Finisher...Convert to wood? Trade? or Sell?

[SBClorite]

I have aquired a 2x6 waterloo finisher that is oil fired. It has a welded ss flat pan, a nice ss hood, all the stack pipe/steam pipe, and a float box.
The question is, how do I get from here to a wood fired arch that will handle 75-300 taps?
I have 75 taps now, but will soon be actively looking for more.
I want to convert this unit to wood (with a blower), and I have found some items to help in the conversion without spending money, but I wonder if a flat pan finisher is really going to be efficient enough to make it worth while.

I have a wood stove front, with a tight fitting door (thank you New London metal dump), a mobile home furnace blower, some grate options (from the old wood stove, or some old radiator pieces from the metal dump) and some other things I've picked up here and there.
I've listed the burner in the classifieds because I will sell it either way.

So...Is it worth it to convert this unit to wood? How much is this set up worth? and can I buy another unit to fit my needs if I sell this?
This set up is in great condition and it's shiny to boot.

Some sage advice is badly needed. Thanks

[maplwrks]

I think I would sell the entire arch and try to buy or build a wood fired arch. I think you may find that even with wood, you won't be happy with the evaporation rate of the flat pan 2x6. The rig you have looks like a sweet finisher--It might bring you some good $$ toward a wood rig. I'm kinda partial to oil fired rigs, and wish I had a wood fired 2x6 to trade for it. Shop around a little, call the equipment dealers around, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Good Luck!! I'm sure there will be others here on the trader with advise also.

[SBClorite]

The evaporation rate was my main concern. The pan has baffles, so I can get a concentration gradient, but I would prefer a real evaporator pan with dropped/raised flues.
How about selling the pan and hood to get a new set of pans and still converting the evaporator?

[MapleME]

I will buy that hood from you!

[SBClorite]

The hood is another area of concern for me. It's great for an evaporator pan, but I like to see what's going on in the front pan.
I think I have a nice set up, but not for me.
I can't start piecing it out just yet. I need to figure out a plan. Sugaring is almost here and I'm behind another year.
I called Bascom to see if they were interested. They said they would sell it for me, but not buy it from me.
Can anyone give me an idea of value here? Either whole, or by the piece?
Bascom was hinting that a new wood fired rig would run me around $3500.00+
I don't want to spend that much, so I'll have to go used, if I can't make what I have work. I'd love an even trade of some sort (even steven?).

[WF MASON]

Thats a nice find you've got there , you've just got to find the right person who's looking for an oil finisher/evaporator. Alot of people love oil fired evaporators. It would be to bad to chop up that arch and convert it. But its been done before I'm sure.
Converting the arch over to wood starts with gutting the inside of blanket and angle iron.Removing the front. Add a steel front with door and draft,framing the inside with angle for brick rests and grate rests. Adding the ramp up for raised or drop flue. Dropping in $350. in cast iron grates.Reline with one layer of blanket. Add 150 brick @$2.ea., sometimes the snowball just gets rolling. Thing add up quick.

[Jeff E]

I agree to not try the conversion, unless you want a non-cost effective ,time consuming project (of which I am an expert!)

I would think at best you have a 15-20 gph evaporation rate. I have a 2x4 GBH Affordable line flat pan, wood fired set up that will do about 10-12 gph, and a 2x8 vermont style 3 pan set that will do about 35 gph., average, so that is my basis for the evaporation rate estimate.

If you are like most of us, you may want to estimate high on what you will eventually want for an evaporator. I started with the 2x4 w/75 taps, then got the 2x8 and went up to 250 taps, last year used both with 350 taps, now a 3x12 with RO and shooting 2000 next spring. I got bit hard by the bug...

[SBClorite]

I appreciate the advice. I don't mind the work of a conversion...It's the expense that will do me in.
I already have a bolt on steel door that shuts air tight, and suitable grate material from the scrap yard.
I don't see why there would need to be brick past the fire box. The insulated blanket that is in place should withstand the wood fire, shouln't it? I'd brick the fire box to keep the the wood from tearing the insulation there, so, yeah, I knew I would be buying some brick/refractory cement.
I bricked a 3x12 at work and sugared on it for a few years, so I am familiar with the process.

The evaporation rate is key. If I can't get this unit to perform, then I won't be happy. My target rate is around 25 GPH. I only have 75 taps now, but would like 2-300 soon.
I thought of making a preheater (slant fin baseboard?), or butchering the pan to add drop flues (I think I found a welder in my area) to just the rear 2/3 of the pan.
I've been checking all the past threads on mapletrader to research all kinds of crazy ideas. Most of them seem to lead to the "non-cost effective ,time consuming" conclusion.
I guess I'll post it for sale/trade and see what happens.
Thank you

[maple flats]

Be careful with slant fin baseboard unless it is new. Many systems use a chem in the water and most are soldered with 50/50 solder because it works as well and is cheaper. The part i would be most concerned about is the chem added to prevent rust etc, it is formulated not to rinse out easily.

[SBClorite]

I'm glad you mentioned about the chemical additives, maple flats. I planned on checking the local dump metal piles.
I read in another thread that the metal fins on baseboard heat really help the sap temp. It makes good sense, so I figured one man's junk...
Since I probably can't test for the additive, I'll abandon that plan and either buy something, or come up with another design.
Thanks

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Check with Bascoms, as nice as that rig is they may have a stock 2x6 used wood fired evaporator that you could trade close to even for. The oil fired arches themselves are pretty $$$$

[SBClorite]

I called bascoms and checked their web site. They seemed more interested in selling me new.
After talking with them for half an hour, and getting some good advice about my options and what the current trends are, they refered me to mapletrader.
That's why I decided to post and show some pictures.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I made my first preheater out of finned base board tube it was new and it worked great. The boiler additive is a silicone base and you dont want that in the sap. Call a heating contractor that specilizes in radiant heat alot of times they get alot of cut offs from jobs that go to the scrap pile if the fins are bent they can be strightend. Ask if they have any old stock of new units they will part with alot of times they get dented from transporting and dont store well. A bottle of syrup opens many doors. You can acid wash old tubing and get it to come clean.

[maple flats]

Yes, any new fin tube is real good, damaged or not as long as it doesn't leak and gets good flow, even leadfree soldering several shorts together.

[maple flats]

Some places you used to be able to buy fin tube without the cabinet for baseboard. Check a full line heating supply house.