Curing refractory cement with a torpedo heater

Since I got my evaporator late, I still need to put in the firebricks. It is definitley not warm enough for them to cure on their own, and I'm waiting on Patrick for another 4 ft section of smoke pipe, so I can't build a fire in it yet. I thought about heating up the sugarhouse with a kerosene torpedo heater. I will then mortar in the bricks over the ceramic insulation, then point the heater through the doors of the arch and cure the cement that way. The pans will be off and the arch will be covered by a sheet of metal roofing. Getting nervous because I have a ton to still do and the seasons coming up fast.

hues I have the same problem cant even sleep at night ,well the first hour
anyway.all this stuff I have to get done thought I had plenty of time now its right around the corner and makes sleeping worse and yet I still insist on doing this every year, strange I think the heater will work fine maybe not to much direct on the bricks good luck

heus,
I did mine last year in January. I put an electric heater on low in the firebox and covered the top of the arch with insulation. It seemed to cure well.

HMMMM how do I say dejavue (I think) Same problem I lacked a 4 footer that got damaged in delivery. I ended up getting a cheap section at the hardware store and put that at the highest point. I used a kerosene heater in the sugarhouse and then lit a handful of twigs and just kept feeding that for a bit to get the arch toasty then I threw in a heat lamp and left it for a few days. Oh yea it was January when I did it too. You are gonna be fine the way your plan is.
I did get the new ss stack section from Patrick by the way.

My other question is how much electric is a small torpedo heater going to draw? I have an extension cord run to the sugarhouse powering the lights. About 300 feet. (I plan to bury a permanent wire in conduit next summer)

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Originally Posted by 3rdgen.maple

HMMMM how do I say dejavue (I think) Same problem I lacked a 4 footer that got damaged in delivery. I ended up getting a cheap section at the hardware store and put that at the highest point. I used a kerosene heater in the sugarhouse and then lit a handful of twigs and just kept feeding that for a bit to get the arch toasty then I threw in a heat lamp and left it for a few days. Oh yea it was January when I did it too. You are gonna be fine the way your plan is.
I did get the new ss stack section from Patrick by the way.

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3rdgen,
Good point about the cheap stack as a temporary solution. I received the 12 feet of stack from Patrick, but my roof and cupola are too high. I wanted a 3 foot section but he suggested 2 2 ft sections so it could be shipped easier.

Glad to help Hues. I actually left the cheap pipe on for the first season. Figured mine as well get some use out of it. I take the stack down at the end of the season so the new section will be up this time around.

I just finished bricking my arch last week. I waited for a day that was above freezing to do it and when done I put a 250 watt heat lamp and a 100 watt light bulb in the arch , covered it up with sheet metal and some old blankets and left it for several days. I don't have my stack in place yet either. The refractory cement seemed to dry very well even though the nights were 10 to 15 degrees and the days 25 to 35.I will fire it with a small fire when I have everything ready.

george

You dont want to dry it out before it cures so go slow. Remember if you mixed it it needs to harden if its premixed it needs to dry so go slow so it doesnt shrink and crack. Like grouting tile you want to keep it moist during the curing period.

I bet the torpedo heater will run fine w/ 300' of extension cord. It probably only draws a couple hundred watts to run the blower. Just turn off all other electricity users.

Supposed to warm up friday.

Major hurdle cleared!
Was able to brick my arch last evening. Ended up using a propane torpedo heater to heat up the sugarhouse. I have to say that the bricking went much smoother than I expected. I cut my bricks by scoring them on both sides with a tile wet table saw, then breaking them apart. The refractory cement dried nicely. I have 2 heat lamps turned on in the firebox at the moment, with a piece of metal roofing and insulation covering the arch. Tomorrow I am going to simulate a "fire" to cure the cement by blowing the torpedo heater in through the doors of the arch. Now have to decide if I am going to use sand or vermiculite to fill the area between my ramp and the wall I made in front of the base stack.

Usually guys cure the refractory too fast. Just use 1 light bulb and cover the whole thing with anything you have around, first a non combustable layer, then tarps, blankets, sleeping bag, whatever. You are best to do this for a week if possible. Then when you get set up to fire up, go very slow for the first 3-4 hrs. Start a small fire and barely keep it burning for about 2 hrs, then gradually go hotter for the next 2 hrs. After that you should be good to go. The main thing in the beginning is just to keep it from freezing but barely warm to the touch is real good. A 100 watt incondescent bulb will do this well with the evap completely insulated to hold the warmth in.

Oh, remember, don't do the fire thing without water in the pans.

Yeah maybe I'll wait to do the torpedo thing. I can't burn in it yet because my stack just goes through the roof. Waiting on another 4 feet from Patrick.s

Heus, I'm about a week away from bricking up my Leader 2x6 and your thread brought out some great feedback.

I would have fired it up but will not do that now. Have an outdoor spot light I've been using nights to finish off little stuff inside the sugar house and it sounds like setting that inside for a spell will be the ticket. Had no idea that you could cure the refractory cement too fast, Dave's post contains a wealth of information. Thanks to both of you.