New to this, looking for some help.

[RileySugarbush]

Why would I make the grates with v down so they fill with ash, wouldnt it make more sense to have them v up so the ash falls down through for removal underneath?

The ash insulates the steel so they don't warp. If they are the other way, the vees fill up and block the slots in some areas, then the coals in that area don't get burned up and you end up with an uneven fire. I've tried both ways. Pointy side down work much better

[325abn]

Nice!! How good of a deal did you get on those pans?

[striker3636]

Nice!! How good of a deal did you get on those pans?

Paid $1000 back in the middle of the summer, pans, arch, about 120 aluminum buckets, about half each of 2 and 3 gallons, covers, spiles, and a bunch of odds and ends like skimmers, thermometers, and a bunch of pre-filters, plus a couple of collection barrels. Seemed like a great deal to me since usually just the pails here are around $5 used without covers.

[maple flats]

I would also make the grates 20" max, front back. Then make a brick wall to push the heat up to the flues, ideally with a slight slope rearward, the wall should end about 4" from the last flue and then be about 6" lower to give a chamber for under the stack. This wall can be a big U shape from front to back and fill the inside of the U with vermiculite, capped with iether bricks or a thin layer of cement to hold it in place. The stack should be at least 8' tall but if you need more that is ok, just no less. No damper in the stack. I also think that small draft door will need a blower, or make the draft door the full width of the fill door. Boiling sap fast reguires lots of heat. Then use good dry wood, split no bigger that a wrist size.

[RileySugarbush]

The spacing and arrangement look perfect! Nicely built.

The only comment I have is it looks like the grates and firebox are very long. If they are much longer than 20 inches you are going to have a hard time keeping wood over the whole area and if there is an empty area, draft air will bypass the fire and cool your flues. Even if you keep it filled it is really not the most efficient setup.

If you can figure a way to shorten up the firebox and raise the arch floor under the drip flues you will be way ahead.

[striker3636]

The spacing and arrangement look perfect! Nicely built.

The only comment I have is it looks like the grates and firebox are very long. If they are much longer than 20 inches you are going to have a hard time keeping wood over the whole area and if there is an empty area, draft air will bypass the fire and cool your flues. Even if you keep it filled it is really not the most efficient setup.

If you can figure a way to shorten up the firebox and raise the arch floor under the drip flues you will be way ahead.

Grates are 30", i was trying to figure out how to end it shorter, but figured if i left a gap at the end it would be hard to close off. I guess i could cut it off shorter, and then weld flat plate from the top of the grate down to the floor of the arch.

[striker3636]

So, I made up a grate today, hopefully got it right.


IMG_6304 by striker3636, on Flickr

I had to raise it higher than I might have liked so it would be above the door intake vent. At the back, with my lowest flue pan, I have 8" clearance between the top of the grate and bottom of the flue. Anyone think this might be a problem?


IMG_6301 by striker3636, on Flickr


IMG_6300 by striker3636, on Flickr

[Flat47]

Just wondering out loud, here - are those grates too close together? Just looks like limited air flow between each grate. I could be wrong - it happens a lot...

[striker3636]

I've been reading through lots of posts on blower fans, but having trouble figuring an appropriate cfm for this size of arch. I found a nice all metal 60 cfm that looks like it would be easy to mount. Would that be enough?

[Big_Eddy]

That looks like a sweet setup at a great price. Well done and welcome to the wonderful world of sugaring.

You have it setup correctly. Syrup pan to the front, and there is only one way the rest can go together. Looks like there is no provision for a float - so for starters you're going to have to control the inflow sap by way of a valve, opening and closing as needed. Without a float, start out running about 2" deep until you get to know the way it runs.

Make a grate as suggested. V up the ash insulates the steel and protects it, V down the ash falls off and the steel overheats and sags. Other than that - I'd make no changes to it at all for the first year until I see what can be improved. The air inlet looks a bit small to me, but see what happens first.

The siphons will take a bit to get used to. Submerge inverted in a bucket to fill, turn right way up, and lift into place.

Get a good thermometer, a nice pile of dry wood and go at it.

I think that evaporator is well sized for 120 taps.

Big_Eddy