Cinder block vs fuel oil tank

[Altie22]

Last 2 years i have used a flat 2x4 pan on cinder blocks and have got a pretty good boil rate with good heat. Pull pan when its close and finish on Turkey fryer. I also have a old fuel oil tank i thought about using. I get cinder blocks cheap and wondered if there is any advantage in boil rate or if i should just keep doing what im doing. Thanks. 21823

[Robert K]

This hobby or business for some seems to always be progressing, I have helped someone with a cinder block arch and it worked pretty good. However not near as good as a closed in arch, an old oil tank would make a great start, then some grates and if funds afford perhaps proper insulation. Then once you have added more taps, because it seems we always do. You could add a blower off a furnace. Etc.....
And the fever continues (lol)

[NhShaun]

My first set up was made with cinder blocks and it worked as well as it could have. Making the change to an airtight(Or close to)and insulated arch makes a real difference in draft, heat in the firebox and evaporation rates. It could make things a little easier when loading firewood, keeping the pans level and killing the fire incase something happens as well. If you're just planning on using the steel tank without insulation and fire bricks you may not notice too much of a difference except for maybe portability of the unit.

[Altie22]

Thanks i might stick to cinder blocks again this year. Made 6 gallons last year just to give to friends and family.

[ir3333]

Tthe design of the firebox, ramp, air inlet and an airtight door are the important things and you can
get there with both. The oil tank is a little more labor intensive but should last a long time.
You can put it on castors and make it portable too!

[Mvhomesteader]

I have used block for the past four years. The biggest improvement I made was to line the inside of the block with brick, both block and brick mortared together. I made a solid concrete rear block that fits 6" stove pipe , and added a door with hinges (tapcon screws to the block). I'm happy with my 7 gph rate. No reason to change yet. If I wanted more production I could expand the unit to 4 pans.

[l3rian]

I have a 22"by 46" by 6" deep stainless pan i bought from a catering company. It's a little heavy/ thick, but it was $15. I also have 2 fuel oil tanks that were free. Got some old solid street paving bricks to line it with and plan to get some insulation for the ramp. I ran out of time this winter to get the evaporator built. I have a toddler and a new born and a wife that need attention. I have a buddy willing to work on it while I'm traveling for work, but I don't know how quickly he can get it done either, so I might be do l trying the block arch this year also. Do you have a picture of the other side of yours? There is a lot of good information here on how to build the fuel oil tank arch and I think I've watched every video on YouTube there is. I'll post pictures if I ever get mine built, but life happens and it takes time.

For reference, I just started last year with 10 taps and a stainless steel bucket over a basically open fire. Took forever! But I learned a lot, had fun, and made almost a gallon of awesome syrup.

[Kevinco]

10 years ago I bought a camp and started with 5 metal taps and a turkey fryer. The next season I went with cinder blocks and steamer pans. I found that with the cinder blocks you cannot avoid ash in the sap which always gave me tasty but dark syrup, and lots of filtering. After a particularly rainy spring I built a 10 x 12 shanty out of 12 foot heavy duty free pallets with a metal roof. I had an oil tank welded with a stack opening and a door. My pan is a sectioned 24 x 48. The pan sits on 3" straps of fire blanket on top of the angle iron that surrounds the opening.Loose fire bricks and a fire grate. I have no regrets. The finished quality is much better as well as ease of use and better sanitation. I had to replace my home gas fireplace blower motor because of noise, and I mounted that to the door, and it has been running for 4 years. $50 bucks, and a huge upgrade. By the way I will tap 150 this year.
Have a great season.

[Altie22]

I dont have any more pics until i set it up this year. I made fantastic syrup last year with and no problems at all with ashes

[Sugarmaker]

Last 2 years i have used a flat 2x4 pan on cinder blocks and have got a pretty good boil rate with good heat. Pull pan when its close and finish on Turkey fryer. I also have a old fuel oil tank i thought about using. I get cinder blocks cheap and wondered if there is any advantage in boil rate or if i should just keep doing what im doing. Thanks. 21823

Ok, I could be all wrong here and reading way more into this from the picture!:) You have a large green tractor with a loader for wood, you have a nice skid steer with the sap tank. You have a pretty large building beside you. My suggestion would be to start your sugarhouse design and build and buy a nice 3 x 8 evaporator and get to making syrup! Just my thoughts. You will need to fill in the blanks!:)
Regards,
Chris

[darkmachine]

Our operation started on a block arch in 2009, and just switched to a scratch built (steel)arch for the 2021 season. We boiled two different configurations, but the most successful was using a 6x6 syrup pan from a 6x16. We sloped the sides up to the pan on the inside, installed a fire grate, steel doors, ramp made of earth inside, used a box fan for a blower. We averaged around 30gph. In order to get that we really had to put the wood to it. It takes much more energy to get the rig up to it's peak operating efficiency when you have the kind of mass you have in a block arch. we didn't really see our big block arch start to chug until we were about 4 hours in and then it took forever to cool down(not an issue if you can just take the pans off). Using an oil tank, lining with ceramic blanket, and then just bricking the firebox would be a large step forward in efficiency(time and fuel). That said, as long as you enjoy it do it :)

http://mapletrader.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=21961&stc=1 our old setup

Jake

[Altie22]

Ok, I could be all wrong here and reading way more into this from the picture!:) You have a large green tractor with a loader for wood, you have a nice skid steer with the sap tank. You have a pretty large building beside you. My suggestion would be to start your sugarhouse design and build and buy a nice 3 x 8 evaporator and get to making syrup! Just my thoughts. You will need to fill in the blanks!:)
Regards,
Chris i can see why you are thinking this. Just borrowing equipment from farm i work on and share syrup. Only thing that is mine are blocks and pan here.

[Sugarmaker]

Altie22,
Yes I understand! Your doing good. Try to figure out how to do all this with your own stuff too. The sooner you do the happier you will be. Even if its harder. Stay with the block arch till your next move and the barrel arch is a good next move. As you move up and things get bigger, everything expands.
Have fun and keep boiling!
Regards,
Chris