Building my Drum Evaporator

[Dennis H.]

Hey Chris I sent you a private message with more info on posting pics.

[royalmaple]

Chris-

Kinda OT, but I was wondering if you saw any decrease in sap when you switched from buckets to the tubing and totes systems? Of course it depends on the year but it would be interesting to see how the same trees did for you with two different set ups.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dennis,

Nice looking setup. You may be already planning on it, but make sure you build a wall in the center or something to that effect to push the heat up into the pan.

[Dennis H.]

I am making a wall one fire brick tall, 9", at the rear of the grates.

I am working on that right now. I am also putting in a piece of 3" round duct that comes into the drum in the rear below the flue and goes under the area where the grate will be. I also bought a cheap electric leaf blower and I already have a speed control for my router to adjust the speed. So once the fire gets going I will be able to really get the fire going.

I wasn't able to get any pics of the work I did today, I will try and get a few when I work on it next.

[Sugarmaker]

Matt,
I used 250 taps on tubing and the other 175 on buckets in 07 and I really did not see any difference in sap production. My goal is to pick the best trees possible and skip the poor producers, and we got one of the best runs ever one day last year.
So my plan is to go to almost all tubing to reduce labor in 2008. I want the 5/16 lines as tight as possible and with as much slope as I can get. 12-16 taps on a line seem to work well. I have several more cords of wood on hand an picked up another 50 good taps. I just need the new extra steam removal system on the flue pan.

I did build a simple snap on line lever for hanging on the tubing to see if the slope is OK. I will try to get some pictures.

Regards,
Chris

[royalmaple]

The tubing, although you have to take it down each year, has got to be better as far as gathering labor goes. Glad to hear you didn't lose any production with going to the tubing.

I was thinking about running some in place of some buckets I normally hang and taking it down since it is in people's front yards. It is either that or don't tap them and look for more woods trees since I just don't have the time to gather that many buckets.

[Dennis H.]

I got the grate made today, cutting 1/4 in steel is slow going!!

I also have the frame that will form the arch in place it is just not complete, as the vise-grips show.

I also got a few pics of the 3" duct that will blow air in from behind the evap. I will have an electric leaf blower with a length of flex duct attached to it.

You also can see in a few of the pics the 1/8" steel plate that I put in the bottom to help protect the drum from burning through and also make scooping out the ashes a little easier. The plate is just below the ash door opening.

You also can see the pic looking into the firebow the fram that will support the fire brick. The back wall will be cover by fire brick also.

[royalmaple]

Looks good, I am surprised you are even using the drum. Seems to me like you have very good welding and fabrication skills, you could have just framed up the fire box etc and tacked on some sheet metal for sides and you'd be right there.

[Dennis H.]

Yeah I know I had that thought once also, but for some reason it seems to me that when you start out you start out small and a drum evap. Any thing smaller would be 4 cinder blocks and and a bunch of fire wood.

If I decide to go larger down the road it gives me an excuse to fab a new evap, larger of course.

Anyway, I love arcing and sparking and having something to show in the end.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I am curious to see how the grates will hold up for the evaporator?? Any opinions how long they will last with cool air blowing on the underside all the time??