May Journal

[tuckermtn]

Got a chance to meet up with Bill Mason yesterday on his way over to Vermont. He made up a new canner for me last week. This one is going to be called "The Kahuna". Should hold 30 or so gallons. Between the Kahuna and the other canner Bill made for me in January we should be able to handle hot packing and "unpacking" of 40 gal barrels.
Was surprised how many times this past season we had both canners full and hot syrup stored in buckets.

Hopefully finishing flushing lines today and get some of next seasons wood under cover. Lots to do...

-Eric

[red maples]

Its funny how the activity drops off on the trader as the sugaring season comes to a close.

Got Lines all flushed out and closed up. Just need to finish some cleaning and get things almost finished up today. If I have time powerwashing the bottoms of the pans today too. but we'll see.

Next week... a day with me and the chainsaw!!!:)

[Yellzee]

Finally got most of the battons put on the sugarshack today... starting to look like a real building... someday I'll figure out how to post some pictures on here.

if someone wants to give a loan I've got big plans to run the mainline right to the shack, add in some vacuum and upgrade to a bigger evaporator. \oh, and add a couple hundred more taps.

But then Walleye fishing opens next weekend, maybe a new boat....

and about that landscaping that needs done in the back yard

[chipa]

Got a chance to meet up with Bill Mason yesterday on his way over to Vermont. He made up a new canner for me last week. This one is going to be called "The Kahuna". Should hold 30 or so gallons. Between the Kahuna and the other canner Bill made for me in January we should be able to handle hot packing and "unpacking" of 40 gal barrels.
Was surprised how many times this past season we had both canners full and hot syrup stored in buckets.

Hopefully finishing flushing lines today and get some of next seasons wood under cover. Lots to do...

-Eric

Canner looks great.I can hardly help from overfilling with one nozzle let alone 3!

[wiam]

Canner looks great.I can hardly help from overfilling with one nozzle let alone 3!

I think the 3 valves are propane lines.

William

[chipa]

I think the 3 valves are propane lines.

William

Opps.Didn't look close enough.

[Amber Gold]

I like the canner. I'm going to have Bill make a larger one for me, but I have enough room for another 16"x24 (maybe 28" canner), so was going to go taller...18" or so to get it to 32+gal. Is it standard issue now to have the drain out of the bottom? I also had problems with the canner full and trying to bottle/fill a drum while making syrup and not fun.

[heus]

My dad and I have begun to put up some mainline. Installed 500 feet yesterday for 100 taps and ran the wire today for a 700 feet run that will have 235-250 taps on it. Lines will run to a low point in the woods about 150 feet from the sugarhouse.We will then pump from there up to the SH holding tank. Installing all of this to use vacuum in 2 years, but gravity this coming season. Wish we would have built the sugarhouse at this low point instead of on the hill. I'm just tired of tearing up the woods collecting buckets.

[tuckermtn]

Josh- I don't know if my original Mason canner was the prototype, but I asked Bill to put all the features he put on that one on the Kahuna. So it has the creases on the bottom, bottom drain and the kickstand. This one is taller than the original- I think the dimensions are 16w x 34l x 14h. And as others have said on here, Bill is an excellent guy to do business with.

[ennismaple]

We had a hell of a wind storm come through on Thursday - some people were still without power on Saturday. Trees were down everywhere - branches, limbs, tops, entire trees - you name it. We took a 10 minute drive through our woods on Saturday evening before dark. We've got at least 3 big maples down and one of them did quite a bit of damage to the mainline. There are laterals down too but they're simple to fix. Looks like we've got more hardwood to feed The Beast next season! The work never ends...

[Sugarmaker]

We had a great get together of maple producers from near and far. We met for a nice dinner and lots of maple talk. Thanks to Gary R for setting this up at the Hoss'es near the Grove City outlet malls.
We solved all the worlds maple problems and had a excellent meal with good friends!
Gary, Jim Bortles, Dennis H., Daryl, Dave Y, Andy P., Dan W. Scott Durffee, attended. Several wives put up with us guys talking maple most of the evening. We spec'ed out new evaporators, designed cream machines, talked about new sugar houses, and the ideal syrup pans.
Prior to the meeting I was able to make several batches of Maple mustard, Maple BBQ and the new Maple Salad Dressing.
Regards,
Chris

[Dave Y]

Sugarmaker,
you crack me up! The Mrs. and I had a great time also!

[Father & Son]

Heus,
A piece of woods I tubed 2 years ago runs away from the road. I put a piece of 1" mainline from from my tank to the road, carry a 1" gas pump to the tank and pump it to the truck. Sounds like the same type of setup to pump it to the sugarhouse would work well for you.

Jim

[red maples]

Ah nice to have some time with the chainsaw in the woods:)...only to cut the time short popped the chain and it nicked up the teeth that run in the bar groove...another chain gone!!!:mad:

[Father & Son]

April only had 5 or 6 days that it didn't rain. May isn't starting out much better. Sunday's maple meeting at Grove City has put new ideas out there for consideration. I thought maybe I would have some of next years wood done by now but the rain needs to let up. This year I think I'm going to skip a garden and plant rice instead :(

Jim

[maple flats]

I have all of next years wood done and some for 2013. It is too wet here too. We had the rainiest April since records were being kept. May looks the same so far. My sump pump is getting a huge workout.
I need to get in to finish pulling taps and cleaning tubing. Hopefully in the next 2 weeks. Then my focus moves to a new bush and big expansion.

[PerryW]

yee haw! 9.5 cords all split up and loaded into the woodshed. Only 1/2 cord to go. As I didn't saw much lumber last year, I had to cut down and hand-split most of my wood this year. Luckily, one of my logger buddies brought 3 cords of pine pulp and dropped it right nest to my woodshed in exchange for sawing some lumber. Sure goes faster when you can just cut up the logs, split and toss them directly into the woodshed! Lots of poplar and basswood this year. I'm hoping it makes good sugarwood. The poplar always seemed to be pretty good, but not sure about the basswood.

[Dennis H.]

It sounds like everyone is either stocking up firewood or selling off equipment to buy new.

I myself is working on the wood pile also. I now have about 80% here split and stacked.
Poplar? I burned some of that this past season and didn't care for it much, just didn't have the heat. I need to pick up some jackpine, now that stuff when dry for a year is like rocket fuel in the evap.

Already have a list of things that must get done or made for next year and I am trying to figure out how I will get them all doen in time!!

Syrup sales have been steady. I hung a few posters around at local stores, banks and stuff like that. I hope to get some new people buying to get my name out there.

[3rdgen.maple]

Not me Dennis the weather has put any wood production on hold and not selling any equipment, well not yet. 19 days in a row it has rained here for a total of 8+ inches of rainfall. Rivers are flooded, lawns look like ponds and the lakes are busting at their seams. Walleye opener is saturday and no boating allowed on the lakes till water levels drop. Hope this isnt the 3rd year in a row with nothing but rain everyday again.

[Dennis H.]

I hear yeah 3rdgen about the rain. April was the wettest on record for us and we beat the record by a mile.
So far May has been a little dryer but still quit wet. I have been able to get my wood splitting and stacking in between showers.

The nice thing about all this rain is that the trees and plants around here are the nicest I have seen in a loooooong time. All our trees are fully leafed out and the red maples already have the starts of the little seed things on them!!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Got a bit done this week despite the rain. Got the buzz wood pile finished. Should be enough for 3 houses and the sugar house. It all needs to be moved inside but there is time for that. Had a 4000 gallon SS truck tank delivered and put in place. Got a good deal on 100 PSI pipe and ordered 20,000 ft of inch plus 6000 feet of 1 and 1/4 plus another 5000 ft of3/4. Found a way to get another 175 taps on the front bush and have it flagged. Hope to put the wire up today.

[red maples]

Although we haven't had alot of sun. Its been cloudy with light rain off and on. just enough to deter you from going out and getting it done. Rivers are a little high but not the normal high for this time of year.

[Brian Ryther]

Got a bit done this week despite the rain. Got the buzz wood pile finished. Should be enough for 3 houses and the sugar house. It all needs to be moved inside but there is time for that. Had a 4000 gallon SS truck tank delivered and put in place. Got a good deal on 100 PSI pipe and ordered 20,000 ft of inch plus 6000 feet of 1 and 1/4 plus another 5000 ft of3/4. Found a way to get another 175 taps on the front bush and have it flagged. Hope to put the wire up today.

That is a lot of tube for 175 taps.

[red maples]

wow I'll say I have 270 something taps on 1500 ft. of main line. It must be far away??!!!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

That is a lot of tube for 175 taps.

:rolleyes:It is a long way between trees:lol:

[tuckermtn]

:rolleyes:It is a long way between trees:lol:

Either than or your using the St Lawrence Seaway to cool a liquid ring pump....

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

3000 feet of wire up today:)

[waysidemaple]

2400 feet of wire up for me today. More going up tomorrow.

[Sugarmaker]

Dodged the rain this evening cut a little wood and have about 3 cord of pallets in the wood shed. Off to get another old broken down Cub Cadet tomorrow and may try to pedal some syrup too.
Chris

[Tithis]

Good chance of getting a new job next fall that will basically allow me to write my own hours. Getting days off to boil was the biggest limiter on how many trees I could tap so if I get this job I'll be looking to do more tree's, thinking about 20 taps. So I was looking around my neighbors to see what trees might be available to use.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

When they can't get sugarmakers?:rolleyes:

[Haynes Forest Products]

TTF thats what I like to see a guy that will change jobs to stay ahead of 20 taps You destine for greatness go for 40;)

[Revi]

The trees are leafing out here, and I am itching the first of the black fly bites I'll get this season. I just plugged all the taps into their little holes, so the season for 2011 is really over. We have about a third of next year's wood in the woodshed, so we're doing okay.

[3rdgen.maple]

When they can't get sugarmakers?:rolleyes:

Yeah it was pretty bad out in the woods today. Poor daughter helped me run some mainline today and they were just divebombing her. Alot of them were stuck in her hair and driving her nuts. She troppered through it and stayed out there all day with me. Never thought about bringing any spray with us this early.

[Gary R]

I have ordered a new evaporator and a prebuilt sugar house. My original plan was to put the sugarhouse near my garage. I would be close to running water and would have to pump my sap 75' to my head tank. After a few conversations with some local guys and a lot of homemade wine, I had a moment of clarity. I'm going to put the sugarhouse near my barn. If I need running water I can run a hose or eventually run it underground. My new SH is only 12X24, the biggest they make. I'm planning on partitioning off a small area and heating it. I can house my vac and sap pumps and releaser. I can move the bulk tank to right behind the SH and put a head tank above it. This will mean I will have to move all of that stuff from where I have it located now. If I do this now, I will be set up for any real expansion. That would require a complete retubing of my woods.

Does anyone know how to stop this madness?

[adk1]

you cant stop it, I know that and I havent even officially started yet!:lol:

[3rdgen.maple]

Does anyone know how to stop this madness?



Sure do but it involves a pine box.

[KenWP]

We used to have a whiskey that came in a wooden box up here.We called it a headache in a coffin.They still make the whiskey just no box anymore. I find a real job cuts into sugering big time.

[waysidemaple]

All my mainline wire is up and 2000 feet of 5/16 went up this afternoon. Headed back out after dinner to try to get one more roll up before dark. Lots of work in the woods the past few days for me and it been great. Bugs are bad though!

Scott

[Yellzee]

maple activity on hold here due to landscaping to finish off a major honeydo item for the year. Head hurts from having a stump come over the back of the bucket on the tractor and landing on me though.... one more life used up on that one.
Blackflies terrible here as well.

[adk1]

Once I get done with the house firewood, will be splitting all the pine tht I have laying round bucked up from thinngin. Have enough for say 3 cord. Ocne I get tht cleaned up, will be running my mainline wire and then the mainline. found another lien of trees that are right on my property line..nice mature sugars, another dozen taps easily, but will need to run either a very long lateral from my mainline or run my mainline longer...Hmmm

[waysidemaple]

Got all 10 rolls of 5/16th up in the new woods. About 7 laterals short of getting the entire woods done as far as laterals go. Got about 800 feet of 3/4 mainline up and managed to slame a turkey this morning. 22 lbs. 9" beard and inch and 1/8th spurs. Next three days ill be taking a break from maple and going to 6th grade camp as a counsler. With my one week of summer vacation ill have spent atleast 7 hours a day in the woods...it cant get much better than that!!

[3rdgen.maple]

Wayside you are going to have 600 taps on 800 feet of mainline? Sure wish my trees were that close together.

[waysidemaple]

No it will be more like 500 taps on 4500 feet of mainline. I still have a lot to put up but I'm getting there. I have to get as much done before the hays ready as possible.

[3rdgen.maple]

Okay Im not so jealous anymore.

[Dennis H.]

Well I finally cleaned the the evap pans. I boiled vineager in them about a month ago and them let them set. The Flue cleaned up real nice. Looks like new. The syrup took just a little scrubing on that line just above the syrup level.

Then I scrubbed the bottoms, wow. I sprayed them with oven cleaner and let them set for about 5 hr and went and scrubbed. Some of that stuff was really thick. I had to use a straight edge scrapper to get some of that off.

Now it is time to rebrick the back half of the arch to help keep the heat up in the flues longer.

[adk1]

Wayside you are going to have 600 taps on 800 feet of mainline? Sure wish my trees were that close together.

I hear you there! I will have about 100 taps on 400' of mainline! yikes!

[PerryW]

cleaned up my pans last Sunday. Filled the pans w/ water and used a quart of the concentrated Leader Pan Cleaner. It took about 4 hours w/ me & the wife to clean, rinse & drain both pans. Cut & split 10 cords of softwood, poplar and some slabs from the sawmill and filled up the woodshed.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/perryW/Sugarhouse_2011.jpg

[Paddymountain]

Perry W , that's a cool picture of your sugarshack with the woodshed full and the sawmill in the foreground. I'm working on my wood ,I have 1 row in so far and a fair amount cut and split.

[Sugarmaker]

Perry W,
Yes that's what I am talking about! You need to post that shot on the thread about wood plies too! That is a excellent picture of your operation. Wow 10 cord ready to go!
Nice sugarhouse, wood shed and saw mill.
OH if I had one of those I would be dangerous!
Thanks for posting the picture!
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Another topic.
I did not go to local auction where a 3 x 12 was for sale any one local get that rig? I think it was a Leader 3 year old at a Amish sale. today in Harts town.
Last night I went and looked at a local rig built by A&A in Ulysses PA. I viewed the pans and they look like they were of good construction! Not fancy but should make syrup. The owner had made 25 gallon this spring and was happy.

All this pan viewing and welding vs solder talk, got the old juices flowing. This after noon I got into my front pan!

Took a small brazing tip oxy/act torch to the center partition and gently melted out the old solder. (pan was vertical) I cleaned the joint (aggressive wire brush), and proceeded to MIG weld a small patch on the bottom side of the pan. (There was a hole about the size of a dime.) After that I began MIG welding the top side of the partition to the pan along the entire length. (It had been pop riveted and soldered.) Then I re-soldered both sides of the center partition over the welds to seal the seam. Checked for leaks and all looks good. (I just cant weld a water tight joint with the MIG.)
This is a much much stronger repair than I was able to do during the middle of syrup season. I think it should hold a couple more years.:) The key to this was buying a $20 cup stainless wire brush that mounts on the spindle of a 4 inch grinder. This brush is very aggressive and really cleans up the surfaces for welding and or soldering. I have one more corner to fix the same way and the pan should be good as new:) OK not as good as new but should make syrup for 2012, and maybe be able to be used by someone else in the future too?
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

I found another mini barn manufacture. Less than 1/2 mile from where I placed my order a couple of weeks ago. The new one will build 12X28 and 8' high walls. Price is the same or a little less than the first place. You can even get an 8X28 porch for only $700. I'm going to cancel the first order and order a bigger building:)

Chris, was that the same 3X12 that was in the Area Shopper? That would have fit real nice in your sugar house:D I'm getting confused. It sound like you'd be OK with getting a new set of A&A pans. Would there be any way to fit a longer flue pan under your WRU? I use one of those brushes to clean my stainless for welding. It's good to hear you have been able to weld over previously soldered joints. What gauge are you able to MIG on the pans? Keep practicing, soon you will have leak free welds.

I made sugar for the first time last week. It went OK. The longest time was spent pushing it through the fine screen I had. I had about two cups of sugar balls left over. I tried to break them up by using a coffee grinder. Not a good idea. Ended up with a burnt smell in that stuff. I used that stuff in our coffee.

[heus]

Gary when do you think you'll be getting your evaporator? I ordered a steamhood and preheater from A&A through Ray Gingerich he said it would be done by fall.

[Dennis H.]

Gary you keep going and you will have the evap in the big barn you have now and the tractor and truck in the new "little" barn you are getting.

Sounds nice to get a side roof for wood storage.

[Sugarmaker]

Gary,
Nice move up on the building You wont regret that move. Yes I was considering A& A pans The construction looks very good seams look strong and design has been improved. I think you will be very happy with the complete A &A evaporator system. I went the see toe A&A rig you and Scott looked at behind Walmart on Fry road.
On the MIG welding thing I must need a lot more practice because I can't seem to geat a leak free weld. So I am going to have welded and soldered joints. Now that's belt and suspenders! I need to come and see you MIG welding the corners of your pans!
The 3 x 12 was in the Area shopper. Any clue where it went or how much it sold for??? Yes it would have fit in our sugar house, I designed the foundation for a bigger arch. BUT I really don't feel like starting over and not gaining any more boiling rate. So I did not even go to the sale.
I have thought about a longer flue pan and shorter syrup pan on my old arch, and if I did that I would need to make a extension on the WRU (1 foot) and shorten the back of my front hood by 1 foot.
I am going to work on my existing syrup pan a little more and try to use it again next season. Nothing like running on the edge!
On the sugar, leave the large balls in there and charge more for them:) What temp did you go to, and how much did you make? A food processor will break the sugar lumps up but will powder the sugar a little. Are you going to bring some to the Crawford county fair this fall
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Jason, Atlee said September for the evaporator. I am crossing my fingers:rolleyes:

Dennis, you seen all the "stuff" in my big barn. I'd need a really big new mini barn. I'm going to put a shed room off of one side for wood storage. On the front we're going to put a 6X12 porch on it. It should look nice. Another place to sit outside and drink some wine.

Chris, I clamp a heavy piece of aluminum angle inside. I weld the outside with it horizontal. I'm not set up to back purge, but it's just backyarder pans. I'm also using 18ga. I can put the heat to it without burning through.

I used just over a quart to make the sugar. I was surprised at the volume of sugar it made. I went to 265. My cheap thermometer reads about two degrees high, so 263? The colors and texture changes during stirring was neat. I'm not sending any to the fair:) I would like you to taste it though. I'd like to know if I did OK. I was going to use a blender. I didn't want to clean up much at 10PM. Slightly damaged coffee grinder for sale:lol: Jim Bortles told me the PRO600 Kitchenaides work. If I get into it small time I might go that route. Possibly mount a filter press pump to the external shaft?

[Sugarmaker]

Just MIG welded the outside seems on the back of my front pans. I had tacked them and soldered over them. It did not hold up well. so welded these I have to flip it and retouch up the solder on the inside joints. Water test and see if this pan can be saved. My MIG may not be preforming up to par??
Chris

[3rdgen.maple]

Chris it might not be your mig welding skills causing you the problem. I think it is the solder contaminating your weld and making it leak.

[Sugarmaker]

3rdgen.maple,
This is going to sound really weird, and I am sure some welders will comment. But when I MIG welded near the solder it did not seam to have a great effect on the weld and actually seemed to flow out the weld puddle a little. Do I have as strong of a weld? Not sure but looks pretty good. This stainless pan was 90 % Ok but had some inherent design problems that lead to pan failure in several areas.
Item one was that there were edges extending with no sap in contact. These got hot and the solder failed. Item two was that the center partition was pop riveted to the bottom of the pan and then soldered. These rivets heated up and caused some to fall out and allow the center partition to separate from the bottom of the pan, May have happened during a pan scorching at some point prior to my owning them.
I have repaired both of these now. Removed the lip Welded in new portions, and welded the center partition to the bottom of the pan.
Guess I just have to give it one more chance:)
Chris

[3rdgen.maple]

Heck I say if you saved some money, had fun doing it, pans better than it was, you get the idea. Make some syrup on that thing.

[Sugarmaker]

3rdgen.maple,
Yes that's the frugal, make it yourself, portion of making syrup that appeals to me. I like to make something out of nothing. I do have a pan design in my head that I would like to build or have built. I would need a good TIG welder and several more sheet metal tools to make that happen and some amount of time too.
Have a great evening!
Chris

[Amber Gold]

All the woods are cleaned up and put away for the off-season. Still working on finishing the SH cleanup. I've got 6-7 chord of wood split for next season which will be enough unless I expand like I'm hoping to do. I've located a couple of woods, just need to make contacts. Hoping to expand another 600 taps for next season.

Sales for syrup and confections going well. Almost sold what I did for all of last year...pretty cool.

[red maples]

Got 2 cords done so far. other projects interupting wood production. built a quick "take apartable" chicken coupe for meat birds coming thurs. or Fri. only 10 for now my first time doing meat birs so we'll see. 10 bluberry plants in, Most of the Rasp plants moved and doing well. need to get the garden going more wanna get seeds in but the rain is killing me. hopefully pick up tom plants and pepper plants this week and get them in!!! Softball...T-ball...dance class is ending soon(for my daughter that is). driving everywhere!!!


Maple sales are great. selling about $200 of syrup a week. 90% out of the farm stand. already passed what I sold last year as well. Advertising for maple weekend was a big one. when paople come to visit then they know you a little bit and you develop a better customer relation and they keep coming back for more!!! I just need to make more candy!!! Eggs are selling great need to get more chickens to keep up with the demand. but that's just too much poop!!!:rolleyes:

Busy time right now though...

[waysidemaple]

As of now I have tubing up for 484 new taps all on vacuum. I have 5500 feet of lateral line up and 2000 feet of 3/4 up. Still need to get the 1500 feet of one inch wet dry line up, install saddles, cut in drops I still need to make, build one sap latter for 20 taps, possibly build another sap latter for 40 addition taps, finish the trim on the new sugar house, and run the permanent lines for electric and water. Not to mention all the farm work that needs to be done, starting to think I needed to take the summer off from penndot. Syrup levels starting to dwindle, four maybe five gallons left to sell.

[Dennis H.]

Wow wayside you sure are expanding this year.

[waysidemaple]

Going at it slow and steady...this whole day job thing is really slowing things down though. Anyone that wants to stop and see the install in progress feel free. I head for the woods everyday after work.

[Tithis]

Doing the very last of my bottling today. Since the end of the season my syrups been in intermediate storage until school was done and I had time to filter and can it. Mostly just giving it away to family.

Found the trees I'll need to do 20 taps next year. They are rather close together and not ideal, but they are a good backup if I don't find some better ones.

In the back of my mind I've been thinking about ways to make the boiling process smoother next year. At the beginning of the season I had trouble getting a good even boil and doing a batch took all weekend :/ It wasn't until near the end of the season after I started to get the hang of managing the fire that I was able to get an even boil; drastically reducing boiling time. I'm hoping that by cutting the wood up smaller and by getting a fire grate I can get it boiling even more consistently and with less active management on my part.

Might be thinking too far ahead though, still got another 9 or 10 months :emb:

[waysidemaple]

Finally got the evaporator cleaned and covered up until next year. Back to tubing tomorrow.

[Sugarmaker]

Cut syrup wood tonight.
Chris

[Maplewalnut]

Not to much going on here. Sold about half of my commercial syrup from this year(that check sure is nice), but am keeping the other half for my yearly pilgrimmage up north. Usually sell it at Bascoms and turn around and buy supplies. Sending my dad to an auction tomorrow to buy some bulk tanks that will help any plans on adding another bush this summer. Still not sure if I can handle it with my day job but at least I'll have tanks ready. Got about 17 cord of log length delivered yesterday. Long story short, property was logged just down the road, guy was cleaning up last of logs on landing and sold me almost two full trucks for $750 so he didnt have to drive a full load home and come back again. Nice!

[Yellzee]

I keep thinking of making a late summer/early fall trip up to visit all you guys and see what I can learn. I think it would be a great trip if I could borrow the father in laws trailer and take a week to tour around.

Stuck going to Germany today.. yep on the Canadian long weekend.. so maple is on the back burner for a weekend that I should be gettign alot of wood cut and beverages consumed.

Ah well, there is wheat beer to be found and tested over the next several days in Germany as well!

Weather here has been so bad (rainy), almost nothing done and trail is worse now than it was when the snow melted.

Only other update is new sugaring buddy added to the family. Bernese mountain dog/collie cross puppy in training, hopefully ready to follow me through the snow by next spring.

[Paddymountain]

I have the BB2 belted up and bolted onto a platform, it's wired 110 but will change to 220 when I get everything worked out on my releaser. Need a few things yet for the releaser,then I can work on the electrical side of it. Finnaly quit raining, so it's back to the woodpile.

[Dennis H.]

Looking good PaddyMtn, things are coming together.

[Gary R]

Dennis H.

It's seems when you were over here, we got you even more fired up about maple. Have you got any plans in motion for the sugar bush by camp?:)

Like everyone else finally, no rain. Back to the wood pile also. Someone stopping this morning to look at my old evaporator.

[adk1]

Gonna be figuring out my end trees and flagging them tomorrow. I ahve been gpsing my tap and end trees. that is the way to go. gives me a good visual of my lateral lines and lengths with # of trees on each. I will post the layout of my sugarbush once finalized.
Next weekend we are staying home. I will get my sapwood all split and stacked, unfortunatly this year it will be stacked on pallets covered in metal roofing. Luckily I have a back door behind the "garage sugarhouse soon to be sugarhouse" so it will be easy access. Maybe next year I will build a shed to the back of the garage, not enought time this year. Keep progressing!

[Dennis H.]

Gary I am still working out the logistics of hauling sap from up there. I don't want to waste alot on $$ on something to haul sap around.

Right now I am starting to rework the arch to help get the flue pan to boil better. Also working on an airtight door for it.

[Brian Ryther]

Life is good. Got a new lease for the next 10 acres. Cooperstown farmers market is doing very well. Wood pile is comming together. Wish it would stop raining for a few days. Morris Farmers market starts in two weeks. Looking more and more like a real job. Love it.

[waysidemaple]

I figured I would post a few pictures of the tubing I have been putting up the past few weeks.

Scott

[Paddymountain]

Went on a little road trip on Sunday : visited with Dennis H ,talked plenty of maple and vacuum in particular. Had a great time!

[adk1]

I figured I would post a few pictures of the tubing I have been putting up the past few weeks.

Scott

looks good to me! I cant wait to get to that point, but that wont be till sometime in September I would imagine.

[heus]

ADK for pete sakes just go out and do it.:lol:

[adk1]

ADK for pete sakes just go out and do it.:lol:

Cant, havent bought my mainline yet holmes

[twobears1224]

i,am still at the maple stuff.i do have to say that this spring was the toughest year my dad and i have had in all our years of sugaring..about 60 for my dad and 30 plus for me.it started out with the most snow we,ve had in years and ended where the sugarwood ran out and we both fell over about dead.we burned thur almost 40 cord of wood and boiled everyday for three weeks,then had five days off then boiled for three more week nonstop.
after,dad had a laps in memory and burned the flue pan i had to be in the sugarhouse with him every hour he boiled..the guys tough but he,ll be 70 years old this coming october and this season was tough like i said.he got to tired and forgot to turn the sapline from the storage tank on.
this coming week i,ll be getting more blades for my sawmill and dusting it off.i need to saw out more lumber for my storahe tank building and for dads.he bought two ss storage tanks and will be getting rid of his old tank and replacing it with thoses.he needs to make his building bigger to hold both of them.
with all the rain it,s been tough to get much done so,i,ve been doing what i can between rain drops and spending money on supplys when i can,t be outside.saturday,i picked up a nice stainless container.it,s 22 inches acrossed by 10 inches deep.i,am planning on making a filter/canner out of it and set it up so i can boil down syrup in it for maple cream/candy.i,ve also picked up a 42 inch set of small brothers castings.i had a chance for a good deal on it so i grabbed it.i have a leader 4 foot wide arch castings too.i,am going to rebuild one of them for myself but i,am not real sure which one yet..kinda leaning to the small brothers.it, heavier build.
on rainy days/nights i,ve also been spending time looking into what i need to burn woodchips in my archs.i wanta build my own gasifing chip burner.

[andyp]

Finally made the decision. Went to A&A on sat. and ordered a 30x8 raised flue with steam hood and preheater. Should be ready sometime in September. Now I'll have to start looking for more taps.

Andyp,

[Sugarmaker]

andyp,
Congratulations! I think you will be very happy with the big jump in boiling rate.
That size will be a nice rig and will handle 400 taps if you need to, maybe more if you have more time to boil.
Regards,
Chris

[Gary R]

Congratulations Andy! I've been waiting to hear what you got. Now we need to wait impatiently:) Best of luck!

[waysidemaple]

Not to much maple going on here the past few days. Got 500 feet of 1 inch up monday and found a tick. Haven't done anything else maple all week. Have to be a counselor again this weekend for the local high school survival class. Hoping to have the wet/dry line finished up friday night and then start plumbing it all together next week. Also trying to get an 800 gallon bulk tank I found but the guy isn't really helping the sale out that much.

Scott

[Sugarmaker]

Cutting syrup wood. Slow going at about 4.5 cord mark. Need to try to can some syrup to restock shelves over the weekend.
Hope things are good out there! Only about 8 months to sugaring time:)
Regards,
Chris

[3rdgen.maple]

Thats funny. Only 8 months to go. I dont think IM going to be ready.....

[Dennis H.]

Did some fun stuff today.

Turned a 8' pine log into a nice bench for the patio, real nice looking log once I slabed and debarked it.

It is giving me all sorts of ideas for uses for the pines that I have out there. Most of them are over 24" dia. Just need to find someone with a bandsaw mill.

[Yellzee]

still stuck in Germany (actually weather here is amazing and the beer as always is great), hoping to get home to do maple tomorrow but the family sounds like they have other ideas. (ash cloud permitting)

[adk1]

My plan is to get my mainline wire run and buy my (800') of 3/4" tubing in June. Need to clear out some branches etc where the mainline will be run through. Pretty much know where it is going. Will probably run the wire in two 400' sections. After that, it is getting my bucked up pine split and stacked. If I can get that done in June I will be happy.

[adk1]

Moving forward. Ordered two 3/4" pipe grips, one saddle hole punch and some cable ties from Andersons...Stopped at TSC today and picked up a spinning jenny and my hooks for the endline wires...picked up a second 9qt SS drawoff pail as well.

[waysidemaple]

Got another 500 feet of 1 inch line up tonight. Only one 400 foot run of 3/4 inch left to run and all the mains will be in for this years additions. Found 13 more taps I missed while running the first round of laterals. Installed all the ball valves on the high ends of the mains tonight as well. Got my preheater fixed this week to so ill have that in and running for next year. Now for a nice three day vacation from maple and then back at it on tuesday.

Scott

[3rdgen.maple]

It has finally arrived, the day I forget about maple when I jump in my truck and head out to watch opening day at the race track. Nothing like the smell of burning rubber, methonal, and the thunder of 900+ hp supermodifieds to kick start the summer. Season passes in hand and a couple racing sodas in the cooler.

And no I didnt come up with the racing soda:rolleyes: Thats what the locals have called their tailgate beer at the track since I was a kid, I remember asking dad "why cant I have a racing soda?" LOL

[Farmboy]

Finally getting to cleaning everything. Started taking apart the evaporator. Tommorow I'll powerwash them and clean the buckets. The sugar shack is all ready for concrete I just need to take apart the evaporator. I'm looking into getting new ss pans for next year. Anyone no what 2.5X8 grimm raised flue pan would cost. Front and flue.

[Tithis]

Family had some oak trees in the backyard taken down. The logs still need to be split, but I hope if we get that done soon then by next season they'll be dry enough to use and I won't have to buy any wood.

[twobears1224]

del,s out putting in cement pilers for a 10x18 sap tank building.

delbert

[Farmboy]

Took apart my evaporator today and cleaned the pans. All I need to do now is take the bricks out then the arch can come out. Took a few small trees down in my sugarbush. Starting to thin it. I won't be done for several years because there are several monster pines that will need to be climed to be taken down.

[markr]

Hey guys I hope I'm posting in the right section just got highspeed and just found your websight. A little bit of information that some of your members may find quite helpful, where I live in Eastern Ontario my grocery store gets flowers in approx 2 gallon black plastic buckets they just give them away I find they work well for sap buckets. Thanks heres to good sap running weather

[maple maniac65]

age old question are those buckets food grade. Free is not always the best.

Or are they a recycled plastic that contians a high lead count similar to a trash can, which is made from recycled plasticnormally.