New 2x6 arch for "new" pans

[maple flats]

The top fire brick can be tapered down to 1/2" thick, even down to zero in the upper 2" or so with your 1/4" plate sides. That will give you a better boil.

[Robert K]

Nice work, I agree with Dave, try to reduce the amount of pan covered by the rail, you can weld stops on outside if worried about movement. If I might add , please put some sort of a valve or way of controlling flow of air. A pressure blower is like hitting the nitrous on a big block , you better either control it or hold on.

[darkmachine]

I am still up in the air about the type blower to use. I have read that some use the blower for a "bouncy house". I can hook that up with a big gate valve or maybe a large brass ball valve. has anyone used a blower from a houshold air handler or something simliar?

[mol1jb]

If you are just doing air under the grates it doesn't need to be a high pressure blower like a bouncy house blower. Any squirrel cage blower would work. If you did go with the bouncy house blower, definitely have a way to adjust the air flow like a pvc ball valve.

[darkmachine]

It may seem odd but the biggest concern for me is noise, the operation has always been pretty peaceful with lots of conversation. I considered pluming the air in and putting the blower out of the shack. I think I've seen that done before.

[tcross]

i don't have a blower on my current 2.5x8, but on my old arch, i had my fan outside and ran 3" duct pipe into the arch from outside. worked well! just minimize the amount of elbows you use!

[maple flats]

My high pressure blower is outside, under my head tank platform and it is still plenty loud in the sugarhouse. I plan to make a sound deadening cover for it, with the side away from the sugarhouse open, sending most of the noise away from the sugarhouse.
HP air is only used if you are setting up air over fire (AOF), which really increases the boil and the efficiency.

[darkmachine]

short of a high pressure blower, i am looking at this model, squirl cage, suposed to be quiet, would likely fit just find behind the firbox under the flue pan.

https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-1TDT6-...D3WRGD9XETC1EM

[maple flats]

For simple air under fire (AUF) a squirrel cage fan is the way to go. For that, check what size is suggested by looking in a few equipment catalogs. Then buy one the right size or slightly bigger. You want a way to throttle the air flow, the easiest way is to either have an inlet damper (a piece of flat sheet metal mounted with just 1 screw) that you can move to adjust the air, or a damper in between the fan and where it goes in under the fire. Either method requires the damper to be mounted so it does not move in use unless you move it. The fan will have 2 small tubes leading to the bearings, add 1 drop of light oil each season for long life.

[darkmachine]

finally able to get back in the shop and do some work on the arch.
Left to do:

fabricate door latch
weld in metal on flue section of arch
cut/install fire grate
install blower
paint
BOIL!!!!!!