Evaporator from a 330 gallon propane tank
I have a vision and no one's allowed to laugh at it:) I've been very small time so far, most recently making 5 gallons using two 40 quart stock pots and a double burner turkey fryer. I don't plan on going big time but I want to step it up a bit.
I want to build a trailer mounted evaporator which is fairly high end. It doesn't have to be pushing the bounds of efficiency but I want it to be decent. But here's what might make you roll your eyes... When you visualize this 10 foot long tank with a fire box welded into one end, it has a vague similarity to a BBQ pit. I am convinced if I make certain pieces modular, I can swap out the evaporator pans for a grill and the evaporator firebox can double for a BBQ firebox if I make it a reverse flow BBQ pit.
Furthermore, the grill can be swapped out with a griddle for a large pancake surface. Finally, the surface can be replaced with a pizza stone making the entire contraption a pizza/bread oven. The opening will be be two feet by 8 feet and I can get everything custom made for that size.
I also want the entire unit to be either wood fired or propane fired for evaporating, the pizza oven or the BBQ. The griddle and grill would use propane. I would mount a pair of 40 pound propane tanks on the front of the trailer. I would want to tie it into my natural gas line from the house for evaporating if I don't want to fire up the firebox with wood. I'm not too worried about fuel costs as I will likely never be making hundreds or even dozens of gallons of syrup.
I see the propane tank being off-set on the trailer and the other side having a large built in firewood box. Off the the back end of the trailer, behind the firewood box, I would build a double burner stove for final evaporating or for preparing food when grilling.
Appearance will be paramount. I visualize gloss black powdercoating and a lot of stainless steel and diamond plate with brushed aluminum wheels.
More than you need to know, but has anyone seen good plans for a propance tank evaporator and has anyone seen a multipurpose unit? This thing could be a work of art which probably won't do anything great but all things capably. I can use it all year long.
Finally, I am in Michigan and have no metal working skills so I need to find someone with talent who wants to moonlight on a cool project like this.
Bill
