So I called my local brick company and they have full thickness and 1/2 thick (splits) fire brick. I am building an oil tank evaporator with a thermal blanket and plan on just using brick in the fire box. What is best full thickness or splits?
So I called my local brick company and they have full thickness and 1/2 thick (splits) fire brick. I am building an oil tank evaporator with a thermal blanket and plan on just using brick in the fire box. What is best full thickness or splits?
Semper Fi,
BWC
2016 (1st year) 16 taps; 2 gallons of Amber syrup.
2017; oil tank evaporator 38 taps. 3.75 gallons of liquid gold
2018: 46 taps, 6.75 gallons of syrup. Best season
Full thickness. Especially with blanket behind them. One good bang with a piece of wood and the splits will crack. Taper the last row at the top so the flames get to the bottom of the pans
600 taps on vacuum
Lapierre mechanical Releaser
CDL electric releaser
2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
Home made modulating auto draw off
Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
CDL 16 x 16 bottler
Wesfab 7" filter press
Delaval 73 vacuum pumps
12 hives of bees
Appreciate the help
Semper Fi,
BWC
2016 (1st year) 16 taps; 2 gallons of Amber syrup.
2017; oil tank evaporator 38 taps. 3.75 gallons of liquid gold
2018: 46 taps, 6.75 gallons of syrup. Best season
I'm going to disagree with Bricklayer. There's not much room in the tank for full size bricks. I know, I built one. The fire box will end up smaller than you want it.
first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.
2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.
2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.
http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple
I bricked and insulated my new 2x6 this summer. Based on suggestions, I used up my leftover 2 inch blanket in the flue area, and then put splits+board in the firebox. Everything I've read says that your wood should be split "wrist-sized". You'd need to throw the wood pretty darn hard at that diameter to break those splits, no?
I also have a split brick/blanket combo...
CDL 2x8
Around 4000 taps
Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
Atlas Copco pumps
Lapierre two post RO
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/
I used splits on the sides when I built my evaporator with blanket behind the splits. I doubt that you will break the splits on the sides. I did put full thickness bricks on the bottom with air holes drilled into the brick and nothing has broken so far.
Chad
2014: 12 taps, 5 gal buckets
2015: 15 taps on bags
2016: 150 taps: 100 on bags, 50 on 3/16" natural vac, 2x8 AUF/AOF Homebuilt Arch, 2x8 SL Drop Flu & Auto Draw, SL Propane Canner/Bottler
2017: 225 taps: Built Lean to, Added SL hood, preheater, concentric exhaust, SL SS 7" SB Filter Press
2018: 180 taps: Added Shurflo to 50 - 3/16", Auto fill sensor to head tank
2019: No tapping
2020: 175 taps
2021: 300 taps, homemade RO and releaser
2022: 600+ taps
I used half bricks with archboard. Worked great last season.
I didn't like the idea that full brick takes more energy to heat up before full performance and also takes much longer to cool down. So if you get in a bind and need to shut down that's more heat stored.
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2015 - 18 taps 1 Gallons, Turkey pan
2016 - 85 taps 5 Gallons, 2x4 Smokey lake maple continuous flow flat pan
2017 - 130 Taps, 18 gallons, 2x4 Smokey Lake Maple continuous flow, 8'x12' sugarhouse.
2018 - (planning) 250 taps, 4x40 200GPH RO, 2x4 Smokey Lake Maple continuous flow.
I wouldn't waste the money on fire brick for an oil tank or barrel arch. Look for used bricks that are the all the same size. They will work just fine.
So here is one that has me scratching my head. Price at the brick supply yard was $1.95 for both thickness. No reduction for splits.
I appreciate everyone's input. I have both so I can start with thick and taper down. Also plan to use thick where wood will be tossed in.
Semper Fi,
BWC
2016 (1st year) 16 taps; 2 gallons of Amber syrup.
2017; oil tank evaporator 38 taps. 3.75 gallons of liquid gold
2018: 46 taps, 6.75 gallons of syrup. Best season