Bricks or blankets

[Brent]

I'm thinking of trying to improve the insulation on the firebox section of my arch. It currently has 1" of firbreboard and 1 layer of 1/2 brick.

Anything that gets slopped ( who me ) on the sides of the stainless gets scorched in place.

The arch has traditional slopping sides.

Do you think I should put on another layer of fibreboard or add full thickness bricks.

[Bucket Head]

Brent,

I have no experience with the board, so I can't comment on it. I can tell you that I have 1", 2600 deg. blanket with "half" fire bricks in my rig, and I like it a lot. The bricks are just there to protect the blanket.

I can't tell you the surface temp. of my sides, but I can now stand next to it without nearly burning my pants off. The sides would glow at night.

The blanket is an excellent insulator and I would reccomend it to everyone. I should have installed it years ago.

Steve

[3rdgen.maple]

I think scorching syrup on the side of the firebox area is the norm. More brick and more insulation would help but would also make your firebox smaller. If you added another inch of insulation and went to full brick you gonna lose a couple inches on each side. I have an inch of archboard and split brick and Im pleased with that. I just give her a wipedown before I boil for the day and then she gets a good polishing at the end of the year and she shines like new. I believe that when you are reading the temps of insulation like 2600 it is not how much heat it holds back but it is the temp that it will withstand before burning up. Maybe you can cut two pieces of sheetmetal put a 90 degree lip on it and set it on the arch rail and put the syrup pan on it and call it a splash guard.

[Brent]

Splash guard .... hmmm ... good idea.

I would still like cooler sides, which means less heat loss too.

I don't want to go to full brick and 1" more fibre board.

One or the other is the question.

[3rdgen.maple]

If I was to do it I would go with more archboard. It is cheaper than full brick and will retain the most heat.

[red maples]

from what I have seen in other pics on here...although I am the rookie here. is 1" board and full bricks with split bricks on the final row along the rail. thats what I was told to do and thats what I am doing. I think its a matter preference. and yes the rating of insulation s just the break down point. but what ever you decide should be fine the extra board should be fine and cheaper if your trying to save money. and the splash guard is a good Idea too I might see if I can rig something up too.

[Gary R]

Blanket or arch board. The brick is only protecting. Have you seen your bricks glowing red with a hot fire? You'll still probably scorch. Insulation can only hold back the heat for so long. I like 3rd gens splash guards.

[3rdgen.maple]

Do I have to go into the splash guard manufacturing business? I got tired of the sap jumping out of my flue pan when it boils hard and dripping down the side of the arch. So I made some splash guards and liked the results. A little less cleaning.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Go with a hood and preheater with a drip pan. A well made hood that fits correct should take care of this problem and a preheater will increase your evap rate at the same time, kill 2 birds with one stone.

[3rdgen.maple]

Brandon shhhhhhhhhhhh are you trying to put my splash guard business in chapter 11 before I start it:)

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

I use arch board and full brick and can hold my hand on the side of the firebox after 45 min at full boil. It stays 'relatively cool' throughout the boil.

[red maples]

Darrick, do you have a picture of those splash guards or are you hording them so you can patent them first.

[3rdgen.maple]

Brad I never took any pictures of them. There are a few things in life I should have put a patent on. Funny thing about patents are that one little change to a design pretty much renders them useless. I should be getting some kickback on some trout fishing flies that I designed. I tied up some moth patterns one year after finding trout eating moths that were everywhere. Well I gave one to the wrong person once and bingo he even used the same name and got it put in the book as his own design and gets a kickback everytime a store sells one. Twice that has happened to me. I got a buddy who did the same thing with another fly he created and one day while watching a fly fishing program on tv the guy was using the pattern and even called it the same name. End of show they showed you how to tie it. Guess who it was? Yep the same guy he showed it to one day on the river. You never know who is fishing next to you sometimes. Man I got to stop getting off topic here. Sorry guys

[johnallin]

Ok guys, dumb question but my new evap is due any time and I'll be bricking it up. Insulation board first and then brick or the other way around? If insul board is against the evap walls what holds the brick in place.
Like I said dumb question.... but I like the idea of keeping as much heat in as I can.

On another note the sugar house floor and foundation are in and we will be raising timbers a week from Sat.
Thanks John Allin

[Brent]

The archboard goes in first. It is a lot like Roxul insulation and is very easy to damage, so you want the bricks to protect the archboard. I went with 1" of archboard and 1/2 thickness bricks and it is not enough insulation.
I would suggest either 2 layers of archboad and one of half bricks or 1 of archboard and one of full sized bricks. The comments on this thread so far seem to be more or less the same as to which is most effective.

[johnallin]

Thanks Brent,
So the arch board goes first and the bricks are stacked and mortered to each other, that makes sense now.

[nymapleguy607]

Has anyone besides me gotten the hair brained idea to put something like a piece of stainless over the arch board but behind the brick. Then the heat could reflect off the stainless and back into the fire. That might keep the sides cooler for a while at least. Just a thought
Jeff

[3rdgen.maple]

Not quite sure if it would reflect any heat rather it would probably absorb it more than anything. Stainless steel pans absorb heat to boil the sap. If it reflected it I would hate to see what my evaporation rate would be.

[JohnsSugarShack]

Brent would it be pratical to add another half brick to cut down heat loss? I also should be getting my new 2x6 the first of December. I plan on putting 1" archboard with full bricks and then half brick on the last row. Does anyone know how much archboard I would need for the whole arch? I would like to order my archboard before my evaporator gets here. Thanks

[red maples]

I have to go through my paperwork and invoices I will get back to you. I want to say it was like 14 pieces???? I think. I insulated the bottom of the firebox too...(because I have a wood floor)...so maye 12-13 pieces. but its not that expensive so better to have a little extra to work with incase you the mess up your last pieces and not have enough:emb: I had just enough!!!!! no leftover.

that is another good thing about arch board is that you can really cut and paste so to speak. without it falling down what ever. and if you have an oddball peice to fit in (which you will) it works great for that too.

[3rdgen.maple]

Well just figure out your square feet. Arch board is 1 foot by 3 foot. If I remember right it took 10 peices for mine and I did not do the the ash pit like red had to.

[KenWP]

I found arch board at D&G finally. I emailed the head office and found out they carry it here. But they will not give me a price until I come up with how much I need believe it or not. I will have to figure out how much now and order it to find out a price.