Evaporator: Ceramic Blanket, Brick and Vermiculite

[buck3m]

I bought a used wood-fired evaporator and before the fellow hauled it over he removed the vermiculite, the shaped steel plate which covered it, and the brick.

I can see by the the markings on the inside how high the brick was before and intend to follow that line again. Here's my questions:

I bought a roll of ceramic blanket. I've got the vermiculite in there, but would like to know in what order I should put in the steel plate, bricks and blanket? (Blanket or bricks on top?) Do I even need that steel plate if I use the blanket?

[Gary R]

The plate was probably to keep the vermiculit from blowing around. It is not needed for the blanket. I've read and built mine with no brick over the blanket under the flue area. No problem with the blanket. Brick's are put over the blanket in the fire box area. If you do put brick's in the flue area it doesn't hurt. It just makes for longer start up and shut down.

Good luck!