Evaporator expedition

[Zamkev]

OK, so I know that this is not an ideal situation, but I couldn't resist and I am always up for a challenge...

Last weekend I found a D&G 20"X6' evaporator with three 18"X20" ss flat pans for a steal of a deal (in my mind) for $600. Hence I couldn't resist.

Here's where things get exciting...I need to get it into our camp which is approximately 2Kms off the main plowed road. I figure it weighs around 500lbs (fire bricked), and I don't have an ATV or skidoo. There's probably around 2ft of snow to get through. I do have a 7ft long freezer door that might make for a good sled base - perhaps with some aluminum toboggan sled fronts (the rounded parts) attached to the front to help it slide through the snow:) I dunno.

So I'm wondering if anyone else out there has any inspiration, fun stories, photos, and most importantly - advice!

Thanks.
Kevin

[spencer11]

What I would do is find a friend that has something to get it in there. And that does seem like a steal!

Spencer

[Starting Small]

Sounds like it would be easier to move the camp to the evaporator instead of the evaporator to the camp! Or you could always rent a helicopter. Seriously though, if you have a friend with a back hoe, or can rent one, I would imagine that you could attach the evaporator to the bucket using chains. Then just lift the evaporator and slowly try to get it to camp. I am no heavy machinery operator but my father is and I have seen him do things like this. Maybe not through 2 feet of snow though. Good luck and keep us posted!

[Dill]

Take the bricks out. And hire a buddy with a snowmobile and an ice fishing sled.

[SSFLLC]

Find someone with a plow or tractor close by. Plow the road or driveway and drive to it. You will need to get in and out of there any ways. Keith

[Zamkev]

All good thoughts - especially moving the camp to the evaporator, but I'm seeing I left out some crucial info...

- There is a sanctioned skidoo trail for half of the trek - ie: no vehicles other than snow toys.
- We snow-shoe the 2Kms in to our camp with sleds packed with supplies.
- I have plenty of friends who figure that we can push/pull this beast over snow with a good sled of some kind. (I'm writing since I'm a little skeptical)

Kevin

[Maplewalnut]

Call the local snowmobile club and schedule a time to meet the groomer. Have him drag it back for you

[Bucket Head]

When I first read this post I too thought of a helicopter, and then I see it was mentioned later on, lol! Besides the chopper, Maplewalnut's suggestion is the one to try. Contact the club and explain what your doing, and explain you don't want to damage the trail. An offer of a donation to the club will help too. If the groomer idea does'nt fly, ask if the club has any members with the wide track/long tracked utility-type sleds- they sometimes use those to pull smaller grooming units. With a good sled-like device under the rig, they should pull that alright on a packed trail. Not so good in virgin snow though. A day or two ahead of time have the sled(s) drive right to the placement sight. Make a path and allow the snow to harden up so the sled can pull the rig easier. I have seen those utility type sleds pull quite a bit of weight on a hardpacked surface. Good luck and let us know how it went.

Steve

[Zamkev]

Thanks Maplewalnut - that's a fine suggestion. Thanks also Steve for the supplemental info.

Nice one. I'll be getting on the phone just now. Will update.

Kevin

[vtwoody]

team of draft horses....?

[RileySugarbush]

Get one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usiEV74xxZQ&feature=fvst

[Zamkev]

OK that was the coolest thing I have seen on You-Tube in a long time. I want one....now. I love the part where it said you can simply take off the giant pipe-cleaners and replace with regular wheels for summer driving.

That made my day John. See I knew there would be some innovative thinking out there.

Kevin

[RileySugarbush]

I want one....now.

You have to get that neat hat, too!

[argohauler]

I was in your situation once except we were taking it out of shanty in the middle of the bush. It was my first evaporator, a 2x8 lightning, fully bricked. I took my 2 uncles with me and he had himself and his 70+ yr. old father. My uncle that makes syrup said we'd never move that thing and I told it to the guy, but he was adamant we'd get it out intact.

I had spoke for it in the middle of January. We had to wait a week before we had good weather to travel and it was pretty cold. It was located up in Clinton, ON. We got there and the fellas wife had an awesome lunch prepared for us.

We were going to take his ancient old bombadier snowmobile. Those yellow ones with the bubble looking hood and he had a skidoo sleigh. Well it took him along time to get the sled started.

Fortunately we had a groomed trail to go across his farm to the bush and then we had about 2 feet of snow to slog through to the shanty. We walked into the shanty and the evap. was still bricked. He wanted to try carrying it out. Well the 5 of us barely lifted it and so we started knocking out the firebrick.

Got that done and we walked it out to the sleigh. We took 1 trip and probably should of taken 2. It was a really tough go in that unpacked snow. 4 of us were helping push the snomobile through that deep snow. That was an experience I care not to repeat. Once we got to the groomed trail, things were awesome, except I had to walk all the way back out in a windy squall. The drive back was pretty hairy as well.

Anyways that was my experience. Good luck to you.

[Zamkev]

OK - quick update....for those sitting on the edge of their seats...wondering how to transport a 500lb bricked 20"X6' evaporator 2Kms over an unplowed 2 ft deep snow road.

Option #1: The board of the local snowmobile club as said that they would only consider my request for the groomer to haul my evaporator in to our camp in a few weeks from now - if at all. Hmmm - while I don't expect to be tapping until mid March at the earliest(Western QC) that still makes me nervous with all the other preps I have to do with a new-to-me arch. OK, that was a fine idea, but there seems to be some reluctance. They said they would be in touch, but I'm not holding my breath. (I did say that I'd be happy to make a donation to the club - but apparently that didn't secure the deal)

Option #2: Local neighbor with an ATV kitted out with tank tracks (or whatever they are called). He's in Mexico at the moment and back on the 25th - and figures he can manage as long as it is sitting on some kind of friction-reducing sled-like thing.

So, with that said, most of my thoughts these days are on coming up with a friction-reducing sled-like thing. FYI - you should know that I seriously ( somewhat) looked into a Fordson Snow Motor - as per a recommendation - but seems that there are none available at the moment. The best I can come up with is a 7ft freezer door with a couple of toboggans screwed on the front-end bottom so as to prevent the weight of the beast digging into the snow.

I'm all ears at this point. There'll be some great pictures, and a sense of satisfaction and unrivaled pride for the maple nut who comes up with the appropriate solution. How's that for a challenge?

Open to outlandish ideas - tried, tested and true experiences - and humorous solutions with perhaps tidbits of merit to solve my dilemma.

Kevin

[Starting Small]

Ok so this may sound strange but in my mind it may work. Around here there are tons of old junk cars in the woods. Could you get the hood of an old car, flip it upside down and use that as a large sled. I know some of the old 40's car hood have sort of a hooked front of the hood. If you flip it upside down that may act as a quasi plow and stop it from digging in. Of course after I write this even if you have old cars in the woods I am thinking they may also be under 2 ft of snow.

[Dill]

Ya got a boat? Probably a jon boat would make the best sled.

[RileySugarbush]

Why don't you get a large one of these, or maybe two cheap of little ones.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=426041&pdesc=Otter_Wild_Sport_Series_Small_Sled&aID=504C17A&merchID=4006

[Indiana-Jones]

Do you have any access to an old boat? A big flat bottom aluminum john boat might make the trip if you pull from the rear as well as the front. A tow strap all of the way around boat. You may need to build a wood jig inside to support the arch and protect the boat.

OR

Build a big wooden ski with lumber and lay up 3 or 4 layers of 1/4 ply wood for the curved front part. You could have fun with a big ski for years, hauling wood or put on a couple of rows of bench seats for winter rides to Grandma's house for Christmas.

[Bucket Head]

Seriously, the jon-boat, big plywood sled-like device or the freezerdoor and toboggans are the only options for loose snow. You need the large surface area for flotation- and preventing the front from digging in and "plowing" snow. If it does that, you'll be done before you get started, so to speak. Get busy on figuring what you can do the easiest and quickest at this point, but the device needs to be big and flat with an upturn of some sort at the front. And multiple pulling points are a must too. Straps around the whole thing are a good idea.

Steve

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

We move all kinds of heavy stuff with a team of draft horses and the front bob of a sled. Get a couple of hardwood plank a bit longer than your evaporator and get them under it. Jack up the front end and slide the bob under it. fasten the load to the bob. Hitch up and go. If some one near you has a team, it should be easy.

[vtwoody]

WOW!!!!.....I want one....no, two!!!



Get one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usiEV74xxZQ&feature=fvst

[Maple Hunter]

I was thinking groomer and old car hoods as well. I'm sure any snowmobile would pull it with the brick removed, maybe even with 'em in providing the terrain was fairly level. If you have to, use a couple. Where there's a will, there's a way!

[Bucket Head]

Doug's team of horses/bob sled idea is a good one. They used to gather sap(and some still do) with a rig like what Doug is describing. Some also had wheels on them. A full gathering tank probably weighs more than your evaporator. Any horse owners near you? How about some Amish folks? Going back to my suggestion of the snowmobile club/groomer post, did you ask the less-than-enthusiastic club president if he knew of anyone with the wide tracked utility type sleds? The track equipped ATV might do alright if you were willing to wait on him. I'm thinking there must be some utility sled owners nearby that somebody knows of that might be willing to help.

Steve

[Peepers]

How thick is the metal on the 7ft freezer door? might need a layer of plywood or some boards on top of it if it is just foam core with a wood outer frame. If your arch is 500 lbs and the door is 7x2 my late nite calcs come up with about .25 lbs per square inch so that should float it pretty good if its strapped down somehow with the toboggans on the front so it doesn't dig in. Know anyone with a crawler, loader or logging equip with tracks? Big snowblower on a tractor with chains and wheel weights? Helicopter? Dogsled team? If you can reduce weight to make it easier then by all means do it!

How about hills? If there are any you'll want a solid connection between the sled and the pulling machine on the downhill side or the puller could get run over by the evap.

[Zamkev]

53235324

Hello all.

Here are a couple shots of what I ended up putting together for the evaporator expedition. Cost me $20. Freezer door...lined with 1"plywood...45 gallon steel barrel cut out and framed to prevent buckling..3" bolts up through barrel through freezer door and plywood.

You be amazed (as I was) that two of us were able to maneuver the sled, with the arch on it (inclusive of bricks and sand!), fairly easily on packed snow. I am more optimistic than ever that my neighbor will have little trouble moving this beast with is ATV track vehicle - even through snow that is not hard-packed. He can do it around 10-15 days from now - so I'll keep you posted with pics of the move.

Thanks again to all who gave fine ideas. Your thoughts were all very much appreciated.

Kevin

[fishman]

Murph's Law says you'll get 15" of soft fluffy snow the night before you move it.

[vtwoody]

nice work! How about buying a couple rounds and buying for the barbecue for 6 +/- husky (big boys, not dogs....)friends?

[Peepers]

great minds think alike vtwoody! if a couple guys can move that rig on a sled than a couple more big guys could get it to the camp. Normally if there is whisky at the other end I'd volunteer but Ottawa is quite a haul from here in SE MN this close to tapping season. :) Good luck Zamkev and let us know how it goes. The suspense is killing me!!!

[Zamkev]

549955005501


Hi folks. Well today was the day. The mighty D&G 18"X6' traveled approx 2 kms on a freezer door sled to get to its final resting place - our camp. Aside from the need to keep the sled straight, the ATV with tracks managed without any trouble at all. We did get a fresh dump of snow on Friday (15cms) which I though might make the expedition a little trickier, but my very nice neighbor with the ATV made many tracks last night so that they would freeze by this morning. Voila - an amazing trail that any evaporator could travel over with ease.

After we got it in the newly dubbed "sugar shed", we cut out one of the wood rafters and created a 32" box. We then lined up the stack and cut through the tin roof. I had some 26 gauge sheet metal pieces cut and bent to form over the wood rafters with a 1" gap between the metal and the rafters (used old 1/2" copper piping cut in 1" pieces with a 3" screw through it) to reduce space to combustibles. A few hours later we had placed the outside flashing and rain cap on and a couple beers were had. Such a great feeling to have this done.

Now waiting for the CEO of syrup making, mother nature, to tell me when to start. Today was around -10, and the week ahead looks fairly cool as well. I don't mind too much as there are still quite a number of things I have to get sorted.

Thanks again to everyone for the fine ideas and inspiration to carry through with this somewhat crazy, yet exciting, idea.

Kevin

[wiam]

Good Luck. Have fun.

[Bucket Head]

Success! I'm glad to see you got it out there. Thats an interesting track set-up on that atv. Is that a factory made set or was it a homemade track system? Good luck this season!

Steve

[Zamkev]

I think that it is an ATV factory option, but it could quite possibly be a homemade rig as my neighbor is very handy. Regardless, it was very impressive - easily handling and riding on top of 2.5 ft of old snow and 15 cms of fresh snow.
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