Moving small evaporators

[BryanEx]

For those of us without sugar shacks or other permanent homes for hobby sized evaporators (2 x 4 for example), is there a decent way to move them without damage or injury? Mine is pushing 800 lbs with the brick in it so I won't be lifting it anytime soon without a loader (which I don't have). I'm set up at my wood shed for the house but would like to be able to push it into the shed during the off season to both get it out of the way and out of the weather. Anyone move their's from a garage to the drive or perhaps barn to the yard without a tractor? I don't have to go up steps or over any obstructions but do have to cross an area of compacted gravel.

[tapper]

Could you get it on a rigid platform like a pallet? Or maybe attach a pair of 2" pipes parallel to the legs then with a couple sheets of plywood roll it on 3 or 4 other pipes. You would be amazed at how easy heavy stuff moves that way.

[kinalfarm]

you could weld some metal skis to the feet and pull it with a truck or tractor

[PerryW]

Probably too late now but...

if you dry brick your evap (no mortar), you can remove the bricks, the doors, and the grates and it will get lots lighter.

[maple flats]

I lifted my old 2x6 complete with brick installed by 2 cables slung around under it and up to the trusses. One cable was under 2 layers of 3/4" plywood, about 60% of the depth of the firebox back and the other was under 1 layer, 3/4" plywood. Then I had 2 1" pipes in the trusses full length with a tee and 24" long pipe on each side for turning. There was 1 on each side of the evap and I attached steel cable to these pipes. I turned 1/2 turn at a time to raise, held it with a stick across the cieling joists and turned the other 2. Went back and forth 2 half turns at a time until the evaporator was high enough to pour a floor underneath. When it was up there I added a safety by nailing a 2x6 across underneath and a 2x4 up to the trusses near each cable. It came back down with no damage. You should be able to do something similar. Just be sure not to flex it (twist). Whatever you move it with must be perfectly solid and stable.

[BryanEx]

I wasn't able to dry brick due to the shape of the arch. The upper rows would keep falling into the firebox. Right now the best I've been able to think up is a pair of moving dollies or perhaps one of those caster sets designed to move a snowmobile around a garage but I'm not sure if they would go over gravel and/or cracked concrete. I can easily jack up one end at a time to get under it but lifting the whole thing at once would be a problem. I should also mention that my evaporator has solid steel cross bars at th bottom of both front and back legs rather than separate posts like the sportsman has. Picture moving a slightly larger half pint.

"Hey honey! I think I need a tractor next." :D

[Haynes Forest Products]

If the ground is still frozen get 12' of 6" ABS and cut to 4' and roll it down the road go slow and try and keep 2 rollers under it at all times. If you can bolt 2X6 on each rail on the side so it easy to install and remove you can spread the load. something nailed to the ends will keep the rails from flopping all over the place.

Next year start scounging some old wheelburo tires and make a steal frame and work up a permenant frame.

[Flat47]

"Hey honey! I think I need a tractor next." :D

Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

[BarrelBoiler]

dad put our freezer on a skid made out of 2"x6" pplanks and used pipe rollers
you could do the same thing with your arch
he set the freezer on two planks and nailed cross pieces close to the freezer so it wasn't any longer than need be with three rollers under it he could push it anywhere the skid gave him a place to lever to get the rollers started

rough ground- more planks for a "railroad" or 3/4 ply wood to help smooth things out
i have moved many different thing this way including a 12 x 14 shed
for an arch 1iinch blackiron pipe would work good

[BryanEx]

Hmmm... hadn't thought about using a full platform under it. I also considered adding casters right to the evaporator but most aren't rated for a high enough load until I get up to scaffold wheels. Scaffold wheels would work fine but I'd need to get some type of mounting plate added because the wheel posts would be too large to mount as is.

[maplehound]

For years I moved a 2x6 evaporator in and out of storage. we ussually removed the brick and then put the fire box end on a set of wheels and the stack end in the back of a garden trailor and pulled it with a garden tractor.
when we bought our 3x8 we thought we would be smart and we built a frame from angle iron around the whole thing and under the legs. on both sides we attached 2" square pieces as well as to the front under the stack. The Idea (which worked for a couple years anbd probably still would) was that when we wanted to move it we would take the stack down and then jack the arch up enough to slide wheels made like a hitch reciever into the sides and a tongue on the front then we were able to pull it out and back it into our storage building. It is still set up for this however we found that after the season was over everthing was so wet and the arch was so heavy (brick still in it) that it was hard to move and that supporting the smoke stack was a real chore for both the start of the season as well as the end. however the arch is still on this trailor and if I ever need to move it we will still be able to use it.
Ron

[farmall h]

Bryanx, go to McMasterCarr.com and they will have castors that will suit your needs.

[vtjeeper]

personally I would probably attach 2x6 skis to it and drag it out of the shed and push it into the shed with my truck. but, if you wanted a nicer but move expensive and time consuming way, I was thinking a steel frame that would have 2 wheel barrel wheels at the back corners and would have a trailer tongue hitch at the front. the frame could be set up differnt ways and would probably have to jack up one end and maybe the other to get it set up to move. but, then you use a trailer dolly with a long handle and a ball and then might be able to move it by hand maybe with one other person. but would cost 60 for the dolly, 50 for wheel barrel wheels, and some steel and welding.

or, weld some trailer spindles to the back and be able to bolt on trailer wheels and weld a trailer tongue to the front and use a trailer dolly and pull it. or this way you might be able to tow it around with a truck or a car with a trailer hitch too.

EDIT, well maple hound out typed me.

[Bucket Head]

I was thinking like Jeeper. A frame of some sort (not to be removed) under the rig and some wheels with a tongue for towing, or just a handle(s), that could be removed while boiling. Find an old utility trailer axle and wheels and mount that under the frame. Narrow it up to the width of the rig.

You know what makes great trailer wheels and their removable? Volkswagon rear wheel spindles. They bolt up with four bolts. You could weld a frame for under the rig and have some plates mid-mounted for these spindles. That way you could leave them on or after its in place for the boiling season you could remove them so your not walking around the tires. Two of these would be more than capable for handling the arch with bricks and would roll over any rough surface.

Small wheels or casters on anything other than a level, uncracked floor usually does'nt go too well.

[Grade "A"]

To get our old 2x6 out we made a narrow axle with 2 15" tires for the back and put a hand dolly under the front, two people can move it easy.

[Toblerone]

When we bought our 2x6, three of us were able to pick up the fire box end and put it on a furniture dolly (bsically a 2x3ish wooden frame with 4 casters on it). Then we pushed it up a ramp onto a trailer. It was heavy, but not impossible to move.

Good luck, and some steel-toed boots wouldn't hurt!

[BryanEx]

Great ideas from everyone... thanks! I should have attached a picture of my evaporator from the start (gently borrowed from the Atkinson web site). My wood shed is what many people would know as a drive shed - enclosed on three sides with two large arched openings in the front. The concrete slab it sits on is the remnants of a garage foundation poured in 1942. For the most part it's in tact but with several large frost heaves and no rebar. What I want to do is pull out my evaporator about 16 feet and then make a 90 degree turn. At the end of the season I want to push it back under cover. Part of the reason for wanting to move it is because I'm looking at adding two more of the same type to my operation which is a brew your own syrup set up and they would really be in the way during summer months. Based on everyone's suggestions I think I have enough to get things figured. I'll let you all know how it pans out (no pun intended).

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I moved my 2x8 about 5 years ago out of my dads building which he sold to my current sugarhouse. I used 2" tow straps 10,000 lb capacity and put one under the firebox and one about middle ways under the flue section of the arch and moved it with a tractor and bucket. It was extremely heavy with the airtight front and aprox 140 full size firebrick. This worked good and I think I put a couple pieces of 2x4's under the flue section.

[buxtonboiler]

I have a 2X4 with an oil tank arch. I put some 500lb casters on the four legs and roll her in and out of garage. legs are adjustable for leveling.

[Z/MAN]

I used a snowmobile dolly. I was able to move anywhere I wanted by myself. Didn't even have to remove any bricks from it.
Paul

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Very creative!!!

[BryanEx]

I used a snowmobile dolly. I was able to move anywhere I wanted by myself. Didn't even have to remove any bricks from it.
Paul

Perfect! Thanks for the picture Paul. Exactly the type of thing I was hoping to come up with from his thread.