Factory pan, homemade (block) arch?

[ADK_XJ]

Hey all, I'm doing some early thinking on the upgrade I plan to make for next year with a 50-100 tap capacity pan/arch setup. Just had our first kid this Fall and recently changed jobs, so money is at a premium. However, I've learned by experience it's better not to cut corners.

So, what I'm trying to figure out is if I'd be heading down the wrong road by purchasing a standalone 2x4' pan as an initial investment and building that out on a homemade block arch setup to save some dough? Would I suffer poor evap rates? I have a sense what I'd need to do to make the arch effective but is it a waste to not just buy the steel arch at the same time?

Anyone have experience running pans on their homemade block arch with good success?

[SeanD]

That's not a bad idea if cash is tight or you want to get into this hobby gradually. I put my money and time into a good set of homemade pans and boiled with them on a block arch for a year until I bought a Mason arch. Then after a few years of that, I upgraded the pans, but put them on the Mason arch. That's where I'm at today. It's hard to lay out thousands of dollars before seeing a drop of syrup for a hobby. Some people can do it. Some can't. For those of us who can't, expanding and improving incrementally is the way to go.

Pans are a bigger factor in evaporation rate than the arch. Getting the pans is worth it.

Sean

[ADK_XJ]

That's not a bad idea if cash is tight or you want to get into this hobby gradually. I put my money and time into a good set of homemade pans and boiled with them on a block arch for a year until I bought a Mason arch. Then after a few years of that, I upgraded the pans, but put them on the Mason arch. That's where I'm at today. It's hard to lay out thousands of dollars before seeing a drop of syrup for a hobby. Some people can do it. Some can't. For those of us who can't, expanding and improving incrementally is the way to go.

Pans are a bigger factor in evaporation rate than the arch. Getting the pans is worth it..
Sean

Good feedback, thank you. I have made syrup over two seasons now but all hotel pans and an outdoor block arch. Do you pictures of your block setup?

[jbelany]

This is my cinder block setup with a Smoky Lake 2x4 flat pan. Still working on efficiency, but average anywhere between 6-8 gallons per hour. I lined my block with 2 barrels (free) and a barrel stove kit (about $60). Two years and not a single block with a crack. Next year I am removing the two center pieces of angle iron and will line the perimeter with angle instead, then I will put gasket on this. Additionally, I am going to put blanket in the round part of the barrel near the chimney. Both of these areas are high heat loss, a simple $100 investment should make this setup more efficient and add to it's longevity.

Joe

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[Trevor5]

I have a factory 2x4 flat pan with a 1x2 warming pan that I put on a cinder block arch, I don't pay too much attention to boiling rates but I think when I really get it cranking and keep on top of the firing at a regular interval I get around 10-12 gph. I have yet to fully take the thing apart yet for the year, I am pretty close to you if you wanted to check it out. Hope to finish cleaning the pans this weekend and take the rest apart, now that it should be warm on the weekend.

[red dorakeen]

I've been thinking the same thing as ADK. 6 to 8 GPH wouldn't be much of an improvement over what I'm getting from the 3 steam table pans. 10 to12 would seem pretty good.

I'm curious of what the difference is in jbelany's and Trever5's setups is to account for the different boil rates.

[ADK_XJ]

I have a factory 2x4 flat pan with a 1x2 warming pan that I put on a cinder block arch, I don't pay too much attention to boiling rates but I think when I really get it cranking and keep on top of the firing at a regular interval I get around 10-12 gph. I have yet to fully take the thing apart yet for the year, I am pretty close to you if you wanted to check it out. Hope to finish cleaning the pans this weekend and take the rest apart, now that it should be warm on the weekend.

Yeah? I'd appreciate that — might be able to drop out on Sunday AM if that might work for you. I'll drop you a PM.

[NJG]

We have been boiling on a 2x4 flat pan over a block arch for several years now and have had very little problems. I have used cement board and sheet metal to line the "arch", all of which have burnt up in a year or two but kept the block itself in fairly good shape. I have a friend who has used rock wool with success but haven't tried that yet myself.

The biggest problem we have had is the block "arch" itself heaving with the freeze and thaw of less than solid ground. I welded up a 2"x2"x1/4" angle iron frame with threaded rod on the sides to compensate for the changes in the ground. It works good but always have to plug the gaps between the metal frame and the blocks.

[Trevor5]

I've been thinking the same thing as ADK. 6 to 8 GPH wouldn't be much of an improvement over what I'm getting from the 3 steam table pans. 10 to12 would seem pretty good.

I'm curious of what the difference is in jbelany's and Trever5's setups is to account for the different boil rates.

I will preface by saying 10-12 gph is when I am really on top of things. I do have the pre-heater on the back 1'x2' pan, so really I have a 2x5, though the back pan never boils, it will steam and become very close to boiling by the end of the day.

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[red dorakeen]

I will preface by saying 10-12 gph is when I am really on top of things. I do have the pre-heater on the back 1'x2' pan, so really I have a 2x5, though the back pan never boils, it will steam and become very close to boiling by the end of the day.

Attachment 14221Attachment 14222

Thanks for posting the pictures.

It looks mortared. Is it insulated and fire bricked?

I suspect I would need to put more work into my block arch to see as good a boil rate as you get with a new pan.