hood system for a 2x8 arch

[woodfordmark]

Looking for input on building my own hood system to accommodate a 2x8 arch. what to use for materials, etc.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I will assume your pans are the same size. :lol: That is a great size pan set for a home build hood. Now if you look at a lot of store bought units they will have a big square hood that can be confusing at first glance. Will you be enclosing a pre heater? are you in for looks or functionality.

You can build the entire hood out of 1 4X8 sheet of Aluminum and it doesn't have to be 3" high. what make rig do you have and what configuration.

[billschi]

To have a hood over the pan, does it require a fan to pull the steam off?

[Super Sapper]

To have a hood over the pan, does it require a fan to pull the steam off?

No, The heat will case it to rise and it will draft similar to your smoke stack.

[mol1jb]

Here is the thread for my hood built out of a roll of aluminum flashing. Worked great and costs around 100 bucks.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?31822-Fabricating-my-steam-hood/page2

[maple flats]

Over the years in the past I made 3 hoods, all out of Aluminum. 1 on a 2x3 and 1 on a 2x6 both using aluminum flashing and alum. pop rivets. Then for my first set of pans on my 3x8 I made the hood out of sheet aluminum, I forget the gauge but it was the thinnest gauge the aluminum supplier carried and it was much heavier than flashing.
In all cases I used my aluminum trim break to make the bends. That worked well on the flashing but I had to make up extra braces before the heavier aluminum would bend well For that I made an extra clamp to help support each of the large C braces of the break and I fabbed up a handle to pull the bending piece every foot rather than in just 2 places like the original handle with the break did. Then it was pop riveted together. In all cases I made the drain channel out of 1 x1 x1 aluminum channel, mitered the corners and welded it. Then at 1 corner I made a spout for the condensations to run out.
In any case, when you build it, just attach a steam stack and either run it thru the roof or at least into the cupola. The stem will rise all by itself. One thing, be sure to make a pan or some sort of catch and drain to the gutter for what drains from the stack. It will make lots of water and you do not want to boil it again and again. I made shallow funnels that hung a few inches under the stack, were 3-4" larger outside on the big end than the stack.
Then when I bought my current pans I was going to make a new hood, but when I picked it up at the factory they offered me a demo hood that had a minor dent and it was SS, at far less than they had quoted me for a new one ($800 instead of $1950) so I bought that and it came with 2 steam stacks 15" diameter each, the one for the flue pan hood had a lockable damper.