2x3 Arch

[HondoLane]

I have a small fabrication side business and I am going to build my own arch this year. My first year was on a drum evaporator but its time to upgrade, just a little. I went ahead and built a 16x24 shack and I am planning my arch build now.

I tapped 8 trees last year and I have 25 tagged for this year. Max for my property one day will be in the 50 range. This is strictly a hobby to get me away from the metal work Jan-Apr when I get burned out from Christmas rush.

I am planning for a 2x3 arch and I am going to buy a 2x3 divided Smoky Lake pan. I pretty much figured out and spec'd out the arch but I am hung up on what size stack to go with. I am going to fab up a 24" wide base stack that will be 36" tall. The peak of my roof is at 13 feet. I am planning on going straight up through the roof just off center so I can make some more room on one side of the evaporator.

For what I found Class A stainless pipe runs for, I plan on running it the entire length and will have a flip cap for the top. Will 6" pipe meet the needs of my 2x3 arch? I may add a squirrel cage blower AUF at some point.

Thanks
Matt

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Matt:
I"m running a 2 X 3 homemade arch / batch pan, with a 6" stack 8 feet tall and it static drafts enough to keep stack temps at the 900F where I like it but if I wanted it would go way over where my Thermometer reads at 1K. AUF? holy smokes I think the stack would melt ha ha Jay

18978

[maple flats]

6" is usually the size that is used on a 2x3 arch. The stack will not melt, but it will get a nice patina if you get it hot enough. Study the install instructions for some manufactured 2x3's. Someday you might even decide to add AOF. AUF makes it burn hotter but AOF make it burn more efficiently, burning under the pan rather than having wood gasses igniting at the top of the stack when they get more oxygen.
When that time comes maybe you can find a blower on an old oil burner that has been replaced, the blower will be high pressure and thus create the turbulance in the burn above the wood to get higher efficiency and more heat under the pan.

[littleTapper]

We all know that it's some kind of law of physics that tap count only seems to increase - like entropy :) As someone who built a 2x4 and seem to keep finding more sap opportunities, maybe don't limit yourself with a 2x3. I have built, for mine, two 1x2' plates to cover the top and run a 2x2 pan for when I have small batches (like boxelder) but wish I had built 2x5 and blocked off a foot of the length for when I'm working on maple sap with my 2x4 divided SL pan. I have 2" of ceramic blanket bolted to the bottom of those plates plus handles. Gives me flexibility. It might be something you'd want to consider. Build a 2x4 or 2x5 and block things off and if for some reason you grow enough to need a 2x4/5 pan you can do that easily without rebuilding your arch. Then, you can even run something like the SL hybrid hobby pan should you end up needing it.

My 2x4 runs a 8" stack 10' up from the base. More than enough - drafts extremely well. 6" would have been fine.

[HondoLane]

That’s a good idea with the plates and making a 2x4 a modular arch. I have a piece of 1/2” plate 2x4 laying in the shop. Was planning on using it anyways to use my arch as a wood stove during off season.

Littletapper... do you photos or a write up when you built your arch?

[littleTapper]

That’s a good idea with the plates and making a 2x4 a modular arch. I have a piece of 1/2” plate 2x4 laying in the shop. Was planning on using it anyways to use my arch as a wood stove during off season.

Littletapper... do you photos or a write up when you built your arch?

Here ya go! edit - found a pic of the blocker plates before ceramic blanket - in the gallery linked below.

Thread: http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?26638-littleTapper-s-2x4-Arch-Build
Gallery: http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/g629-2x4-arch-build.html

[Z/MAN]

This is how I did it. Still didn't buy that bigger pan but I am getting closer.

18981

[Zucker Lager]

When I see the pictures of an arch with those filler plates on I keep visualizing a guy cooking / flipping pancakes over them.................Great idea. Jay

[Z/MAN]

We have cooked on it many times. Tough getting close to it sometimes with the heat it gives off.

[HondoLane]

I'm going to stick with the 2x3 for now... Ive surveyed my property again and decided what I am really in this for and a 2x3 will suffice. I drafted up a 2x3 arch in my Inkscape Program and I have a few questions to my design.

In the photo (color coded below):

The arch will be 25.5" wide by 50" long. The firebox will be 19" deep by 18" wide by 18" tall (orange and brown). The arch section is approx. 6" tall, but I will add a riser (black) to pinch it down to 2.25" airspace (green) between bottom of pan. After adding in 1" ceramic insulation (blue) I will be around 1.25" airspace under pan by 23.5" across.

I will be building my own base stack and I am planning on 6" double walled stack standing approx. 18 feet tall.

Questions I have:
1. Is my airspace correct for 6" stove pipe?
2. Can my arch have the 90 degree bend with the 45 degree riser?
3. Is my firebox too deep?
4. Is my stove pipe correct height? (Cupola is within 24" and sits approx 3 feet higher than roof ridge) The 18 feet overall includes my base stack and will put me close to 3 feet
above cupola roof.)
5. I am planning on a squirrel cage blower injected under the grates.

18989

[Z/MAN]

As the owner of a homebuilt 2x5 arch plated down for a 2x3 pan ( see #7 above) I think your 19" deep firebox will work fine. I wish I had made mine that size. I also have the 90 degree bend at the top although mine is just about 1 1/2" without the 45 degree riser. I have a 10" stack because it was free and it works great. I get 12 GPH out of mine but I attribute that to my wood. I burn 2x4 and 2x6 scrap cutoffs that I get from a modular home factory. They burn extremely hot and fast giving me a stack temp pushing 2,000 degrees without a blower. I know that is crazy but it works for me. Looks like you have a good plan but I wonder if that 2x3 pan will fit on a 25.5" arch?

[HondoLane]

The 25.5" is the outside dimension. I plan on using a 1.5" angle iron which will give me a 3/4" area for my pan to rest on. I went off SL Corsair Footprint dimensions.

As far as the stack goes... Really want to go with 8" but cant decide on best setup.. Single wall off the base stack to a double wall sections through the roof? Or run straight double wall? Menards has the best prices that I can find. Class A in 8" with a roof jack I am at $580. I see they have Selkirk Brand? 8" black matte outside, stainless inside with a 6" combustible clearance is just over half price.

[littleTapper]

Design looks good to me. You under-pan airspace cross-section is ~30 square inches and the area of a 6" circle is ~28.3. 8" would remove any worry of draft, but with a blower I suspect 6" will be fine. I burn through at least 1 section of single wall pipe (first off the base stack) every season. Last season was 2 pieces destroyed (I run ash and elm super-hot). The metal near the connection just disappears. If I had a shack I'd go black pipe for the first section or two then insulated doublewall for the rest and expect to spend a few $ a year. I'd hate to destroy some of that expensive stuff. But, maybe it holds up - hopefully someone else can chime in.

18991

[HondoLane]

That’s a good way to look at it with the numbers you posted. I see menards has a brand of pipe called Selkirk. They have an 8” pipe double walled non insulated that is reasonably priced. Got to see if they have a roof jack for it. It’s 8.5” OD and claim a 6” clearance to combustibles.

[HondoLane]

Had second thoughts at the last minute. Went 2x4!!! Now comes arch fabrication! I’ll post some photos as I go!

[HondoLane]

19095
19094

Construction has begun on the arch. Going with a 1.25” x 1/8” angle iron frame. Front is CNC plasma cut from 10ga.

[HondoLane]

Question:

I CNC plasma cut my base stack hub from 10ga plate. I am going to reinforce the 20"x4" opening with angle iron which will serve 2 purposes.. stiffen up the base stack hub and allow for a place to seat the base stack. Do I need to insulate the underside of the base stack hub plate with ceramic insulation? I have studied several different manufacturers and homebuilt ones on here and I can't get a definitive answer.

[raptorfan85]

I built the back base stack section on mine from 1/4 plate and did not insulate it. If you do it with 10ga I would definitely insulate it. Theres a lot of heat there and if you dont I would think it wouldnt last very long. The amount of heat comming off mine during the test boil was impressive.

[HondoLane]

19105

Moving along. Top frame and base stack mocked up. I made my base stack from 18ga.

[HondoLane]

How do you edit photos to orient them the correct way. I take phot 4 different way and they all turn out either sideways or upside down

[buckeye gold]

here ya go
1910619107

[HondoLane]

19114
19113
19112

Got the frame all burned together! Went with 16ga steel on underside and back wall. Sides I did in 20ga stainless.

[HondoLane]

19118
19116
19117

All painted! Time for insulation and getting it moved down to the shack!

[Just for fun]

As the owner of a homebuilt 2x5 arch plated down for a 2x3 pan ( see #7 above) I think your 19" deep firebox will work fine. I wish I had made mine that size. I also have the 90 degree bend at the top although mine is just about 1 1/2" without the 45 degree riser. I have a 10" stack because it was free and it works great. I get 12 GPH out of mine but I attribute that to my wood. I burn 2x4 and 2x6 scrap cutoffs that I get from a modular home factory. They burn extremely hot and fast giving me a stack temp pushing 2,000 degrees without a blower. I know that is crazy but it works for me. Looks like you have a good plan but I wonder if that 2x3 pan will fit on a 25.5" arch?

You get 12gph on a 2x3? Is it flat bottom? I'm debating between 2x3 and 2x4.. I might do what you did and add a plate in the back;I have everything to build a 2x4 so it makes the decision harder.

Planning to tap 30-35 trees and boil once a week what are your taught?

[Sugarmaker]

19118
19116
19117

All painted! Time for insulation and getting it moved down to the shack!

Looking very good! I like your logo!
Regards,
Chris

[HondoLane]

Looking very good! I like your logo!
Regards,
Chris

THANKS! I love making stuff for my hobby! The logo was a design I used for most of my Metal Fabricating / Artwork. I incorporated a maple leaf into the design for my maple stuff.

I put the logo on my bottles.

19228

[HondoLane]

here is a question... While I finish up my the inside building of my shack.. Can i make a 1/2" plate to replace where pan would go and use my arch as a wood stove? I have a piece of 1/2" steel plate that is 2x4. Wonder how bad it would warp? I could weld some fins on it to help disperse the heat and add some longitudinal strength.