keith

[Fred Henderson]

Good point Fred, I didn't look at the picture the first time. I agree, you will need to go straight up through the roof for better draft
Keith

If just one person knew it all or seen it all there would be no need for the rest of us on these boards.

[maplekid]

what are you going to do with your other evaporator?

[TapME]

maplekid the site that Russ put out for maple pro they have a 2x5 for sale on the used list for 1600. hope this helps you out.