A Different Kind of Boiler

 
leward
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Post by leward » Wed. Feb. 22, 2023 6:59 pm

While not related to heating a structure, thought you folks might get a chuckle out of this.
It is probably the MOST politically incorrect maple syrup evaporator ever, and may be the only anthracite fired one anywhere. I got tired of dealing with wood after a couple years of firing my operation. and no way could afford an oil burner to make syrup. This started life as a large woodburner, and I procured a couple Keystoker K6 burners to incorporate in the firebox. Fabricated and welded up the back frame, Installed firebricks in the whole frame and built the pans. Mostly all out of stainless sheetmetal scraps from local shop. Front pan is a conventional flat pan, and the back pan is a fire tube pan, ala a fire tube boiler. I fabricated this whole contraption, and only had a mig welder to weld the stainless. I am not the best welder, and mig welding stainless doesn't give the prettiest welding, but it doesn't leak, and is pretty economical to operate. I don't sell syrup - We give it away to friends and family so whatever I did had to be cheap to run. The burners probably would run better on buckwheat, but I burn rice in my EFM, so thats what I use. I have used when we decide to make syrup, off and on for 10 years. Man a scrap pile and a welder are a dangerous mixture.

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waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Wed. Feb. 22, 2023 8:08 pm

Now that is something! Nice job.

 
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SMITTY
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Post by SMITTY » Thu. Feb. 23, 2023 5:32 am

Now that's friggin SWEEEEET! ;) Nice work! :yes:

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Thu. Feb. 23, 2023 6:48 am

It looks like there is very little room for ash to accumulate once it drops off the stoker. How do you manage that?

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Thu. Feb. 23, 2023 7:31 am

So cool. Necessity is the mother of invention. I love it!

 
leward
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Post by leward » Thu. Feb. 23, 2023 7:40 am

As far as ashes, I open the door every couple hours and remove them with a little shovel. If I let them go too long, they will ocasionally "bridge " from one burner to the other. Considering you need to add wood to a conventional evaporator every ten minutes or so I am opening the doors about 75% less.

 
leward
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Location: Clearfield County, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM520
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Post by leward » Thu. Feb. 23, 2023 7:44 am

The back - (chimney end) originally had a 8" flue opening. It seemed I wasn't getting an even heat across the pans, so I cut additional openings and installed 3 - 6" Flues. A K6 willl run ok on a 7", so 3 6's are close to two 7's. Sometimes I overengineer and think too much.. When in doubt build it stout


 
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Retro_Origin
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Post by Retro_Origin » Fri. Feb. 24, 2023 1:11 pm

This would be neat to see in person! Thanks for sharing! I'd buy my syrup from you if I could! I swig that stuff right out of the jug! No pancakes needed!

 
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swyman
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Post by swyman » Sat. Feb. 25, 2023 6:50 am

Retro_Origin wrote:
Fri. Feb. 24, 2023 1:11 pm
This would be neat to see in person! Thanks for sharing! I'd buy my syrup from you if I could! I swig that stuff right out of the jug! No pancakes needed!
I did the same thing when a local high school kid was making it. Was to good to waste on pancakes so I would just pour it on a spoon and enjoy..... well it taste really good in an old fashion also!

 
waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Sat. Feb. 25, 2023 7:00 am

swyman wrote:
Sat. Feb. 25, 2023 6:50 am
I did the same thing when a local high school kid was making it. Was to good to waste on pancakes so I would just pour it on a spoon and enjoy..... well it taste really good in an old fashion also!
My mom has a friend that drops off a jug of homemade syrup occasionally. She thinks it's too thin. She's ended up with maple.sugar more than once. :D

 
Toddburn
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Post by Toddburn » Sat. Feb. 25, 2023 7:03 am

Kick a!& boiler!!!

 
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Retro_Origin
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Post by Retro_Origin » Sat. Feb. 25, 2023 7:37 am

Went to my grandparents to visit. My grandmother is pretty thrifty and always finds stuff on sale. I saw a full jug of maple syrup in her fridge and poured myself a fat spoonful. After fully parking that sucker in my pie hole I realized my dear grandma had simply refilled that jug with regular cheap junk syrup! Yuck! Can't easily spit that stuff out either!

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Sat. Feb. 25, 2023 7:54 am

Rob R. wrote:
Thu. Feb. 23, 2023 6:48 am
It looks like there is very little room for ash to accumulate once it drops off the stoker. How do you manage that?
That makes two of us wondering the same thing. And I see your reply. Should have read further.....

 
Jkohanski
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Post by Jkohanski » Mon. Feb. 27, 2023 9:14 pm

Now that is a very neat build.

 
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davidmcbeth3
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Post by davidmcbeth3 » Tue. Feb. 28, 2023 2:32 am

That makes no sense. Gotta use maple wood as fuel source for maple syrup.

And those vats are too clean. Gotta have 50 years of crud on them to make true maple syrup.

I don't even want to look at the price of a gallon of genuine maple syrup.


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