Securing the stack without a sugar shack or wall to work with

[Ntatar]

Tips or suggestions for securing my 6' stack on my 2x3 mason if I don't have a wall/sugar shack to work with? Mine is built on wheels so that I can roll it in and out of my garage. Thank you in advance for your thoughts! -Nick

[Sugarmaker]

Maybe a 6 foot piece of angle iron position vertical next to the stack, attached at the base of your rolling evaporator? Then wire the stack to the angle iron support???
Regards,
Chris

[Maple River Sugar]

My plan this year is guide wire the top and then attach to dog screws in the ground with a turnbuckle on it to adjust the slack. This is my first year.

[maple flats]

A question relatd to the wheels on your arch. Do you have a way to adjust the level when you move the rig? If not, you could have issues if the level is off even 1/8". Even that can mess with the proper flow thru the pan. If no provision made, I suggest you check the pan for level and put a shim of some sort under the low side of the arch, then recheck. Ideally you want it 1/16" or less off level both side to side and front to back.
As far as securing the stack, your plan should be fine.

[Ntatar]

Didn't realize it needed to be this level. Looks like I'll be spending some time finding a level sweet spot (hahaha) in the driveway for the best set-up.
Back to securing the stack, I read about locking the elbow joint into place using metal screws (3 per sleeve at the overlap). Anyone tried that?
I'd love to see pictures if someone figured out a good solution!

[bushsitter]

Big Eddy suggestion of 3 guy wires hooked to cinder blocks works for me. Just watch where you are walking

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?12045-How-to-Building-a-block-arch.

[jrm]

I use a 55 gal barrel in my year. I've screwed 3 cables into the top of the stack. I then use them as guy wires to stabilize the stack. I've run the opposite end through cinder block (using thumb screw clips to attached the cable to itself) or even just to a 5 gal filled pail (snow, ice, water, sand.) A couple years ago, I decided to spray paint the guy wires orange after nearly catching up in them on multiple occasions because they blended into the background.

19368

[Woody77]

If you have an adjustable elbow you should consider a non adjustable elbow before season hits. I had an adjustable fail mid burn my first season. Luckily I had extras on hand but changing it with a roaring fire was not something I'd want to do again. My first real evaporator was a 2×5 flat pan fuel oil barrel arch unit that was mobile it just sat outside in the open but I could haul it around with my truck I used the toung jack and two more mounted on the rear axil to level it. it was good enough for a flat pan. The stack was secured with a t post strapped to the stack at the top and bottem . The bottem was set in a cinder block on the ground. It worked fine.

[Sugarmaker]

Nick,
Yes the arch needs to be pretty level. Lots of folks use screw levelers on each corner. If you can attach the stack support to the rolling arch, you don't have to keep leveling the stack and it and may reduce tripping hazards.
We need pictures.
Regards,
Chris

[snakes14009]

When i built the last barrel evaporator the stack support was going to be an issue as well. The person is going to use it in there driveway and move it back under cover when there done with it. So welded eye bolts to 3 pieces of 3/8 rebar 5ft long. Then welded a bracket with two bolts and a couple smaller holes for sheet metal screws so you fasten it to the smoke stack. If welding is not an option you can use threaded rod. I had two different bolt heights so you can have the legs farther out on windy days or in closer when is calm winds.1937419373

[Ntatar]

Thanks for the suggestions! Here's what I came up with: bucket of concrete with an 8 ft fence post, 2" pipe brackets screwed in to the post, and adjustable steel brackets that go around the pipe and thread through the brackets.194071940619408

[Sugarmaker]

Ntatar,
Looks real good and secure!
Have a good season!
Regards,
Chris

[jrm]

Since I know nothing of commercial evaporators... curious as to the post with electrical. What's the button control?

[Chickenman]

I can answer that for you/him. That would be a variable speed control for the blower providing air under fire (AUF). Nice set up by the way. I did a similar set up when I first got my 2x3 Mason.

[Ntatar]

I read about this particular switch for controlling the blower on one of the other threads. Very happy with the level of control and operation so far. I just wired an extension cord to the blower and then it plugs right into the variable speed control so it's easy to plug in or unplug and put back into the garage.

[jrm]

Cool. Thanks for clarifying. My AUF is a bouncy house blower connected to the barrel door air vent via dryer duct. I don't have a variable speed set-up, but I get how it would be quite advantageous.