Beginner - Setup semi-long term in garage with NG, Propane, Wood questions.

[holey_bucket]

Natural Gas will get expensive in a hurry. Unless you have your own NG well in the back yard:rolleyes:

Maybe I have no concept of how much fuel I would need to use... but I was planning on processing sap from less than 50 taps over the next few years. I'd like to say I'd never go over 100 taps, but... I can't say that for sure. Is a hip roof barn/garage a bad idea to settle into? should I just keep using turkey fryers or batch pans until I can setup in a different building for a long term solution? My original plan was to build something about 2x6 size in my garage. Would that be an obscene amount of Natural Gas to heat that? I suppose I'm not really totally opposed to using wood, just figured since I had NG right there...

[Ausable]

Hi Holey Bucket - You are getting good advice about using wood. I believe You said you heat your home with wood -- that being the case - you probably have the tools you need already -- chain saw etc.. Using Natural Gas or Propane is great to finish your syrup on - but - I'm sure if You used Turkey Fryers in the past - you are well aware how much propane you used and Naturel Gas will be the same and just as expensive. When You start boiling sap on a larger surface - You will be making a larger amount of steam and that will become a bigger problem in your garage then using wood as your heat source. However - The nice thing about making Maple Syrup for your family and friends is that You can do it any way you want..... best of luck this coming season........ Mike

[shane hickey]

hey mark, I think for a small operation I would burn wood but that's my opion, for only a 100 taps you won't need a very big spot to place the arch but more room is better then not enough. My name is shane I started with 175 taps I collected it and took it ti my neigbor he had a 3x12 evaporator he would take half. After I relized how much money I was losing and also doing all the work I decided to try my own. My fist year I had 3000 buckets and a 5x16 arch. the second year I had 5000 taps, and the third I had 7000 taps, this will be my fourth year and have 10000 taps maybe more hard to count them all. I have 2 evaporators and I bought an ro for the 2011 season. I make 3500 to 4000 gallons of syrup a year and have done very well with it. I dont do it for a hobby. The economy was slow so I chose this business. I'm 27 years old and help my dad farm (4500 acres) and make syrup in the spring. 90% of my product goes to chicago and sold whole sale. I found this site last year when I googled maple syrup and I thought I could learn a thing or 2. People here like (thad) have been real helpful. shane

[holey_bucket]

well, I have been thinking on this, and am now seriously considering a wood fired arch. It would definitely help keep it on the cheap.

I may choose a different room/building for my setup though...
How well can a coupula be designed to get steam to exit a building? What circumstances would make steam exhaust better? what about exhaust fans? I have a decent addition to my hip roof garage that is pole barn style, with a drop ceiling, drywall walls, concrete floors, and a bathroom. If I could get the steam to exit completely and rapidly, I could get creative and put it in there. BUT, there's no floor drain. Maybe having it in a drywalled room would be a bad idea? It would be nice, plenty of room for other equipment, and could mount small tanks in the attic or in the ajoined garage upstairs... Otherwise, I could use half of my pole barn...

Thoughts?

[whalems]

If you put a hood over your pans then you could exhaust the steam thru the roof. with out having to build a cupola. Just a vent pipe and a roof jack. Good luck. Mike

[morningstarfarm]

No cupola here..I use 2 roof vent fans..my shugar area is in larger barn and it is not practical to use a cupola. This year I built a hood to collect it better

[Sugarmaker]

holey_bucket,
Maple and cheap can not be used in the same sentence!
You have already set your self up to go over 100 taps. Might as well start on that new 20 x 30 sugar house now:)
Chris