Bow in arch rail

[Amber Gold]

Today I went about leveling my arch and getting it ready for arch board and brick. When I was leveling it I noticed there's a bow in the middle of both arch rails. It drops about 1/8". I've got the arch level end to end and side to side, but with the bow in the middle the pans aren't going to be quite level becuase they'll tilt towards the middle of the arch. Is this something to be concerned about, and if so, how should I fix it? Just add another strip of rail gasket in the middle?

Thanks

[dano2840]

if your arch is old enough the rails are just angle iron, i would replace them if i were you................

[mountainvan]

I have the same issue with my evaporator and I put an extra piece of the woven arch gasket under the first crossflow pan to level it out.

[mapleman3]

I just replaced mine, they tend to warp after some good hot fires.... hopefully I bricked it right so it will take awhile before it happens again. I don't want to rebrick for a long time.

[Sugarmaker]

I have to shim the center of my pans on each rail about 3/8 inch to get the pans level. That's what you have to do sometimes! If I was ever going to set new pans on there the rails should be replaced. I should have been watching this much closer when I retinned the arch:( Old rails do get warped.

Chris

[chipa]

I added another set of adjustable legs midway on the arch to help support the weight. The rails are straight now.

[Amber Gold]

Where can I get 10' long pieces of angle iron? I know Home Cheapo carries 6 or 8 footers, but I don't think I've seen anything 10'. I was wondering last night if I supported the middle of the arch if it would keep this from happening again.

Chipa, did you put the legs in after the rails bowed and did they straighten out or was this a precautionary measure?

[tuckermtn]

Josh- with our original arch we put several layers of arch rail gasket to level the pans and get a good seal...

if you do go with angle iron, Cohen's steel in Concord (might have outlets other places) or Yardee metals should have the right guage angle iron for you...

[Amber Gold]

Thanks Eric.

Replacing the rails isn't something I really want to be doing now the season's right around the corner, but at the same time if I'm going to replace them the time is now before I get it all bricked up. Now that I think of it ss there any reason why I can't replace them after this season with it bricked up? If I put a supports under the middle of the arch it would be supported. I'm not sure if the sides would push out without have the rails to hold them in. Thoughts?

[chipa]

My rails straightened out just fine. Its a lot of weight when you consider both the pans and the sap.

[Haynes Forest Products]

AmberGold: I would put the support legs on before you brick it. Just sticking a leg under the arch wont help support the top rail if you dont do it right. Pushing up from the bottom CAN crush the sides and rinkle the sides. You could put legs in the middle and pull the arch up.
I would take 2 peices of angle 1 1/2 X 1 just like you find from old bed frames and make it the hight of the top rail to the floor and bolted it with Carrage bolts...roung head on the inside and bolted the top rain first and when both are in place shim till arch is stright and level and steady then drill the bottom hole and install.
If you do the bed frame rail leg some have a welded corner and you can drill and make a adjustable type leg with 3/4 bolts with nuts and washers without having to weld.

[Amber Gold]

Haynes I see your point.

Chippa, how long until the arch rails straightened out?

[TapME]

amber gold; isn't there a metal fab shop on 202 in Northwood right before the lake on the right? I think it was Davis steel and fab.

[mapleman3]

Why don't the center legs on evaporators touch the ground???? I have had 2 arches so far and neither had them long enough. I can now see when all the weight is in there and it gets real hot that there is the chance of sagging in the center

[brookledge]

If your arch has legs in the middle then why aren't you bricking or blocking under them to help disperse the weight?
Keith

[maple flats]

My middle legs touch. I used a laser level and by turning a nut was able to true the sides. This way everything is within a 1/16" which is near enough perfect in my book. If you have no adjustment on your legs either add some or shim the bottoms. My legs are 1" pipe with the tops threaded, and inserted into a slightly larger receiver at the top. On the pipe legs there is a nut heavier but similar to what is used for locking an electrical box connector to a metal box, adjustment is done by raising the evap slightly with a jack and tweaking the adjustment of the nut which moves the pipe into the top receiver a little more or less whichever is needed. I relieve the weight so I am not forcing the evap up. I raise it using a 2' timber along the bottom corner of the arch just near the leg needing adjustment and turn an old house jack slightly, by hand only and turn the nut by hand too.

[Amber Gold]

I rechecked the arch rails tonight and the bow is actually 3/8". I'm not sure if that would work it's way out so I guess I'll be replacing them this weekend. Just curious, but how would this effect syrup flow with the syrup pan tilted towards the back and the flue pan tilted towards the front?

Jim, my thoughts exactly. If they've had this style arch around for how many years and they haven't figured out that arches will sag in the middle. Seems like common sense.

Dave, I took a piece of 1" pipe and put it into the corner reciever of the arch. I put the threads on the bottom and put a 1" cap on it for my adjustment. I thought I'd try it out and if there wasn't enough adjustment in the cap that I'd just drill/tap a hole in the middle and put a bolt in it for my adjustment. So far the cap has just enough adjustment in it.

[maplesyrupstove]

I have 2" flat steel bar cut in 2 inch squares, 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.I used them under my legs to level my evaporator,you could used big washers to.Darrell