stack advice needed

[stoweski]

Hi everyone,

I have my sugarshack built and ready to used. Since it's my first year sugaring I'm starting with a new-to-me 1/2 pint evaporator. It has a 6" flue opening. Here's my dilemma...

My problem is I recently received a price on a chimney stack of $700. That includes 6" single wall stove pipe that runs from the evaporator up to the ceiling joists (about 5'), a single walled Tee at the bottom for easy cleaning of the flue, a connection box (not sure of the correct name for it) that would attach the stove pipe to the chimney pipe (and for extra support of the stack), 8' of double walled stainless insulated chimney pipe, a roof jack and flange, and a chimney cap.

With that kind of price and the possibility of upgrading to a larger evaporator down the road, I thought about going to an 8" stack now instead of having to pay for it again.

SO, I got a price on the same stuff, only in an 8" stack. That came to $1100.

My questions:
1. Is this typically what people use in their shack for a stack?
1a. If not, what do people use (safely)?
2. Do the prices seem reasonable? Is this the typical price people pay for a new stack? I'm actually getting a discount because the guy is a friend who owns the stovery shop!
3. Exactly what type of stack comes with a new evaporator... is it single walled stove pipe or is it double walled, insulated chimney pipe?


Thanks for any help you can offer. I like being prepared and fortunately this is the last thing on my list to accomplish before starting the season.

Keith

[KenWP]

Is that a SS roof jack and flange. That might not need to be SS. The double wall all fuels pipe is pretty expensive all over.The suppliers have used ones for sale all the time.

[JuniperHillSugar]

Stoweski,

Stainless is expensive, durable and pretty, did I mention expensive.
Also nearing the end of my funds I opted for a 24 gauge galvanized 6" stack that can be bought at your local hardware store. For 16 feet of stack, tee, roof jack and storm collar and screws it cost me $89.

Yes this will need replacing in a few years, but at that point I may upgrade to stainless or upgrade my whole rig to a bigger unit. Yes, I do expect the galvanizing to burn off in time, but for now it will work fine.

[PerryW]

I would just get regular 6" 24 GA single wall stove pipe with none of the other fancy stuff. You don't need a TEE for cleaning. Each 2 foot piece should cost about $7 or $8. 5 pieces should be enough for the half pint. You should be able to do the whole thing for well under $50. I you are feeling rich, throw a stack cover on there or just lift an old sap bucket up there with a piece of strapping to cover the stack when you are not boiling.

I have never seen a sugarhouse with any of the expensive metalbestos double wall pipe. I would just cut a 16" x 16" hole in the peak roof and cover it with 18" x 18" galvanized sheet metal with a 6" hole for the pipe. You can always nail a couple small pieces of sheet metal with spacers on the rafters if you feel they are too close to the stack. Stuff the pipe up through and you are good to go.

You will probably get 5 or 6 years out of it and then you will be ready to sell the half pint or spring for a stainless pipe that will last the rest of your life.

[3rdgen.maple]

That price just seems rediculous. There is no need for the cleanout t at the bottom. These stacks get so hot there is nothing to clean. I am looking at a catalog right now from a dealer and a galvanized setup would be......... 3 foot stack base $125 and $23 each for 3 foot 6" stack. SS stack base $195 and 3 foot SS stack $63. So if you go with all single wall galv. would be around $217 SS would be around $447. With that said what is the reason for wanting to put in insulated pipe?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

There is an Amish guy in Myersale, PA that just made a complete 10" stack including base stack for a Waterloo 2x6 and the total price was just over $ 200. It was for Larry Harris who is a member on here. I will post his info if anyone is interested. Might be worth the drive down. He made my hood and Larry Harris' hood also along with my reheat pan, steam roof jack center mount for $ 46. My 16 x 34 reheat pan with 18" sides was less than $ 50 stainless.

[stoweski]

Thanks for all the info. I assumed that you guys weren't going out and paying a ton of money for a stack. I was originally thinking the price was going to be around $250.

I'll have this guy price out galvanized pipe and get the thing built. I think I'll cover all wood framing within 3' just to be safe with durrock or similar.

I guess my main concerns on safety were the pipe passing through the roof and radiating heat to the trusses and the pipe outside heating the cupola overhang (fascia is wood) that will be close to the pipe.

Keith

[red maples]

I had to put in a few pieces of insulated pipe(fire chief said so!!!) Lowes has 6" X 36" stainless insulated pipe for I think around $100 each. cheap money. 8 " same stuff $113. check it out. supervent is the brand!!!

don't need cleanout!!! just get up there and run a brush down if you want to after the season. but there shouldn't be much build up as long as your fire is hot enough.

[maple flats]

My stack is 12" heavy galvanized from Leader. It goes up thru a wide truss space of 30" opening (planned wide when building). Then I added a light gauge (28 or 30) galv. pipe 2" large and another an additional 2" larger. I made mounts by making z shaped pieces of tin and pop rivoted them arount the pipe top and bottom, then rivoted the next layer and so forth. I had to have the local fire dept bless this and they said it was good. I made a triple wall this way, the inner goes straight thru but the others stop tight against the underside of the steel roof, and only extend down to about a foot below the bottom cord of the trusses. Each layer of tin you add spaced 1" on a non combustable spacer cuts the required distance to combustables in half. I have 12" in 14", in 16", cutting spacing from 36 to 18 to 9". A forth layer would cut it to 4.5" if needed. The weight of mine is supported by steel all thread going thru the outer layers near the bottom, then I attached light wt chain and turn buckles up to the webbing on the adjacent trusses, 2 rods 4 chains, 4 turn buckles. The easiest way to make the outer layers is to buy some wide panning metal (25" wide x ? forgot length) roll it to the right size and pop rivot. Pop rivot each piece to the next, no crimps needed, just make the lower one 1/8" bigger in circ. than the bottom of the next up. If you have a tin shop around they could also make the bigger sizes. For yours it could also be bought from a plumbing store, 8" 22 or 24 G, 10" 30 g and 12" 30g. Make spacers and voila.

[KenWP]

If you have anything in the stack you would have to be running pretty cold. Even my house stack dosn't get much and I burn soft wood in it.

[stoweski]

I had to put in a few pieces of insulated pipe(fire chief said so!!!) Lowes has 6" X 36" stainless insulated pipe for I think around $100 each. cheap money. 8 " same stuff $113. check it out. supervent is the brand!!!

don't need cleanout!!! just get up there and run a brush down if you want to after the season. but there shouldn't be much build up as long as your fire is hot enough.

Looked at Lowes website. That pipe is what I've been looking for. Something reasonable and safe... a lot cheaper than the $200 metalbestos. I don't like the idea of a single wall flue running up through my roof and next to the cupola. This pipe will do the job... and I'll feel more comfortable. May even splurge and go with 8" now in case I decide to upgrade to a larger evap. Oh wait, WHEN I upgrade to a larger evap. :D


Thanks again, everyone!

[stoweski]

Put my stack up this weekend. The Supervent at Lowes is nice stuff. Bought 9' of that and the ceiling support kit to install the pipe. Took regular stovepipe and ran that below the Supervent. My only issue is that the storm collar doesn't fit tightly against the pipe in one spot because the pipe is slightly dented. I'll have to fill it when the weather gets warmer because the hi-temp silicon caulk is not curing very quickly in 20 degree weather.

Total cost for the entire setup was $575. Since it's 8" stainless I should be able to use it for the rest of my life... and then some.

Keith

[kinalfarm]

if you cant afford stainless you could always just go with black heavy gauge stove pipe not that much more than galvanized but better with heat(unless the fire inspector says you need double or triple wall)