Advantage of homemade barrels arch... more sleep !

[smokeyamber]

Well this year I upgraded the two pan barrel setup to force air and added a nice big drip preheater. Also put it into a shack so rain is no longer an issue. Biggest thing I like about this setup though is that I can fill the pans full and stoke the fire and then go to bed. Come back in morning to almost empty pans ! I know bigger units go faster, but for small timers this feature is hard to beat !

What are peoples thoughts on this setup vs. going to a flat pan setup ? I boil off at least 2 gallons per hour, sometimes as much as 5 with this setup so it's not real fast that way. How would that compare to say a 2x4 pan ?

[HandsomRiver]

I have two 2x3 pans on my concrete blocks and today I am cooking out in the rain. It seems impossible to tell how much I boil off because alot of it is done in my sleep........I DON"T think there is a better taste !

[Kev]

Well this year I upgraded the two pan barrel setup to force air and added a nice big drip preheater. Also put it into a shack so rain is no longer an issue. Biggest thing I like about this setup though is that I can fill the pans full and stoke the fire and then go to bed. Come back in morning to almost empty pans ! I know bigger units go faster, but for small timers this feature is hard to beat !

What are peoples thoughts on this setup vs. going to a flat pan setup ? I boil off at least 2 gallons per hour, sometimes as much as 5 with this setup so it's not real fast that way. How would that compare to say a 2x4 pan ?

well....ours is oil fired. but with the preheater and running the pans at about an inch we are getting over 20 per hour of steam

[smokeyamber]

Wow Kev, that is a really nice rate, so is your 2x4 a flat pan or is it a drop flue ? Just curious, I would love to boil a bit faster, my only constraint now is the sugarshack size, a 2x4 will fit though. What model evap are you running ? At your rate I could be done REAL quick and still go to bed