St. Albans 2011

[Amber Gold]

Why is St. Albans in mid-April and not early May like last year? I thought last year was perfect...pretty much everyone's done sugaring at that point and the weather's nicer. Most of upper VT/NY/ME will still be boiling then. Who's going this year? I'll probably be going on Saturday.

[adk1]

havent been up there in years for the Maple Festival

[PARKER MAPLE]

i will be at all 5 dealers this weekend at some point. staying in williston for other reasons the sat afternoon and sunday morning its all about sugaring stuffffffffff.... cant wait for show and tell, oh yeah maybe buy to.lol

[maplwrks]

The Maple Festival was moved back a week due to Easter being next weekend. I agree, I think that it should have been moved out a week. I also will around Lapierre and Leader on Saturday

[Russell Lampron]

I will be going to Lapierre and CDL on Saturday. I may go to Leader too. It will depend on if I have enough time. D&G was a disapointment last year so I won't go there again.

[steve J]

I will be up there Sat morning probably going to leader and maybe CDL

[tuckermtn]

was at Lapierre, Leader and CDL today...ran in to quite a few traders...stopped in at PMRC on the way back. Didn't buy much- just a little "warehouse shopping". Good crowds at all three stops. I think the dealers are optimistic when folks have a good season as they can see the upgrades coming...

[802maple]

And of course he was just following me around, good thing Eric was smaller then me so that he wasn't a threat in the hot dog line. Did you get to J.R"s?


was at Lapierre, Leader and CDL today...ran in to quite a few traders...stopped in at PMRC on the way back. Didn't buy much- just a little "warehouse shopping". Good crowds at all three stops. I think the dealers are optimistic when folks have a good season as they can see the upgrades coming...

[tuckermtn]

have to admit the cold leftover hot dogs at CDL were a disappointment...Note to other traders- if Jerry is back tomorrow, definitely get in line before him...

got a call back from JR saying he wasn't boiling so I stopped in up at PMRC and tasted some of Dr Tim's vermont fancy...

[802maple]

That sounds like a slam to my petite waistline.

[802maple]

I am definitely going to be there and yes the dogs at CDL were a disgrace to tube steaks all over the country.

[802maple]

Went back up today, but I didn't get to Leader. I fell off the sales wagon today at Lapierre to see if I still had the magic of selling a RO, and I guess I still got it. One customer, one sale and no commission, just like the old days. LOL

Had a good time today, met a few traders, including Russ and Josh and alot of old friends and now I have got to go boil some sap.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Went back up today, but I didn't get to Leader. I fell off the sales wagon today at Lapierre to see if I still had the magic of selling a RO, and I guess I still got it. One customer, one sale and no commission, just like the old days. LOL

Had a good time today, met a few traders, including Russ and Josh and alot of old friends and now I have got to go boil some sap.

either I'm blind or didn't see your Viagra jacket, Had a lot of people look at me like I'm a freak or something hahahaha

[Randy Brutkoski]

I dont know about being a freak but today you were hanging out with Al and Ryan so i know they talked you right into being a Leader guy. I do have to say, Leader has quite the inventory and showroom.

[Russell Lampron]

I went to Lapierre and CDL yesterday and have to agree with the people that went on Friday. Lapierre had the better food. There's something about a hot dog wrapped in foil that is luke warm at best that doesn't appeal to me.

It was nice to talk to Jerry, Mike and Josh and somebody that knew me from a youtube video of my doodlebug at Lapierre. I guess that with the boiling sodas and doodlebug that I am getting pretty famous. I also saw my former son in laws parents at Lapierre and had a good chat with them.

At CDL I had the pleasure of talking with some fellow sugar makers from Loudon. They have twice as many taps as I do but only made 5 gallons more syrup than me. That vacuum makes a huge difference.

As cool and windy as it was it was a good day for doing what I did yesterday. It would have been pretty chilly washing tanks if I had stayed home.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I dont know about being a freak but today you were hanging out with Al and Ryan so i know they talked you right into being a Leader guy. I do have to say, Leader has quite the inventory and showroom.

Rofl, I'm not gonna change rigs (YET) but all the other equipment I will most likely purchase from LAP. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THERE CUSTOMER SERVICE get better before I would purchase a rig. How leader can change flow of pans from one location is really awesome.
The cream/candy machine LAP. had out was cool, looked like it had it all over the pig style one seemed to be a lot easier to run, but then again I have never made cream or candy.
Ryan is half way there he now owns a LAP. 600 RO. It was a baby step for him but still a step towards LAP. hehehehehehehe
If you put a steam away on your rig Randy, turn RO down to 6 or 8 It would be a SUPER BEAST:D
Did you see the flow meter leader had on there running units out side? that little 2 1/2 x 10 or 3 x 10 wood fire was doing almost as much as Al's 4 x 12. Very impressive.

Free food is good, hot dogs at leader were marginal but when you have a guy eating food off the grill and then fixes your hamburger thats a little nasty.

[Amber Gold]

Had a good time...met the infamous Jerry and had a good chat with him. Never did make it to CDL or D&G. Also met many other people. I'm glad to see the Force 5 is coming in smaller versions and it sounds like they're going to have an american model which is more for high evap. rate than efficiency. The 2012 2.5x10 they had there was doing as much gph as the 2011 3x12 they had sitting next to it.

[tuckermtn]

Josh- was anyone at Lapierre able to tell you what the force 5 2.5x10 was going to cost? when I spoke to Tom from Lapierre on Friday he could not give me any numbers...

[PARKER MAPLE]

I did all 5 stops. wh supply people were great and will diffenatly be going there in the future. The most impressive thing I looked at all weekend was the cdl wood pellet fired evaporator. This was very impressive and cost less to fuel over oil. The man firing it showed me a video of when he took the front pan of and turn on the fire, wow 15in dia flame thrower. Awesome. Wish I asked about the price though. Anybody now what it was going for??

[adk1]

I went to the Leader open house yesterday. Listened to Dr. Perkins's lecture on the Check Valve adapter. Was very interesting and informative. The proof is in the pudding so to speak, I will definatly be using them. IT was also nice to see for a newbie all of the fittings, tools etc first hand. Was neat to watch the tubing be made. You could walk anywhere so it was a true open house.
Of course I did spend some coin there! could have spent more but held off. I purchased my small scoop and skimmer, short hydro cup and syrup hydrometer (no sap hydrometers left), another roll of 5" mainline ties, and another 500' roll of 30P Grip..that puts me at 1500' of lateral line and 500' for drops now. should be set there. 10% off on everything yesterday.
looked hard at the tubing tools. Just couldnt pull the trigger on the mainline saddle drill. $120...I am gonna try to use my cordless drill with a stopper to make the holes instead. Talked to a Leader rep regarding the installation of the saddles. that is the way I am going. Walked out back behind the plant and took a hard look at their tubing setup. all saddles. got some good installation tips by doing that.

once Iget everything figured out, I will order all of my fittings.

[Thad Blaisdell]

To drill for saddles, I have used a tapping bit with a piece of tubing on it to stop it from going to deep. But I normally use the tool.

[adk1]

that is what I am going to try, i have a set of stoppers you out on the drill bit already to adjust depth. I will get a good quality brad point tiped woodworker drill to install them. the bit wont wander that way. I wont have a hundred saddles, probably more like 30 or so. I did see where they had a cheap plastic saddle hole punch of sorts. $14..but with it being plastic I can see where I would break it pretty quickly

[Randy Brutkoski]

That "cheap looking hole puncher" is not so cheap. I bought 1 2 years ago for little less to nothing and i am still using it. I have put in 1000 saddles with it. And it isnt heavy or doesnt take up much room in your pouch or pocket. I highly recomend it. Or if you want to spend all of that money on the tool have at it. I have enough money in tubing tools and mainline tools. It is all rediculously priced. But you have to have them.

[adk1]

that little blue hand deal works well??? I believe it was $14...Asked one of the Leader reps about it and said he has no idea how well it works. If I hear some good things about it I would be more interested. the directions on the back say to press against mainline, push down on plunger where a needle punctures the tubing, then press all the way and a small cutter comes out and then you twist to make the hole? Is this the same one you are referring to?

[Brian Ryther]

I use the blue tool and love it. Once the dealers figure out how awsome they are they will be charging $100 for it in the future.

[3% Solution]

Made it up on Friday with NHMapleMaker.
Started at Leader, then Lapierre, then to CDL.
Got home about 615.
Darndest thing I every saw, with all that boiling on them big shiny rigs never once say um draw any syrup!!!!
Glad I'm sugarin' down this way where the sap's a lot sweeter!!
But had a good time anyway.

[Amber Gold]

Eric, I was talking to Chris about it and will be getting a price from him soon. When I was talking with Rajean, he was experimenting with a 2x8, so maybe it'll even go smaller than the 2.5x10. Apparently the producer was using 3 sticks of wood every half hour. I"ll let you know when I get a price.

[Bruce L]

Glad I went on Friday,weather was sure crappy up here on Saturday.Spent quite a bit of time at Leader's,very impressive at the various workstations,my buddy that I drove with was thinking of a steamaway for his 2x6 until Bruce gave him a price,that kind of backed him off.Spent 775.00 after discounts on new cvs,tubing,etc,then we went over to lapierre's,couldn't quite understand the D&G oil fired rig sitting there,only warming up water,looked at the two Force 5's,nothing too impressive on the boils with them.Possible future purchase would be the bottler with the laser that was inside,my son thought that was pretty nifty after overflowing containers several times this spring.We didn't make it to CDL,ran out of time,and D & G was a total waste of time last year.Best part of the whole trip was when we hit the border,asked about purchases,my buddy said his was 59 bucks,asked me about mine and i told him 775.00 bucks,handed us back our passports and said have a nice day!!!!!!!

[allgreenmaple]

that little blue hand deal works well??? I believe it was $14...Asked one of the Leader reps about it and said he has no idea how well it works. If I hear some good things about it I would be more interested. the directions on the back say to press against mainline, push down on plunger where a needle punctures the tubing, then press all the way and a small cutter comes out and then you twist to make the hole? Is this the same one you are referring to? Randy is right. I have that little blue hole cutter, it works super good. It's all I use.

[adk1]

ok gents, I will add that little blue tool to my list. so far no complaints, and for $14, I can swing it! thanks!

[allgreenmaple]

ok gents, I will add that little blue tool to my list. so far no complaints, and for $14, I can swing it! thanks! No reason not too. No need to spend $100.00 if not necessary. If one were putting in saddles in every day, one of the other units for more $ might be easier & quicker.

[220 maple]

Leader and CDL both had new low profile small double releasers on display,CDL had a single releaser for the small producer (500-800 taps) on sale for 995.00. That little jewel is on my short list of things I need. The small double is also rated for 500 to 1000 taps. Show price 1100 dollars.

Mark 220 Maple

[adk1]

My question for Dr. Perkins is.......Were you able to keep the Leader Evaporator shirt! haha

[DrTimPerkins]

Leader and CDL both had new low profile small double releasers on display,CDL had a single releaser for the small producer (500-800 taps) on sale for 995.00. That little jewel is on my short list of things I need. The small double is also rated for 500 to 1000 taps. Show price 1100 dollars.

I haven't seen either the Leader or CDL versions. At least for the larger vertical releasers, the doubles are FAR more reliable than the singles because the mechanism is simpler (relies on the weight of the other float to help assist the dump/release). You may want to consider spending a few bucks more for the double-vertical just for piece of mind. Trying to keep the single-verticals running sometimes can east up valuable time and drive you nuts.

[DrTimPerkins]

My question for Dr. Perkins is.......Were you able to keep the Leader Evaporator shirt! haha

Yes....not that I'll have any occasion to wear it again anytime soon. :)

[220 maple]

Dr. Tim
I had heard of the problems with the single releaser at the open house at Leader on Friday, I was also told that producers had found the fix by adding a small amount weight to the float. I will investigate more before I decide because the releaser will be in a remote location, Peace of Mind is worth alot.

Mark 220 Maple

[220 maple]

Dr. Tim
I had heard of the problems with the single releaser at the open house at Leader on Friday, I was also told that producers had found the fix by adding a small amount weight to the float. I will investigate more before I decide because the releaser will be in a remote location, Peace of Mind is worth alot.

Mark 220 Maple

[maplecrest]

put a cup of rice in the float. i have a valve at the pump station on the vac line to that releaser that i shut when frozen and open when thawing out and have no problems.if i remember to shut vac off if not i have to thaw out releaser in morning.

[DrTimPerkins]

I was also told that producers had found the fix by adding a small amount weight to the float.

Sometimes this works....but sometimes it only delays the failure until there is more ice/gunk buildup on the rod.

[lookin 2 learn]

Tim, I have just read your paper "The dynamics of sap and vacuum flow". With the sap loss in 5/16" lateral tubing should we be running larger lateral lines?