My new (to me) evaporator. Finally.

[Clan Delaney]

When I was a child, I played with childish things, like aluminum pots heated over propane burners. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways - and got myself a proper wood fired barrel evaporator with divided stainless steel pans and preheater. Today, I became a man. :lol: :lol:

I found an ad on Craigslist last night for a complete setup for just $475, and only half an hour north of me! I made an offer of $450, it was accepted, and this afternoon I took a drive and exchanged some hard earn cash moneys for my first evaporator.

My 2010 season just got real. I am still giddy. But in a manly way. :cool:

Here's some pics of my baby in her new home....

[3% Solution]

Clan,
Looks good to me!!!!
In a couple of years you'll be into a dropped or raised flue.
It's only going to get bigger from here.
I'll tell my grandson to stop by and rattle your cage next spring.
I may even have to do that myself when I'm down to see him!!
You'll enjoy it!!

Dave;)

[tuckermtn]

Clan- congratulations- knew you had the addiction, now your legitimately a maplehaulic

cheers-

eric

[Farmboy]

I have the exact see thing but my pan has 5 sections.

[Fred Henderson]

Congrats Clan!!!!!!!!!! Now you can go full throttle.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Congrats on the new toy. Have you test fired yet?:)

[WF MASON]

There's nothing like the first.....gun , dog, wife or evaporator....you'll remember them all. Very nice.

[3rdgen.maple]

There's nothing like the first.....gun , dog, wife or evaporator....you'll remember them all. Very nice.

Nicely said. I would just change that a little to first gun dog, evaporator then the wife;) Clan how many taps next year and the year after that and the year after that.............................................. .....................
She looks good man good luck with her now get some wood cut.

[Haynes Forest Products]

SO how long have you been staring at it:lol: Soon you will have to turn off the LEDs and go to bed:cry: But being a Sunday you can do it all over again:)

I have 7 guns Im on my 3rd evap 6th dog and 3rd wife:o Man I can talk all day about those old evaporators

[3rdgen.maple]

Haynes got ya beat except that wife thing. One wife, one ex-wife( lesson learned) One girlfriend that has been with me for 10+years and lives with me in sin, I currently have 5 dogs have no idea how many since I was a kid, If I counted my guns I would probably be shocked and wonder what do I need all them for and finally (insert drum roll here) on my 4th evaporator and heading for #5 in 2011.
Clan it is getting late turn the lights off and go to bed the thing will be sitting there in the morning. Get a new bag of twix and you can stare and eat your choclate all day tomarrow.

[BarrelBoiler]

nice rig now you'll have to go through all the posts about modifcations and "how to squeeze the most out of my evaporator" unless you were smart and put them i a folder labeled "when i get a real one "

if you did that can you foward it to me:emb:

Boil on!!!!

[dschultz]

Nice looking rig Clan,how many gallons did you boil in your sleep last night?

Haynes I agree about the old evap days,the way I used to do it and the way I cook syrup now.I did a count, I'm on my 7th evap and hope this is the last rig I get,but that's what I said about the last one.

[Pete S]

Sorry, but couldn't help notice that your clearance to combustibles looks a bit close. Spacing out a sheet of a non-combustible material is the bar none best solution.

You space of air should be at least one inch.

HTH

Pete

[Clan Delaney]

Sorry, but couldn't help notice that your clearance to combustibles looks a bit close. Spacing out a sheet of a non-combustible material is the bar none best solution.

You space of air should be at least one inch.

HTH

Pete

Don't worry. It's more like the model on the showroom floor right now. There will be some cement board in the picture when it's up and running.

Right now it's not bricked, and the interior has no frames for holding bricks. I may be able to get my bro to help with a frame, otherwise, I'll improvise something. The old owner said he was getting 5-8 gph with no brick, no fan, and boiling outdoors in the wind. I'm hoping to do 10 gph minimum after adding that insulation and forced air.

I need to decide whether to put the stack out the wall, then go up, or just go straight up with it. I admit to hating the idea of cutting a hole in my roof (that's currently doing a great job of not leaking), though I know it's practically inevitable. I might as well do it now before the roof's covered in snow!

[BarrelBoiler]

clan, if you check my posts you'll see pics of the rig we had/have (it's on loan) in them some where. the bricks we put in dry and just followed hte curve of the barrel on the sides andset a wall dry supported by the fill we used to bring the flameup to the bottom of the pans with a grate etc you might need frames but we got away without

[Haynes Forest Products]

Clan start looking for a old scrap piece of steel plate to put over the opening when your out in the shack insulating and drywalling. That there cooker is a wood stove all winter long:mrgreen:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I imagine a small tapcon screw on the outside of the barrel in the center of each brick would hold them in place where a barrel curves back in at the top but never tried it.

[3rdgen.maple]

Guys we are a sad bunch of people. We are building each others evaporators over the internet cause we are MAPLEHAULICS and are in need of our fix.

[Clan Delaney]

This is nothing. My brother and his friend do (or, he used to, before marriage and baby...) the same thing with modified 4x4 trucks. Now there's a money pit! At least our addictive hobby returns something of value. My dad once joked with my brother that, instead of beautiful women (like on the covers of the magazines), the only thing he ever attracted with his trucks was teenage boys. :lol: Maple syrup attracts everyone!!

[C.Wilcox]

Let's see some action photos Clan!! I want to see it glowing red and throwing steam everywhere.

I'd go straight up through the roof personally. I know what you mean about cutting a hole through a perfectly good roof, but if you go right up through the peak of the roof your jack would saddle the ridge and that would reduce the chances of a water leak. It would also mean you could install the roof jack right over the shingles instead of having to feather it under on the uphill side and over on the downhill side.

[Clan Delaney]

Let's see some action photos Clan!! I want to see it glowing red and throwing steam everywhere.

I'd go straight up through the roof personally. I know what you mean about cutting a hole through a perfectly good roof, but if you go right up through the peak of the roof your jack would saddle the ridge and that would reduce the chances of a water leak. It would also mean you could install the roof jack right over the shingles instead of having to feather it under on the uphill side and over on the downhill side.

I hear you. On the upside, I haven't shingled yet. It's just rolled roofing. I always planned to put a more permanent layer up there. This is just me to wanting to step out of my comfort zone. You know, the zone where I don't normally go cutting holes in perfectly good structures. But this could be god. If I can get over this fear in my shack, then to my wife's great approval I would soon be knocking down walls in the house to make the kids rooms in the attic a reality. Hmmmm.......

[Clan Delaney]

Found a guy on Freecycle today giving away a fire grate. I'm betting it'll fit perfectly into my barrel! I pick it up on Saturday.

I've been toying with configurations for bricking the inside using the red brick I already have. Looks promising.

[BarrelBoiler]

as you probably already know regular red brick usually can't stand the heat.
the light tan fire brick i used worked fine, got that at the local ace hardware which is also a lumberyard. it is a bit bigger than regular brick

[Clan Delaney]

yeah, I know I'll likely only get a single season out of them, but its something I already have and won't have to purchase. I have big plans for upgrades that will be paid for with this year's profits. I just can't upgrade on credit.