I was also considering welding more steel on the frame, outside of the pan to try and strengthen it. In the red box area in the attached picture.
A803D30D-7E40-43A1-BDEE-17AA8C21638C.jpg
https://share.icloud.com/photos/073Z...L63qbzpn0gRWbw
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.