Hey everyone,
I am a long time reader here with a backyard operation in Nashua NH. I had 35 buckets and a evaporator with a 2 by 2 pan and 2 by 4 flat pan. I have been trying to figure out how to increase my evaporation rate. I have wanted to try drop flues in by upper pan but the task is beyond me. I have zippo welding skills. All my metal work was done with a hacksaw thus far.
A week ago, I had an idea. King size muffin pans are like ready made drop flues! They muffin pan has six "wells" for muffins. Each well in a king size pan is 3.25 inches deep and 3.5 in diameter. The overall pans are 14 by 9 so I could fit four into my 2 by 4 evaporator pan.
The question is how to connect the muffin pans to the evaporator pan. I plan to cut a hole in the evaporator pan large enough to just fit the muffin pan so the lip of the muffin pan rests on the bottom of the evaporator pan. But then what? How can I make the connection water tight? I found some high temp food grade sealant, which I can compress between the two pans. But will that work? If not, are there any other options??
As you would guess, I do not want to take the hacksaw to my pan until I know I can seal up the hole I cut. Any and all advice would be appreciate.