My Evaporator with homemade arch

[buxtonboiler]

My son and I built this arch from a 275 gallon oil tank.

[buxtonboiler]

Guess I did something wrong.

[buxtonboiler]

link should be in signature

[wnybassman]

Very nice!

[kinalfarm]

looks pretty good guys, only one suggestion. if you dont have a float valve that keeps the sap at the same level at all times its much easier and they only run about $20 and put a copper toilet boil float on it and you dont have to worry about the sap level. but really good job looks sharp and im betting it will work well

[Fishgill]

Nicely done. It looks great!

[C.Wilcox]

Nicely done! Are you going to put in more firebrick to cover your ceramic insulation? It looked like you had forced air piped in under the fire. Is the door airtight? It looked like it was, but I couldn't quite tell from the angle of the photo.

[buxtonboiler]

Thanks for all the comments. Yes, i do plan on putting in more firebrick, waiting on funding from my finance officer (wife).

[chefchap]

hi
i am currently working on building a evaporator like yours would like any tips that u may have in building it. what did you use to cut the tank in half basically anything you could tell me would be great
thank you for your time
jon

[C.Wilcox]

We used a sawzall with a metal cutting blade to cut ours in half. Worked great. Make sure you drain out any remaining fuel oil before you start.

[robinson lane]

i built one like this and used stihl cement saw with metal blade

[Pete S]

Chefchap: Same thing here using the sawsall and metal blades. They can get purty worn before they are junk. When they wear just rotate the saw back a bit to expose some freash teeth to the metal. I don't think I went through two blades.

OH,..............you will be surprised as to how much fuel oil and gumpta is in the bottom of the barrel. Drain out as much as you can and expect more inside that won't come out. the gumpta will burn when you weld'er up!



Buxtonboiler: I saw that you are using a 8" stack,..............I have a 6" and it is NOT enough to really get'er goin'. The 8" is next to be installed.

Looks really nice!

[C.Wilcox]

Pete,

Interesting that you say you don't think your 6" stack is sufficient. I also have a 6" stack and I would say the same. I'm not sure why it isn't enough seeing as how the firebox on these fuel drum arches isn't very big, but I feel like it's just not getting enough draft so I'm thinking of cutting out the bottom of the fuel drum under the firebox so there's no restriction to air flow. How do you have yours set up for draft? Are you using a standard barrel stove door kit?

[ehafkey]

Hi guys, I'm building one exactly like this also and I made my fire box 26" deep and I have bought a bunch of 8" stack. Do you think my fire box is to big? Also how much space do you have between the bottom of the pan and the fire brick at the very back of the arch?

[buxtonboiler]

I actually used a milaukee brand blades in my sawsall and only used one. In hindsight, I would cut it higher than I did. Should have cut just below curvature, I cut closer to half. This did not leave room for a ash door or draft control on front. My draft comes from the rear via a 2" black iron pipe with a 1/3 H.P. blower that is not attached, but just against the pipe. Putting in above fire piping this year. The 6" stove pipe seems to work fine, but I do need to improve my base. The door is homemade from a piece of 1/4" steel plate. I welded 1/2" angle iron around the inside perimeter to hold the ceramic insulation, no warping problems yet. Hope this answers you questions and helps you. My firebox is also 26" deep, but I think 30 would have been better. I have about 3" between the brick and bottom of my pans.

[Pete S]

I'm going to share a secret. For my door, and I have two MUCH larger door for my permanent build SOON, I hope.

Find a heating contractor, or a junk yoard and get a cast iron door off of an old coal furnace!

The two I have now are actually a matching set, but measure 24" wide at the flange edges!
Sa-Weet!

I made you draft below the fire grate. It's OK, and I set two 4" pipes vertically in the corners to draft above the flame. My door (draft/ash) is about the same sq. in. size as a 6" pipe.

I need an 8". It seems to draft just barely as when I open the door it rolls out plenty, as well I don't have a negitive draw at the open door.

My stack comes out behind the pans on the top. I don't know if putting an elbow and venting out the back would have made a difference.

I do think though that possibly making a "funnel type" manifold like the "big boys" have could possibly help.

For now I'm just going to score an 8" stack, build a new collar, and let'er rip!

[C.Wilcox]

Here's what I'm working with. I'd say the firebox is pretty close in dimensions to 2 feet deep. The door is homemade and is insulated and bricked. I also have an ash drawer that I leave open but it still seems like I get a better draw when I leave the door cracked as well. Since these photos were taken I cut a lot of the excess metal out of the grates to let the air flow through better. I've also got a forced air fan, but I don't think my manifold under the grates does a very good job of spreading it out. It appears to be pretty concentrated in the center of the firebox so I either need to rebuild the manifold or get a bigger fan. I also wish I had angled the back of the firebox back so that it sloped up to a point about 1 foot in front of the back of the pan. I think that would have helped to generate a more even boil.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Old skill saw with a metal cutting blade on it would work good to cut a tank.

[Sugarmaker]

Buxton,
Nice arch and pan set up. You should have a lot of fun boiling on that this season. My guess you might get 15-20 GPH?
Chris