Has anyone used a barrel evaporator on black top and/or on a skid? Plus insulation?

[jrm]

2nd year tapping. Made a two pan barrel evaporator last year and boiled in a cleared area of the yard. This year, we have record snows and the thought of clearing an area of the yard makes me cringe a bit. Been using our lawn tractors its attached blower to clear our drive and turn-around. Wondering if I can place my barrel evaporator straight on the blacktop without running the blacktop from heat. I also have access to skids and could place onto a skid on the blacktop. Firebrick under the barrel?

Evaporator interior lined with fire brick, to make the angle towards to stack, as well as on the sides of the grate. Was definitely a difference in heat on the exterior of the barrel at the point where the fire brick stopped. Also used the barrel kit, so legs are. maybe 8 inches off the ground. Last year no burned grass, as I recall, but did seem to have a black mess from soot or something dripping.

Im seeing a lot about fiber insulating blanket. Can th pat be put on th exterior of the barrel? Or, maybe I should add to my interior.

Thanks,
Janet

2nd tapping
2014 3 trees
2015 intending to place 6-9 taps

[bowhunter]

Definitely don't put ceramic blanket around the outside of the barrel. That would probably overheat the barrel and cause it to fail. I would be concerned about setting the evaporator directly on the asphalt. Maybe you could get large (12 -16 inch square) patio pavers and put under the evaporator to make a temporary floor on the asphalt driveway. I also wouldn't set the evaporator on a skid or pallet as it will probably char the wood.

[Sandersyrup]

I have something similar to this on blacktop. It's sitting on cinder blocks on blacktop. At one point I had it on the deck in my yard but it did burn the deck. I was able to stop the chatting by putting 4" hollow cinder block underneath.


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[RC Maple]

I have a barrel evaporator. I also have a wood floor in the sugarhouse. My evaporator sits on cement blocks that not only put it at a workable height but keeps heat away from the floor. Put the ceramic blanket under the fire bricks. Good luck.

[Jonnyp390]

I have my barrel evap set on top of 2-16" tall pieces of ash log. My barrel is insulated with rock wool and a layer of firebricks. The outside of the barrel still gets very hot, but it has never charred the logs. If you place the evaporator on the asphalt, I would worry more about the embers or logs falling out of the door onto the ground. I have a little metal bread pan that I keep on the ground with water in it to catch any hot stuff that falls out. Good luck this year, hope you have a great season.

[sg5054]

It can be done. Set down some 4" cinder blocks. Get a piece of cement board, the stuff used to set up a heat shield to protect the wall behind a wood stove. Set that on the blocks. Don't forget to align your blocks to match the footprint of your evaporator. Use some additional blocks to support the edges of the board. set the evap on top and your off and running. A catch pan for ashes/ coals isn't a bad idea. I had the similar set up my first 2 years.
Have fun!

[Lukie]

I boiled out side for two years with a barrel stove on a stand and still use it inside nowSugar shack 2014 099.jpg

[jrm]

Thanks for all the tips. I've been sidetracked by roof snow, ice dams and interior water seepage. Fortunately, said wryly, the weather has been too cold to tap, so I've been able to put off figuring this stuff out.

That said, tomorrow we're going to tap. Today, dug a space in the deep snow, to place the evaporator, as my son came up with the idea that we could use the snow banks as wind breaks -- never pulled last year's suggestions together in the warm weather. I figure it is one way to see how well insulated the barrel is ... By how fast the snow banks melt around it.

Looking forward to trying out the cider blocks regardless as it will be much nicer having the fire loading done at a more reasonable height.

Thanks for the help.
Janet