setting up evap.

[Parker]

All right , I was down looking at the rig and the face {where the doors are} runs past the bottom of the rest of the arch by about 2 inches,,am I supposed to set that on the concrete and level the rails to the back of the arch? Just run bricks on the floor of the fire box to make up for the gap?

[forester1]

I'm not 100% sure myself so probably someone else knows more. Since there are no instructions on mine it looked like the back of the firebox is not strong enough to hold it up so I rested it on the front cast iron and filled in the back and side gaps with firebrick. The back of the firebox is only 1 1/2" wide 1/4" thick strap on my 4x12. It looks to be there just to attach the sheet metal. I built up the base on mine with concrete filled block to increase the size of the area under the grates. Then I lined that whole area with firebrick. I left the front open but close it off with a piece of sheet metal. It puts the evaporator kind of high so I'm not sure that was an entirely wise decision.

[nhmaple48]

If you are running wood with no forced draft you want at least a foot of air space under the arch. Otherwise the hot coals in the ash pit burn up most of the oxygen you need for combustion.

It is a wood fired evap with a blower forcing air into the back of the fire box, below the grates,what I did not mention in the first post is the legs on the arch are about a foot long,,,in VT they had blocks under them,,,wish I took a couple pictures,,I am thinking I will set the front casting on the concrete then put a level on her and get the rails level to the back,,,,right??? I am also wondering about the blower,,the arch has standard grates in it, the fire box has no modifacations so it seems air would be blowing aginst the draft door and the firing doors,,think I should try to direct the air to the fire, above the grates somehow?

[Parker]

that last one was me

[nhmaple48]

Not much you can do except seal up everything as tight as you can. it will still make a mess. Thats the problem not having an air tight front.

[john l]

85 gph what model evaporator is this

[gmcooper]

John,
That is an intenseofire that is the evaporator that Lyle and Jo-ann have.
It's either D&G or Waterloo can't remember. Never seen it work but they are pricey.
Good luck and pray for a few cold days between runs if you plan on still having a loving wife at the end of season.
Mark

[Parker]

Any ideas on building a baffel or a couple of baffels on the floor directing the forced air up thru the grates? I have seen a couple of rigs as soon as you turn the blower on the ashes are comming out between the cracks in the door and the doors turn red,,,Id like to try to avoid that without paying the $2300 fro an airtight front...

I am going to pick up the refractory cement for the bricks this sunday,,any tips on the proper use of refractory cement??I have never used the stuff??Also I would like to get the arch/pans as tight as possible,,any tips there??? When we cleaned the arch out in VT it had a bunch of vermiculite in it,,I was planning on refilling it with sand, it seem like the arch is heavy built enough to support the weight,,but it will probally take over a yard to fill after I brick it,,,,Parker

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Parker,

As far as the front door getting hot and getting the pans tight, you might want to invest in one of the rolls of 1" ceramic blanket on ebay. You could put a layer on the front of your arch and door and it works good for arch/rail gasket and makes a great gasket between the two pans.

By the way, did you ever check on the set of stainless pans at Bascoms?? Seems like they come with a preheater also??

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Parker,

Also, on the refractory cement, you just want to use a skim coating between the brick. What I was told by the refractory company and by others is the thinner the coat, the more strength it has and the thicker the coat, the weaker. This has worked for me so far! :D

[forester1]

Parker, I would agree with Brandon on the thin coat of refractory cement. I heard 1/8th inch or just a bit more. You could get the dry and mix yourself or premixed in tubs. I used the premixed and the thickness was like peanut butter. A couple years ago perlite was $7 for a bag of 4 cubic feet here. It took less than 2 bags for a 4x12. I couldn't find vermiculite but I think it works the same. It is lighter than sand for sure and won't attract moisture. Then I put ceramic blanket over the top to keep it in place, otherwise it could get blown up the stack or shifted against the flues. The downside would be the ceramic blanket could get caught by your flue brush when you clean the underside of your flues. Also I find that rodents like it for nest building material.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Parker,

I forgot to add when I installed my airtight arch this fall and lowered my evaporator to the floor, I installed a 1" thick by 2" wide strip of cermanic insulation all around the bottom of the arch to help completely seal it off. The blanket is awesome and has tons of uses. Sure was the one of the best $ 70 with shipping purchases I made. :D

My arch it flat on the bottom and has not legs, so it would sit tight against the floor anyway, but the blanket helps to seal it really good! :D

[forester1]

Also on the refractory Parker the first fire has to be small and just to get the bricks heated up. The instructions should be on the cement container. The cement has to bake to the bricks and if you get it too hot right away the bond will fail.

[John Burton]

Parker,
i know a guy with a 3x10 to keep the ash comming fom the doors getting into the syrup.he took a piece floor ducting and made a chimney out of it . the register part minus the grate hung it from the arch inverted, then he plummed it to 6 inch duct pipe through the coupala when his rig come up to temprature it creates a natural draft and picks up most the ash that floats upworks kind of slick i must say ,just a thought.

[brookledge]

Parker,
I would not recomend using sand to fill the arch. It holds the moisture and will cause things to rust out. I used vermiculite and it worked good. You can get it at a mason supply store.
Keith

[l. mathews]

hi,
my name is lee i have a 2x6 g.h.grimm. woodsaver in it also. to solve the prob. of the air blowing directly toward the door build an inner sheet metal shroud and run pipe under the grates the length of the fire box up to the front. drill 1/4 inch holes at a slight angle and this will deflect the forced air. hope this helps.

[Parker]

Thanks for all the input,,Ill print this off and use it during set up,,,,so after I cement the bircks together do I put a skim coat over all of them or just do the joints??

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

post edited

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

My dad put a skim coat over the outside of mine. Don't know if it helps, but he is a mason and works at a huge papermill where they have a lot of refractory boilers that get a lot hotter than an evaporator and he works on the firebrick in them from time to time, so I let him do mine as he was determined to. :)

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

post edited

[Parker]

So where is the best place to get the fiber blanket?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3090&item=8164893404&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3090&item=8164897578&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=28124&item=8165423074&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=28124&item=8166046659&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=28124&item=8166046666&rd=1

Hope this is enough! :D

[mapleman3]

best price yet ......

http://www.mcgillswarehouse.com/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemID=109120011

[Parker]

Ill have stacy order 3 of em today,,thanks

[Brian]

I got mine at McGills Warehouse, I got 10 rolls of the HF 11. The service was great and fast. It took about a week to get here (UPS Ground) but I wanted to see how things went before I recomonded them. So far so good.