Custom steam hood

[crawflyer]

I am looking for someone to build steam hood for my custom size flue pan (17" x 60") Any suggestions?

[aamyotte]

I made mine from flashing material that I bent at home. A Siding installer could make one. I included a trough in the break shape to collect condensation. I installed the hood so it leans to one corner and drilled a hole in the trough. I have a bucket on the ground to collect the drips.

[Chickenman]

A friend of mine used heavy duty vinyl, like air curtain door, and made it wider than his pan so all drips go in the floor trough around his evaporator.

[M&M Maple Grove]

It sounds like you’re asking for someone that has the skills to fabricate a hood for you but that could be anyone from a Tin Knocker to a handyman depending on the build. Having someone highly skilled in the trade will definitely give you a top quality product but at a premium price. You could follow any one of the home bills that have been suggested on this forum and have a handyman go at it for you.

I was able to put together a parallel flow preheater and hood this year for my 2 x 4 raised flue right before the season started. I used up a bunch of copper pipes, fittings and valves from previous construction sites I’ve worked on. I followed the instructions from the following build on mapleresearch.org with the exception of the drip pan. I was able to slap something together fast with some aluminum window cap and rivets and had it drain into the channel of the hood.

https://mapleresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/preheater.pdf

The hood was built from galvanized cavity duct and the associated assembly components. The bends were made with a piece of angle iron and clamps. A small hammer was used to tap on the corners and sharpen them up. In the back corner is a 1/2” brass bulkhead fitting that was drilled with a step bit. Rivets were used to tie everything together and some small nuts and bolts in the areas where multiple pieces were joined. I ran out of time and didn’t have the correct solder for galvanized metal so I sealed up the channel around the hood with metal duct tape. No steam stack, just two openings facing the syrup pan. I can crack open the doors on the hood when things get really rolling to release more steam and still have scolding hot sap coming from the preheater. I’ll admit I was totally surprised how well it worked. Then I jumped right into a Injection air “bubbler” build at the 11th hour but we’ll save that for another thread.

Here’s a video of the build and all of it in action:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5CSPlxm-I94&feature=share

[upsmapleman]

Contact A&A metal shop in Potter county PA they will do you a good job.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
For local custom work Creekside Welding and Machine in Girard is a good source for this type of work. You will want a all stainless hood and pipe system for your nice rig! Dave Y. can do it!
Good luck!
Regards,
Chris