My project

[5050racing]

5205Not done due to Tractor supply acetylene valve different then mine,The back plate is just going to be tacked down until I get my other pan made.I can preheat on top of it for now.I would of stepped it up but the oil tank was cut already.I may raise it up with steel.The pan is 24" by 24" open to the fire.I'm using the 2 2" holes on the bottom that was the top of the tank for the air supply and maybe fit a blower to feed it.Any good ideas are welcome.Just tapped 15 trees 30 or so taps Friday and just collected 15 gallons today and 8 gallons not even a day after tapping.I checked the sugar% and it was 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 after 7 trees then broke the thing opps.

[5050racing]

Nobody has any ideas?? good or bad please,making the legs today,and maybe using it also.

[smokeyamber]

Looks plenty stout, is it bricked with a ramp ? Since surface area is the name of the game on boiling I would just drop steam pans in the back half if you don't think the flue pan will come this season. The ladling method would work fine ( back to front ). I also would use every square inch of top surface for pans.

Sounds like you are up against my kind of deadline... sap piling up and the rig still being built ... lots of fun doing stuff under that kind of pressure:lol: ! Enjoy the season and hope the rig works well for you.

[kinalfarm]

looks great, i would def. build some adjustable legs for it so you can always fine tune the leveling by yourself.

[GramaCindy]

I would say in my "newbie state" that you shouldn't be tempted to fill that pan too deep. Maybe 2-3 inches tops or it will take FOREVER to get a good boil

[kinalfarm]

but only 2-3 inches in the pan if you are going to be watching it. if you just leave it unatended fill er' up.;)

[5050racing]

The inside will be lined,legs high enough so not to bend over working it,I'm using the 2 2" holes in the bottom witch was the fill holes for the air under the grate I built and add a blower if needed.Any ideas on what blower and where to get it reasonable priced? Just boiled using turkey cookers to stay ahead.I store my sap in a pile of snow traped.Thanks everyone for help,show pixs when done

[rinert]

I used a bathroom fan from manards for $20 and 4" pipe in to my draft door.

[5050racing]

Sounds great and cheap ,do you have a 275 oil tank just wondering as the size of burner?I just picked up nice fire brick at a good mason supply for 1.48 for a 4 by 8 to line it,pixs when done.Just finished a qt and a half of syrup tonite out of 20 gal of sap,sap sugar one day was 2.4 2.7 or so.

[5050racing]

5307Here a pix of the stage of my evaporator as of now,I'm sure thing will progress to another pan but it works great now ,The pan is 2 by 2 8" deep and it boils fine with the right wood,I have access to old UNTREATED cedar utility poles,mix it with a little thinly split oak and ash and watch out .Seems to do about 4-5 gals /hr.Boiled 16 gals last nite under the full moon in 5 hrs done and bottled.Only like 1% or so sap sugar but what are you going to do.2nd year doing this,Having fun !Will the sugar % go up soon do you think?? I'm in north Jersey.15 trees and collected 16 gals yesterday,today 4 gals today.Sunday nite it was 20degs up to 50 during the day.To the left is my homemade syrup hydrometer holder,and the pile of snow were I store my sap.

[5050racing]

5308Another pix