maple flats
05-05-2024, 01:46 PM
As I cut down on the number of taps, I sold my 3x8 wood fired evaporator and I bought a new 2x6 evaporator. I got it made by A&A Metal shop in Monterey, Va. I just picked it up this past Wednesday. Quite a drive to say the least, just over 1000 miles round trip. All went well on the way down on Tuesday until a huge downpour hit. We (my brother in law and me) decided to stop rather that continue the next 2 hrs driving we had planned. Wednesday we got up, had breakfast and were on the road before 7:00 a.m. All went well until the GPS took us off rt 81. Soon after that we were taken on a road from H#ll. We were in extreme mountains and the road was up/down, hairpin turn all the rest of the way. Most areas the road was wide enough to pass any oncomming traffic only if both slowed way down. Much of the time there was no guardrail and as I looked out the passenger window the slope was likely 75-85% drop and bottom looked as if it was 700-950' down. Not my kind of road. I think about 45 miles of that took us over 2 hrs. Once we got to Monterey, in town it was OK. We got to the road to A&A Metal shop, it was a 2 track driveway, up a hill a few hundred feet. We had expected to arrive aqbout 9:00, we got there at 10:10. Then we loaded the order. I got a 2x6 wood fired raised flue evaporator, a 2x6 hood, a 100 gal head tank, a 20 gal draw off tank on a stand and 18' of stack counting the base stack. It came with the fire brick and 1" ceramic blanket insulation, all the gaskets, seals and valves. Also enough fire bricks to put in the firebox. The stack was longer because I have 10' walls and a 6/12 pitch roof and the stack goes up near the cupola which adds another 30" in height.
While I'd guessed before hand that loading would take about an hour, it took slightly over 2 hrs, trying to protect everything from damage and strapping everything to hold it in place, it took over 2 hrs. We were in an extended cab 3/4 ton with a 6.5 x 10 trailer. # stack plus the base stack (all 4' each except 1 at 2' long) fit in the rear seat. The hood and the flue pan rode in the bed of the truch with a pad between them and another stack under the hood. The arch, firebricks in 2 boxes, the 100 gal head tank and the draw off tank (20 gal) and a box of ceramic insulation rode in the trailer with a spare trailer tire just in case.
We then asked if there was a better route, he sent us on rt 220, which ran from town (and points southward) north. It was better from the part where the road dropped off the side by way too many feet, but it was considerably longer. At one point rt 220 turned rt over a river but the GPS took us straight and then onto one winding road after another until several miles later we passed the rt 220 running into the rt we were on. We don't know if there was a valid reason to go off rt 220 or maybe just a way to burn time and fuel. Finally we were coming close to Winchester, Va. We hit stop and go (but mostly stop) traffic, it took us 45 minutes to get to rt 81N in a 4.5 mile distance. Once we got onto 81N we thought the traffic jams were mostly over, WRONG, we hit 3 more traffic jams of 4-7 miles each and taking 40-90 minutes each. I had planned one more stop, to pick up a Surge SP11 vacuum pump in Spring Glen, Pa, as we got off 81 to head there, another traffic jam. I finally called the person I was buying the vacuum pump from, talked to his answering machine and said I'd reschedule later. We got back on 81N and headed home. Shortly north of Scranton, Pa 2 cars passed us at well over 100 mph, followed by about 16-20 police cars. Once in NY, about mile marker 27.6 I think we saw one of the cars, upside down in the median. No sign of the second car. Two police cars were still there. In th end, I got home at 11:58 PM, having been on the road since a little before 7 that morning.
I suggested we check into a motel again, but my brother in law wanted to continue homeward so we did.
The next day, Thursday, we waited until early fternoon to unload at the sugarhouse. It seems all faired ok, only one little spot whare on the 100 gal tank it had shifted enough so the side got a very slight brush mark where it rubbed against the corner of a fire brick, very minor. If I try I might be able to polish it out, I doubt I'll try. Nothing broken nor damaged (except the brush mark).
If I ever need to go back I might want to plan a 3 day trip or line up a helicopter. I'm glad to be back in my home town, no accidents and no hidden expenses. In fact I'd planned to eat at the Hotel for breakfast (continental breakfast) , stop for lunch, then a nice dinner each evening. My brother in law never wanted to stop for lunch, but we ate both nights at A Cracker Barrel. Both times were very good. I was looking for either a Cracker Barrel or Golden Corral, we never found one closes enough to where we were.
I'm pleased with the 2x6 evaporator but wish I'd requested a round bottom head tank (but square corners will work). The vaporator is soldered which I knew when I ordered. I had a Leader 2x6 lead free for 3 seasons before I got the 3x8 I used for many years. When I got the 3x8 it was soldered too, but about 3 yrs later I ordered a new evaporator to use on the same arch, it was tig welded. On that I changed from 3x6 raised flue pan with 7" flues to a 3x5 raised flue with 10" flues. My new2x6 has a 4' raised flue pan with 8" flues. Enough for this long post!
While I'd guessed before hand that loading would take about an hour, it took slightly over 2 hrs, trying to protect everything from damage and strapping everything to hold it in place, it took over 2 hrs. We were in an extended cab 3/4 ton with a 6.5 x 10 trailer. # stack plus the base stack (all 4' each except 1 at 2' long) fit in the rear seat. The hood and the flue pan rode in the bed of the truch with a pad between them and another stack under the hood. The arch, firebricks in 2 boxes, the 100 gal head tank and the draw off tank (20 gal) and a box of ceramic insulation rode in the trailer with a spare trailer tire just in case.
We then asked if there was a better route, he sent us on rt 220, which ran from town (and points southward) north. It was better from the part where the road dropped off the side by way too many feet, but it was considerably longer. At one point rt 220 turned rt over a river but the GPS took us straight and then onto one winding road after another until several miles later we passed the rt 220 running into the rt we were on. We don't know if there was a valid reason to go off rt 220 or maybe just a way to burn time and fuel. Finally we were coming close to Winchester, Va. We hit stop and go (but mostly stop) traffic, it took us 45 minutes to get to rt 81N in a 4.5 mile distance. Once we got onto 81N we thought the traffic jams were mostly over, WRONG, we hit 3 more traffic jams of 4-7 miles each and taking 40-90 minutes each. I had planned one more stop, to pick up a Surge SP11 vacuum pump in Spring Glen, Pa, as we got off 81 to head there, another traffic jam. I finally called the person I was buying the vacuum pump from, talked to his answering machine and said I'd reschedule later. We got back on 81N and headed home. Shortly north of Scranton, Pa 2 cars passed us at well over 100 mph, followed by about 16-20 police cars. Once in NY, about mile marker 27.6 I think we saw one of the cars, upside down in the median. No sign of the second car. Two police cars were still there. In th end, I got home at 11:58 PM, having been on the road since a little before 7 that morning.
I suggested we check into a motel again, but my brother in law wanted to continue homeward so we did.
The next day, Thursday, we waited until early fternoon to unload at the sugarhouse. It seems all faired ok, only one little spot whare on the 100 gal tank it had shifted enough so the side got a very slight brush mark where it rubbed against the corner of a fire brick, very minor. If I try I might be able to polish it out, I doubt I'll try. Nothing broken nor damaged (except the brush mark).
If I ever need to go back I might want to plan a 3 day trip or line up a helicopter. I'm glad to be back in my home town, no accidents and no hidden expenses. In fact I'd planned to eat at the Hotel for breakfast (continental breakfast) , stop for lunch, then a nice dinner each evening. My brother in law never wanted to stop for lunch, but we ate both nights at A Cracker Barrel. Both times were very good. I was looking for either a Cracker Barrel or Golden Corral, we never found one closes enough to where we were.
I'm pleased with the 2x6 evaporator but wish I'd requested a round bottom head tank (but square corners will work). The vaporator is soldered which I knew when I ordered. I had a Leader 2x6 lead free for 3 seasons before I got the 3x8 I used for many years. When I got the 3x8 it was soldered too, but about 3 yrs later I ordered a new evaporator to use on the same arch, it was tig welded. On that I changed from 3x6 raised flue pan with 7" flues to a 3x5 raised flue with 10" flues. My new2x6 has a 4' raised flue pan with 8" flues. Enough for this long post!