Here would be my suggestion. Much smaller fire area, more forcing of the heat up to the pans, and no steel plate.
block_arch.jpg
Cheers,
GO
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
I'm just curious, have you looked at all the other threads here on building a block arch? There's a ton of good info that covers a lot of these issues. Here's a start: http://mapletrader.com/community/sea...archid=7998589
Cheers,
Gabe
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
I have read a ton of threads. Unfortunately your link did not work. To be honest sometimes it is confusing as there seems to be many ways to skin the cinder block evaporator cat. I have made many changes since I first posted this.
I have poured my concrete pad to protect the roots and will cover that with several inches of sand. I am going to wait to talk to some experts at CDL when they reopen in August. I pretty well have my final design in my head, but just want to talk to them to do it the best I can. I know adding firebricks would make it better and last longer, but that adds hundreds of dollars more for the brick and proper mortar.
Sorry the link didn't work, but it sounds like you've already poked around a bit. I think this arch is not too dissimilar to what you have in mind, and he's been boiling on it for 20 years, so it can't be all bad LOL
http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...-a-block-arch.
If it were me, I'd do something like that ^^^
GO
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gals
All on buckets
The metal plate and stove pipe in your link is almost exactly like I will be doing. Interesting about the solid blocks. I just got my remaining cinder blocks this morning and will go with them this year. I just went out and took some pics using the flash. I still have to cut the front plate to fit as a door.
Today besides getting the cinder blocks, I built a frame to hold 3.5” of sand over top of my concrete pad and will have sand outside the frame as well. Once that is in place, I will start placing the cinder blocks in place on the sand, over the pan. I still have to cut my grate to fit. I also cut a metal sheet in half and will have it on the sides. I still think it will help protect the cinder blocks, but if it fails, I will simply remove them, at the first sign of failure. I will also add concrete to fill in the gaps at the ramp, so it is solid and helps with the airflow under the rear pans.
I am going to up my tree count for tapping from 16 to 20. That should get me into enough trouble for my first go at the maple syrup making addiction.
6116DC85-B818-4919-8736-1CD461EBDC2E.jpg
160E4467-461D-4464-AF1E-DC4D8CE67E57.jpg
1D0D2CAC-21EB-48B9-A37A-C94758920E61.jpg
I would recommend making a test boil with water to iron out any kinks once you have it built. It will give you the time to make modifications as necessary.
2021 - Year one. 15 taps using 5/16" and drop tube into buckets. Homemade barrel evaporator with 2 steam trays. 4.7L syrup.
2022. 32 taps. Added AUF.
2023. 51 taps. Ditched the steam pans for an 18x22 flat pan.
2024. 56 taps. Built a proper evaporator to fit the 18x22 flat pan and 1 steam pan.
You may want to add a little obstruction just before the stack to divert the heat to the outside so it does not short-circuit up the middle.
Smoky Lake 2x6 dropflu pans and hoods on homemade arch
Smoky Lake 6 gallon water jacked bottler
Concentric Exhaust
250 Deer Run RO
325 taps