Thermal Ceramics TR-19 boards

[Brent]

Totally by accident I came across what looks like a very interesting insulating board for evaporators.

It's made by Thermal Ceramic who seem pretty big in the business. What I got was 3' x 1' x 1" in a rigid board that has the feel of particle board. I havn't cut any yet but it looks like it could be easily shaped and cut and feeling it, it seems to have a very good insulating quality. The surface feels like the sensation you get putting your hand in down glooves ... you seem to feel the heat coming back. It's made with compresses vermiculite and the product ID "TR-19" indicates its max temp of 1900 degrees. I got it from a pottery / kiln supplier at $ 4.09 Cdn a sqare foot. No asbestos.

Unless someone chimes in raising the alarm bell, I'm going to start putting in the rig tomorrow.

Any one else tried it ????

[KenWP]

That should work and if it's made for a kiln it should have take the heat.

[C.Wilcox]

Brent,

That sounds very similar to what I put in my arch. The product name was K-FAC 19 which obviously sounds a lot like TR19 so maybe they're a similar product. It came in the same sizes and was rated to the same 1900 degrees. I haven't done anything more than a test fire so far, but with a decent fire in the firebox I could still hold my hand against the side of the arch without getting burned. I imagine that if I really stoked it hard the sides would get pretty hot, but I think it does a pretty good job of insulating and it seemed to hold up fine.

[Brent]

Last year I had 1" of the green Roxul type stuff that Bascom sells and a layer of 1/2 thick bricks on the side and the slopped syrup would scorch on the sides. I'm hoping this sfuff will be better and I'm going to use full thickness bricks.

Like so many things in sugaring. I'll change two at once and not know for sure which one did what. From what I've seen on other folks evaporators, the full thickness bricks don't keep it cool enough.

we'll see .....

[Brent]

Just about done trying to put these TR19 insulating boards in. Recommendations for anyone else

DON'T

This stuff feels like it is going to be very good insulation but it is a pain to work with. It's like a cross between "tentest" that roofers used to put under shingles, and the foam toffee candy we used to get as kids.

A 1" x 1" x 36" long strip can't hold up it's own weight if you grab it in the last 4". You can't cut it without breaking it if it is not fully supported, and even then I break it frequently when I'm just trying to trim a bit with the utility knife. I cuts like balsa with a circular saw.
I think this going to filed under "seemed like a good idea at the time" I'll post how it works with a fire.

[Brent]

Kiln archboards ... take two

I have sold my 2 x 6 evaporator and in the process of loading I had to remove the bricks.

The archboards that were a pain to put in because they crumbled and broke easily .... were in perfect condition.

They looked exactly like the day I put the bricks over them.

A fraction of the price of the ceramic blankets that my local dealer sells. I am going to have to remove the bricks on the new-to-me 2-1/2 x 8 and I'm thinking seriously about putting the same boards in it.

Any advantages to the white ceramic cloth (besides making someone else richer) ??? Any comments about the green colored archboards ??

[longbeard]

Brent,

Where did you buy these (pottery place or ?)

What size sheets do they come in? I'm a couple hours north of you, but I visit my daughter in Guelph from time to time so could pick up in your neighbourhood if not available around here.

BTW I was going to have a look at the rig you sold about a month ago while traveling thru Caledon but when looking up your number saw that it had been sold (bummer) - I will now add AOF in my own 2 X 6 now.

John

[Brent]

Hi John

We got the boards in Oakville, at a pottery and kiln supplier.
http://www.pshcanada.com (Pottery Supply House)

Its on this page http://www.pshcanada.com/kilnbuild&repair.htm.

Comes 1" or 1-1/2" x 12" x 36". If I was doing it again ( and I think I might have to with the new-to-us rig we're setting up. I can't get it into the sugar shack with the bricks in so it's being stripped to lighten the move), I'd go with the 1-1/2"

Our daughter has a horse farm about 11/2 Km west of David's resteraunt on Hwy 6 just north of Guelph. We grow some hay for her horses.

Whatever way you decide to go, AOF will pay off. Even if you make a blast furnace with a big fan under the grates, some air on top will still give you more complete compustion.

Good luck !!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

No offense, but man they are expensive.

[Brent]

Brandon, that is relative. The price our local Leader dealer charges for the thick thermal blankets it would have cost me nearly double last year when I re-bricked.

I think I'm going to have to re-insulate the 2-1/2 x 8 as I move it in and re-brick it. I'm going to re-check the costs.
The green archboard that I got a few years ago was less expensive that the white blanket by a mile, but when I took the bricks out a year ago, that stuck disintegrated. At least this kiln board stood up well. So well you'd think I cut it and put it in yesterday. Just like new under the bricks and in great shape, just discolored under the flues where it was not covered with brick.

Edit
I just checked one of the few Canadian dealers that posts prices on line and his
6 lb/sq ft 1" thick blanket lists at 3.50 a sq ft and the 8 lb stuff at $4.50 a sq ft.
Less about 7% in lots of 50 sq ft uncut.
I've never used the blanket. How good is it when it compresses. The green stuff I had did compress some.

[longbeard]

Thanks Brent for that link. I see they also have some other hard to find stuff which may come in handy.

I tried a simple cross pipe with holes over fire and a blast under grates last year, but seldom had enough sap to let 'er rip. Seemed to be quite impressive boil, but needed a bigger run to test the system. I have got to improve my boil rate as it is "well below" some of the numbers I see on these forums. I get about 20 gph in my 2 x 6 prior to any air and that makes for some "long" days in the shack. I've got a buddy in the furnace repair business and he gave me a couple of nearly new squirrel cage blowers (I know you guys are using the high pressure ones) but will try these and see what transpires.

Brandon had some great pics of his new system which I copied and may go that route when he goes thru next spring and see what his results are.

Thanks to both of you for sharing.

John

[Thad Blaisdell]

You can buy the ceramic blanket much cheaper than that..... less than 2.00 per foot delivered. If shipping wasnt involved it would be a buck

[Brent]

OK, at two bucks its still a deal

Where ?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Ebay!!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/SF607-soluble-ceramic-fiber-blanket-1-8-/150383112696?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23038831f8

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kaowool-Ceramic-Fiber-Blank-2300-2-x24-x12-5-8-dens-/130411935427?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e5d2836c3

Not nearly as much as in the past, but I didn't have time to look in the stores on ebay.

[Brent]

"SOLUBLE" ceramic.

Sounds like another oxymoron to me. But the price is attractive.

The second one is already $3 a sq ft plus shipping.
I'll do some more looking.

One of the problems is paying for a customs clearance on top of the shipping and many of these guys on Ebay won't ship to Canada. Both of these guys only have shipping within the US turned on in Ebay.

Thanks for the links