Another oil tank evaporator

[Danielb]

I started my own oil tank evaporator last week.

I picked up some plastic spiles with buckets and lids last year, about halfway through the season, and decided for ****s and giggles I would put a few taps in, which progressed to 11 taps in the yard. I hadn't planned any for making any syrup until that point, so I had to throw together what I could to make do.
After boiling on an old cast iron wood stove with 2 canning pots, I decided I wasn't going to wait until the last minute and fall short again.
I don't know if it is just the fact that Canadian oil tanks are narrower than our neighbours to the south, or if I just couldn't find the right tank, but after looking at about 30 different old tanks, I chose one that the father-in-law had, which was .100 wall, rather than the others I had seen, which were about .080 wall.
Fairly standard build for the most-part, cut the top back 4', welded in 2x2x1/8 angle around the sides. The only thing i had to really do that was special was section the tank in half, and weld in a 4" strip, to take it from 23" wide to 27" wide, so allow for a full 24" pan, and room for insulation and brick, or cement board.
I cut out a door opening that once finished is 13 1/2" x 13 1/2", so as to give me lots of room to load the fire.
Cut out the back section of the bottom, to lighten it up, and skinned a small ramp.
I cut the top for the flue pipe it, welded in 1/8" plate, cut a 7" hole, and made a ring out of .100 steel. My father-in-law has some 7" stainless pipe that I will.be using, and I have a 7" insulated roof section to go with that.

I have to pick up a little more steel, hopefully I will have that tomorrow or Friday, so next week I can finish up. I have to skin the back portion of the bottom, build an ash door opening and door, and the main door. After that, I will use stone wool insulation, either 1 1/4" or 1 1/2", whichever is easier to get for now, and then line the fire box with cement board, as a temporary covering, until next year, hopefully.
After that, I need to line up some stainless and start my pan(s).