Homemade arch blower recommendations

[crowellsr]

I'm looking at making a 2x4 arch this summer to use next season and was looking to do AOF. What does everyone recommend for an arch this size. I'd like to make the arch similar to a Smoky Lake Corsair and put the blower in the rear of the firebox similar to that. I would like a blower that bolts in place. Thanks for the help!

[mol1jb]

Many, myself included, have had success with a bouncy house blower for AOF. Cheap, readily available and effective.

[maple flats]

I kept my blower outside, the high pressure blowers needed for AOF are noisy. Keeping it outside and directing the noise away from the sugarhouse, then run a hose in to duct the air where it is needed. I used a 4" PVC pipe to duct with long sweep ells, my blower is under my head tank platform on a shelf and I have a plywood cover with the end away from the sugarhouse open to send the noise away.

[Robert K]

Just my 2 cents, but if you are going to make an arch, make it longer. Everyone seems to always expand, possibly build a 2x8 arch and plate off the back, then once you have the madness (maple fever, very hard to get rid of) you can just add pan ;). I myself also went to a bouncy castle blower, for the love of god make sure you have a way of controlling air before you turn it on or :o, just saying. Lifted pans with flames coming out the sides might seems cool to some but could burn a shack down quick. Shack was saved, had to stop boiling for a bit and have a soda to calm nerves :rolleyes:
Blower outside is a great idea, piping is cheap and noise is annoying.

[Rockfallsmaple]

I boil on a barrel arch with a 18" x 24" flat pan so it's quite a bit smaller than what you are building.
I use a blower from a water heater and control it with a light dimmer, it works great and it connects right up to 2" pipe. If you know a plumber you could probably get it for free.

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