Shop project...

[Pullstart 62,838]

I added some support to keep the barrel from warping with so much heat inside, and put a piece from the top into the bottom for a fire box.  

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

More progress on the maple syrup machine.  My father in law helped me get the baffles tacked in place.  The idea is that we can dump fresh sap in to the top, and slowly release it into the bottom baffled tray.  The slow release pushes concentrated syrup to the end, where another valve will be.  I have just a couple days until maple season is here!

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

Door’s finished.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

Welding baffles is fun.  I was welding it standing on edge but it is starting to warp the pan.  Heavy pieces of steel bar hold it flat though, so I guess I’ll see how well it welds while flat.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

I grabbed 23 food grade buckets from town, along with the valves I need to run the machine.  I am pretty danged excited to run this new operation, my last two evaporators have been quite inefficient as far as process and design is concerned.  This will be the cat’s meow of all maple machines I’ve been a part of!

[ebinmaine 67,435]

You just keep up keeping us posted.

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

You just keep up keeping us posted.

 

 

Well, here’s an update.  I’m not positive if it’s an excitement or a disappointment, but I only have 106” of tig welding left!  There is approximately 191.25” of baffle seams inside the pan.  

 

I also came up with this logo for the door.  If you have to ask what it means, well that just tells me that you’ve never been in such a hot place for extended periods of time that you.... need to get creative to keep all your things comfortable.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

Oh so close!  I’m on the last baffle 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

Welding is finished for the night.  I’ll leak test tomorrow then finish mounting the top pan!

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,435]

Kev

 

 

I LOVE that name...

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

A buddy and I came up with it a few years back... in the heat of the moment.  

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

16 minutes ago, pullstart said:

... in the heat of the moment.  

[Sarge 3,463]

If you haven't tried it before - try using long, heavy blocks of aluminum to dissipate the heat. It does several things - provides a dam to hold the argon gas pocket better, removes the heat much faster and helps to control warpage on larger parts. I hunt for heavy extruded aluminum scrap in the local yards and buy it for pennies on the dollar - most yards will sell aluminum, brass and copper back out for a little more than scrap price. That is where I buy material for the lathe to make custom bushings/bearings for worn parts in my shop.

 

Sarge

[Pullstart 62,838]

What is this sunlight I see?

 

I’m working on important parts of the build, while I wait for my Amazon load of taps to arrive...

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

[Pullstart 62,838]

Vents for the fire are done

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

Season is open!  We made it!

[Pullstart 62,838]

The welds are passivated and we are leak testing!  All is looking well..

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,535]

Very cool project and loads of fun to do syrup!!!

 

When my kids were little we tapped our one maple for several years and did a simple stove top process so they could see how it worked, what was involved, and how much work and time goes into making real Maple syrup!!! We got a couple ounces each year. But fun and worth the experience...My one tap is on a hook in the garage to remind me of those days!!!

 

Nice fabricating job!!!

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Looks interesting Kevin,

 

i'm hope, it will work as expected.

Do you plasma the Name plate in the door allready? 

 

Cool Project at all

 

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

3 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Very cool project and loads of fun to do syrup!!!

 

When my kids were little we tapped our one maple for several years and did a simple stove top process so they could see how it worked, what was involved, and how much work and time goes into making real Maple syrup!!! We got a couple ounces each year. But fun and worth the experience...My one tap is on a hook in the garage to remind me of those days!!!

 

Nice fabricating job!!!

 

It’s the small things that mean so much, huh?  My kids wanted so bad to help me tap trees yesterday!  Mainly that consists of running around playing while I drill.

 

 

[Pullstart 62,838]

42 minutes ago, Tractorhead said:

Looks interesting Kevin,

 

i'm hope, it will work as expected.

Do you plasma the Name plate in the door allready? 

 

Cool Project at all

 

 

 

 

While leak testing, one 5 gallon dump from the small tank to the big pan, everything flowed as hoped for.  I hope the structure doesn’t warp under heat, otherwise we should be good to go 

 

The nameplate is etched with a high speed grinder.  I was going to plasma cut it, but my hand isn’t that steady.  The big cuts were all plasma though.

[Pullstart 62,838]

It held 5 gallons in the top pan and 15 in the bottom overnight... we’re good to finish this thing!  I need to attach the top pan, install the smoke stack and add a few little things for added creature comforts.

[Tractorhead 9,064]

If you have warping on the Pan while heating,

i would implement on the bottom 3rows of Angle irons , (on the Fire side) 

In 90 deg. To your meander

to improve the structure and stiffened it. 

 

So in that case a warp cannot be that extreme, because the upper structure and the lower structure shall given stiffness enough.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Tractorhead

[Pullstart 62,838]

I was thinking some more lateral ribs, but there is guitar a bit of sidewall and gusset work in the lips of the pan too.  I’m probably over thinking at this point