How much does a bricked 2x6 arch weigh?

[bmbmkr]

Goin to pick up a new to me 2x6 raised flue evaporator here in a few weeks. The seller bought the land and it included a sugar shack and this evaporator. I'm getting the arch, pans and stack. He has NO idea what it weighs. I built my current arch- 18"x6' with half brick and I have a rack n casters that I move it around with and I know it's "pretty" heavy. I have a single axle 5x8" enclosed trailer and a 6x12 tandem, open trailer. I'll be pulling with a short bed pickup. It's about a 600 mile round trip through the mountains. I'd love to take the enclosed- but afraid it won't be enough to handle the arch. I can haul the pans in the bed of the truck.

Thanks in advance for any input/suggestions.

Ben

[SeanD]

It's heavy. Really heavy. If it were me, I'd consider marking the bricks, pulling them out of the arch, and putting those into the bed of the truck. Then two people could easily walk the arch into your enclosed trailer. The weight is in the best spot and you have a safer drive. The 600 miles through the mountains is the deciding factor for me. I'd have white knuckles and both eyes on my mirrors if I had a bricked arch in that trailer.

[BAP]

Does the seller have a loader to load it for you? If so you can put a couple chains around it and load it on your flatbed trailer. If not, you will have to do what Woodsville said and take the bricks out to move it.

[buckeye gold]

I have only moved one and I am with the "take the bricks out crowd". My bet is if you leave them in and don't install wood sheets over the bricks the first good bump and curve you'll have loose bricks. Also, how long has this thing sat unused? The bricks may already be loose. if the sides aren't braced then lifting it with bricks may damage it. If they are old and seen a lot of heat you may just want to toss them. I'd hate to see you damage a good arch just trying to save a little time and labor. It'll cost you later, like the old commercial....pay me now or pay me later

[bmbmkr]

Sounds like taking the bricks out is going to be the plan. It was used for 3 seasons and has sat for 5-7 years. An old feller bought it and hired a couple to put in his tubing and run the operation, he passed and his heirs sold the farm. I'm pretty excited to double my capacity. Just want to get her home in one piece. I appreciate your insights.

[phil-t]

I bought and moved a leader 1/2 pint, fully bricked. Loaded and unloaded with a small JD 1025R w/120 loader. Capacity of that loader (750 lbs.) was reached - had to curl the bucket to get it off the floor. The 1/2 pint is 2X32, so you are double that, at least. The 1/2 pint uses mostly all 1/2 bricks as well. You will likely be looking at between 2000 and 3000 lbs. What's your enclosed trailer rated for?
I ended up removing and reinstalling the bricks after the move, so you will likely want to consider that ahead of moving the arch. Some of the bricks can go in your truck as well as the pans.
Good luck with the move.

[maple flats]

I made a winch system years ago just to lift a 2x6 fully bricked so I could pour concrete under it. I made it by putting a long 3/4" black iron pipe on the top of the truss bottom cords on each side. Then I attached plastic coated steel cable to the pipe in 3 places, one towards the front and one near the back of the firebox, each was near one of the 6 legs, the last cable was near the back of the arch. The cables went under the arch and up to the second pipe and each attached there so each was snug as I stapted to turn the pipes. To turn them I put a T on the end of the pipe and on the ends of the T each had a 3/4" x 30" black pipe.
I'm not sure what force I had to put on the end of the handles to turn the "winch" once weight was on it, but it surprised me how much it weighed. To hold it in place I used a board across the joists to prevent the handle from unwinding. Before raising I removed the pans so I wasn't lifting them too. Just a guess, but I'll say I had to pull maybe 30-40# on the end of the handle to turn the almost 1" O.D. winch pipe. I was lifting 1 side then the other, maybe 3-4 turns then to the other.
To get a close est. of weight, find out how many bricks, half bricks and how much refractory (and some use sand under the flue area) and do the math.
They are very heavy. The second thing to consider is that an arch could easily get damaged if not properly supported evenly as you move it, especially with bricks in it.

[bmbmkr]

It's heavy. Really heavy. If it were me, I'd consider marking the bricks, pulling them out of the arch, and putting those into the bed of the truck. Then two people could easily walk the arch into your enclosed trailer. The weight is in the best spot and you have a safer drive. The 600 miles through the mountains is the deciding factor for me. I'd have white knuckles and both eyes on my mirrors if I had a bricked arch in that trailer.

Went and picked up the new rig this morning. I sure appreciate you guys chiming in.

The bricks were just laid in, got em all out in about 20 minutes, ALL 70-80 of em- full bricks. Well, some were cut to fit, but by full, I mean the 2 1/2 not the half bricks. They took up the front 2/3's of the truck bed.

We picked up the arch and walked it in the trailer. I could have put the arch in the back of the truck on top of the brick, and left the trailer at home, but you know how hindsight is. This is only the 4th arch I have ever laid hands on- the first, is the one I built, with info and photos from the DIY section here on the Trader, the second, a Sunrise Extreme on display at the Kentucky Maple School, and the 3rd, WV Maplers oil fired rig- I got a ten min peak while picking up supplies last year.

I can proudly say that I made 75 gallons of syrup on my home made, "deuce and a half" (2 1/2 55 gallon drums end to end) But I sure am excited to try out this 2x6 raised flue, Maple Pro this coming season. I've been following Sugarmakers AOF upgrade, and will more than likely start on this one in the coming week.