Need Recomendations PLEASE

[adk1]

Ok, you all know my situation. Here is my delimma..

I have on my property flagged 100 maple trees (90% are sugars). I would esimate that the average dia at dBF is 12". These are what I would consider "woods trees". All would be tapped on gravity tubing.

I have decided to purchase a WF Mason 2x4 flat pan and arch. However, I was just offered to purchase a Leader 2x6 with drop flues. These are King pans. The evap is in good shape as I have seen in several times.

So, my delimma is will I get enough sap out of my 100 trees to justify a 2x6 flue evap or would I be better off going with the 2x4 non flue system?

Please make your recomendations on the premisis that I would not seek additional trees to tap from other sources.

I dont mind putting in the hours to boil, but dont particularly want to spend 14 hours in the sugarhouse on a routine basis. Weekends, fine, through the week not really.

Need all you experienced producers help on this!

[3rdgen.maple]

I hear your delima loud and clear. If you have no expansion in mind the 2x6 you would be holding sap for days to get in a decent boil, by that i mean 6 plus hours of boiling. The 2x4 flat pan setup the gph are going to beat you up and your going to be pretty sick of boiling before the season ends. You got a year before you really need the evaporator. Do not jump the gun. I really think a 2x4 with a 2 foot flue pan is perfect for 100 taps. That is what I would be searching for. Its is not to big that you fire it up and 2 hours later you are out of sap and its not so small that 20 hours later you have had enough.

[SPILEDRIVER]

if it were me id buy the 2x6....i boiled for several years on a 2x6 grimm raised flue while only running 150 taps.was able to boil most days when the sap was running...most we ever waited was 2 days on slow runs....ive been boiling for the last several years on a flat pan evap and it flat drove me nuts!!!! got a phone call out of the blue last week and bought a 2x5 drop flue and boiled on it first time this weekend.....man im in heaven compared to that flat pan!

[BryanEx]

Just to muddy the waters a little... what about splitting the difference by going with a 2 x 4 with blower?

[barkeatr]

if one hundred taps is the limit...seems as though the 2x4 with blower is a good idea...especially if these are woods trees with smaller crowns. I have a 2 x 6 today and the 70 gallons i collected on 130 taps took me three hours or less to boil. Maybe a 2x4 with a blower and a cool preheater coil around the chimney. Good luck! Maple guys have some 18 x 5 foot boilers, or something like that...

[500592]

Just to muddy the waters a little... what about splitting the difference by going with a 2 x 4 with blower?

I agree with bryan I would go with the small one with blower but I wouldn't rush into it you got plenty of time

[maple flats]

I would get the 2x6. Unless you are unlike the vast majority of us on here, you will soon be tapping more and the 2x6 will be handy. If you grow beyond the ability of the 2x6 you can add efficiency enhancements, like a pre heater, air over fire, and lastly a RO. Most of us started small and we then add more taps every year, it is an uncurable addiction.

[adk1]

I was going to buy the blower with the 2x4 anyways. I am waiting to hear waht the 2x6 will be sold for. IF it is close to the same amount as the 2x4 flat pan setup that I was going to buy, I am pulling the trigger on the 2x6. Bonus's are float box and flue pan of course.

After I posted my thread, I walked my sugarbush again. I must say that even though I counted and flagged 100 maples that are tapable size right now, I bet I have another 50-80 that are flagged and are in the 4-6" dia range. I plan on doing a release cut starting next weekend. Once those trees get to 7" I will tap them too. so I guess I do have room for expansion right in my current sugarbush and need to take that into account.

[BryanEx]

Once those trees get to 7" I will tap them too.
7" is way on the light side unless they are cull / firewood trees. Plan on 10" for a single tap and I go for 12" to make sure I'm not wasting my time on tapping a non-producer.

[GramaCindy]

I thought the same Bryan.

[adk1]

yeha I know that 7" is alittle small. The standard now is 8" by the NAMP manual anyways.

[johnallin]

I agree with Dave; I went from a ½ Pint to a Leader 2x6 with raised flues. The beauty of it is that you can boil at 30 gph - the ½ Pint was about 5.

More than a few times this year I only had 120 gallons collected, but that can all be boiled off in about 3½ hours. Start up at 6:00 and quit firing about 9 leaving about 20-25 gallons in the storage while the rig cools off. On days where I have a 200+ gallons it's still better than pulling an all nighter.

I also have right around 100 trees tapped with 135 taps total, but could easily increase that by double if collecting wasn't such a pain. (tube coming?)

My vote is 2x6, but take your time; you've got a year and lots of stuff will be popping up later in the year.

[Dill]

Go 2x6 resale on them is always better. Buy now, tap this week, and you can boil by friday.

[JuniperHillSugar]

I run the Mason 2x4 and I'm getting about 10 gph with a slightly modified preheater setup, no blower. It is certainly no 2x6, but it works great. It's super easy to run, my 11 year old son has run it for times when I'm out collecting sap. By all means I like bargains, and used equipment, in good shape can fit the bill. Take some time to see what becomes available after the current season is over. If I were to upgrade, I'd probably look into the dropped tube setup that Mason makes, I've heard they really work good. I believe a 2x4.5 gets about 20 gph. Really you have to ask yourself what your longterm goals are.

[adk1]

thanks for the recomendations.

[sbingham]

adk1 - I purchased the 2x6 Mason with blower, fired for the first time last weekend, averaged just over 18 gallons per hour evaporation rate. Cooking out in the open, no shack ...yet. My last unit was a 2x4 - flat pan, no blower and the best I could get was 8 gph. I am very happy with the new rig - can cook 55 gallons of sap in 3 hours, hopefully no more 15-16 hour days.

[Monster Maples]

Here is my opinion, which rarely amounts to much. You say 100 taps ready to go now, 40 in your neighbors yard and hill behind the house, another 50 to 80 not quite ready, but will be in a 3 to 5 year range. That is 190 to 220 trees to tap. Your best bet is to be looking at the 2x6 you mentioned. Or find a 2x6. You will be so burnt out of boiling after the first good run with a 2x4 if you don't. You are a "planner" so plan it out this way. A 2x6 will give you the option to boil with 100 taps to 300 taps comfortably. Say you want to tap another 500 or so 3 years from now. A small RO will give you that option. In my opinion a 2x6 to 2x8, 2.5x8 gives a small producer some great flexibility on manageable tap counts with the addition to a small RO. You won't regret the decision, and they will be popping up for sale between now and next year with the great season a lot of producers are having I think. Just some food for thought for you.:)

[Monster Maples]

With that said, put the book down. 3 times is enough for now, get the tubing ordered, get the cars outta the garage, and get that excited wife out in the bush and get the work done. Less trader and posting and more work. Plans are made, more action!!!!!:lol:

[PerryW]

don't mess around with a flat pan unless you are running 50 taps or less.

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

before you get a nice evaporator think about a homemade pan. I get 40 gph with a 3 by 5 steel flat pan and blower burning coal. in a few years i plan on welding a stainless steel pan 3 by 3 syrup pan and a 3 by 7 flue pan. Homemade is much cheaper. Only difference is that it may not be considered industry standard. but if you do not have the time or resuources to make your own pan i would go with a 2 by 6 and if you add more taps then you can add a preheater or ro

[WI Sugarpop]

I put in 60 taps and boiled with a 2x4 for 3 years and last year we found a different bush and tapped 150 and boiled with the 2x4. This year we added a 16" syrup pan and that sill is not enough. I boil 12 hours a day and still get behind and can't hardly get in the house to get lunch. Next year we plan on having a 2x6 with drop flue. We do have the potential to tap another 50 to 75 trees. I was content to tap 60 and that's it, but you all know what the maple bug does to you.:lol: And we keep getting more family and friends that want the syrup.:)