I'm in the middle of cutting and fitting my franken-arch and I wondered, what's up with the ramp?
Why are all the professional arches designed with a gradual rise from the fire box to the end of the last pan?
Does it not serve the purpose as well if not better to send the fire straight up to the first (last) pan in the que, and then let it travel close to the pans the rest of the way down to the stack?
Or do I not want to have that much direct fire right under where I will be drawing off?
Or is it some other reason?

Thanx,