Newbie Tapped Today...Video

[DonMcJr]

Well it's only 28 Degrees here in SE Michigan but we tapped today because the rest of the week is supposed to be high 30's- 40... No sap dripping today though...

Here's a Video of us Tapping for the 1st Time ever...


http://youtu.be/UttyEHsYe5E

[MapleME]

couple observations...

1. swap out your speedbore bit to a regular type of spiral bit. speed bore bits smooth the inside of the hole so well it effects sap output. Second, looks like you are going way deeper than necessary. I use some tape on my bit to mark the depth...1.5" is fine unless he bark is massively thick.

Couple ideas for you on tapping in the taps... don't hit the bottom of the spout, tap the upper part of the spout (12 o'clock instead of 6 o'clock). one handy thing I have learned is that the hook you hang your bucket on doesn't come with a steep enough pitch so buckets can blow off if not full. I use some pliers to pinch them to a tighter angle just a tad and it makes a big difference.

Hope this helps. welcome to the club

[jmayerl]

Congrats on starting to make syrup, you will love it!
2 things I would suggest. You only need to tap the tap with the hammer a few times, not 20 times, that will split the tree by the tap. Also get rid of the spade bit and use a regular bit if you can't afford a tapping bit. It's not making the hole too smooth, you are making an oblong hole no matter how steady you think your hand is. It also rips the wood and allows bacteria to more easily close the hole off soon.

[DonMcJr]

Thanks! That bit came with the starter kit from tapmytrees.com. You'd think they'd give you the right stuff...

I found out on the first one not to hit it low...lol...and the book said 2- 2 1/2 inches deep.

I was wondering if the buckets would blow off...good idea there too...

I hope the SAP flows today!

[DonMcJr]

We've got about 2 1/2 Gallons so far... The Tree with 2 Taps has one Tap Dripping like crazy and the other one is just starting up...

The tree with one Tap let out a few ounces yesterday and stopped...

Gonna go out and take a Video in a few...This is FUN!

[DonMcJr]

Here's the Video from today of them flowing... The fastest one is that flow low, medium or fast? Just Wondering...

The Video...

http://youtu.be/V78wBqTVXvo

[DonMcJr]

Woo Hoo! Sap musta flowed all night!

The one tree with 2 buckets gave up 3 more gallons since 11pm last night!

5 Gallons Half way to be boiling 10 Gallons this weekend to make a quart of Syrup!!!

[Stamford sugarmaker]

Great attitude towards sugaring! This site will provide lots more good info as you get further into it. That first quart will sure taste good!

Peter

[DonMcJr]

8 hours later both buckets are half full!!!!

I'm telling you if this Syurp tastes good after this weekend there may be another Sugar Shack popping up in Michigan this summer:cool:

[DonMcJr]

My Stepson Tyler and I just collected what flowed today since 8am... Exactly 3 more gallons for a total of 7 gallons now! 8)

[BoarsNest]

Don - settle down. You don't want to get addicted this this hobby.:lol: The next thing you know you want to do an all nighter because you tapped more trees than your evaporator can handle. Your wife will roll her eyes when she sees you driving down the road looking at that big sugar maple across the field. You make sure no one else is in the room while you lick the golden syrup off you kid's plate because you can't rinse it down the drain.

Have fun and welcome to the addiction!!!

[DonMcJr]

I work Midnights so I am planning to start boiling Saturday afternoon and pull an all nighter if I have to...:rolleyes:

...and man you should see some of the BIG Sugar Maples all along my road just standing there keeping all their sap to themself...

Naw I'm not getting addicted...:cool::lol:

[Forrest hunters]

I thought I was the only one that all those road side trees lived in my yard. My wife just rolls hers eyes now when I see a nice sugar and point it out. Thought o was weird but now I know I'm just addicted to something else.

[Forrest hunters]

I thought I was thw only one dreaming all those roadside trees were in my yard. Wife just rolls her eyes when I point them out now. Guess I'm just addicted to something else. Is there an MA club I can attend.

[Forrest hunters]

Sorry for the double post and bad spelling. Smart phone not showing it posted and the bad spelling is usually my bad but phone is worse sometimes.

[JBIV]

Don - settle down. You don't want to get addicted this this hobby.:lol: The next thing you know you want to do an all nighter because you tapped more trees than your evaporator can handle. Your wife will roll her eyes when she sees you driving down the road looking at that big sugar maple across the field. You make sure no one else is in the room while you lick the golden syrup off you kid's plate because you can't rinse it down the drain.

Have fun and welcome to the addiction!!!


Summed it up pretty well.:lol:

Glad to know I'm not alone.

[DonMcJr]

I already see every river and ditch as " I wonder if there's trout or steelhead in there " from my fishing addiction, and I just got done with my 2 acre food plots and 2 tower deer blinds and 72 days of deer hunting, started trapping coons, muskrat and tanning my first fur that I have to finish Friday so I can boil sap Saturday...and my wife actually found me a Stainless Steel Pan that I was looking for while she was out and about today...

I wonder if you can have too many addictions? LOL

[DonMcJr]

Got another 2 Gallons last night! Up to 9 Gallons now!!! Woooo Hooooo!

[DonMcJr]

Here's a video of me collecting sap on Day 4. In 4 days we now have 12 Gallons and will be boiling this weekend to make Syrup!

Here's today's video...


http://youtu.be/TQkvRU9qR5s

[michiganfarmer2]

couple observations...

1. swap out your speedbore bit to a regular type of spiral bit. speed bore bits smooth the inside of the hole so well it effects sap output. Second, looks like you are going way deeper than necessary. I use some tape on my bit to mark the depth...1.5" is fine unless he bark is massively thick.

Couple ideas for you on tapping in the taps... don't hit the bottom of the spout, tap the upper part of the spout (12 o'clock instead of 6 o'clock). one handy thing I have learned is that the hook you hang your bucket on doesn't come with a steep enough pitch so buckets can blow off if not full. I use some pliers to pinch them to a tighter angle just a tad and it makes a big difference.
Hope this helps. welcome to the clubI agree with everything.another suggestion... drop 5 grand on a big evaporator, and a few grand on tubing, and see how fast she who must be obeyed puts you in the dog house lol

[3fires]

That's awesome! Looking forward to seeing you boiling.

[DonMcJr]

I was messing with my wood burning stove and the S.S. 22x13x8 pan my wife grabbed yesterday...it's almost like this wood stove was made for two of these pans to fit perfectly and sit a half inch off the firebox. It even has a spot for a mounted fan on the end opposite of the door and I put a stand up fan there for now.

I'm only gonna boil in one pan and I made a shelf for a preheater pot on the other end for now.

Pics and videos to follow Probally Saturday night when I'm all done and have syrup!

[DonMcJr]

Hey 3fires... I watched a few of your YouTube videos and I like your filtering setup for the syrup! What did you use for the filter material if I might ask...Thanks!

[DonMcJr]

2.5 gallons last night for a total of 14.5 gallons in 5 days with 3 taps!

Added another tap today and she's still flowing great!

[DonMcJr]

Here's my 2012 "Sugar Shack"...

I got an old Wood Burning Stove that my dad got from someone years ago that was gonna be thrown out!

Well it almost seems like it was made for Sugaring!

I think I have a pretty good Filtering setup after watching 3Fires Setup...I'll put up a video of that tomorrow!

The Sugar Shack
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_SugarHouse.jpg

14.5 Gallons of Sap in 5 Days, 3 Taps (up to 5 now added 2 more today)
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_sap.jpg

Close-up of my home-made Evaporator...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_evapClose~0.jpg


This shows where a fan mounts for air flow...will have a fan there tomorrow when boiling...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_fanhole.jpg

Can't wait to start tomorrow!!!!

[DonMcJr]

Here's some more Prep Pics...Still awake at 3am LOL!

My Filtering and Finishing Supplies...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_FilterStuff.jpg

My Labels and Bottles ready for tomorrow!
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_BottlesLabels.jpg

[GramaCindy]

Best of luck to you Don! We'll all be waiting for updates! That's what we do…follow someone's story and then get all hooked up into it and then wait……...

[maplemonkey68]

I already see every river and ditch as " I wonder if there's trout or steelhead in there " from my fishing addiction, and I just got done with my 2 acre food plots and 2 tower deer blinds and 72 days of deer hunting, started trapping coons, muskrat and tanning my first fur that I have to finish Friday so I can boil sap Saturday...and my wife actually found me a Stainless Steel Pan that I was looking for while she was out and about today...



I wonder if you can have too many addictions? LOL


I don't consider anything done in the great outdoors an addiction, I consider it a life well spent. Looks like your doing awesome Don. Can't wait for your next update.

[happy thoughts]

Wow Don, that stove was a score! Looks like you're all set.

Re the filters... If you have heavy filters that suck up a lot of syrup that you can't bear to waste, you could always swish the used ones in some fresh sap, stick in a clean jar, put in the fridge and let the gunk settle out. Then carefully pour off the good stuff into your next sap batch when you boil again even if it is a little cloudy and not completely clear. Throw out the heavy bottom schmutz. At least you'll save some of the sweetness that would otherwise go down the drain.

Good luck and keep us posted!

post edit- I probably should have explained the filter thing a little better. Try to keep the gunk in the filter out of the fresh sap. Just try to dilute the syrup soaked filter by soaking it in sap. Keep the filter closed to keep as much of the sand you've already filtered from coming out.

[DonMcJr]

Well I got the fire stoked up and colected todays sap (2 more gallons it got cold last night and only 34 and not flowing yet today) and todays sap is on the preheater pad. Gonna rub the tanning oil into the coonskin I am tanning then hit the shower and head out to start boiling!

Fire should be going good by then!!!:cool:

[DonMcJr]

Started Boiling at 3pm...

Here's the start..
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_Start.jpg

Here I am at the start of the Boiling...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_mestart1.jpg

It started Boiling around 5:30pm...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_Boiling.jpg

Pretty steady boiling I guess...It's my 1st time so not sure how long it's supposed to take...I got about 6 gallons cooking between the big pan and pre-heat pan...in 3 hours...

Had to move the boil pan down right on top of the firebox to get it to boil...

[michiganfarmer2]

Don, you will do much better if you can get flame directly on the pan. The entire pan shold be a rolling boil

[sugarmangraham]

Hey Don, where did you get the bottles and labels? How much did they run you? Looks like you are well on your way to making some syrup. You'll never go back to that other crap again! I second what michiganfarmer2 said. You might be better off on a turkey fryer burner or bbq grill without the grates in it with that pan. That's the way I started with a steam table pan on the bbq grill. Thats actually how I finish now.

[DonMcJr]

That was my question and you answered it...Should it be a rolling boil...

How many inches deep should I have the sap? If I continue this way would it be better to have less sap in the Pan?

Right now out of 18 gallons I have 7 gallons left and sap boiling in the Big Pan and the Preheater pan is full too..

6 hours...ugh...I might goto Meijers and get a deep fryer...but I cannot use aluminum right?

[sugarmangraham]

I dont know about the aluminum but if you get a turkey fryer just put your stainless pan on the fryer burner and keep the woodstove going as a preheater for the other pots. It might speed things up a little for you. It'll keep you busy too.
Just starting out I'd keep about 2-3 inches of sap in the pan till you get the feel for it. You should have a good rolling boil going.

[DonMcJr]

That's one of my problems...I have about 5-6 inches of sap in the big pan... I can hear it rolling boil but it's not bubbling much to the surface but there is steam coming off... I'll let the big pan boil down to 3 inches and see if I get a rolling boil.

and... I added my small BBQ and the Pre-Heat Pot just became a boiler too! :wink:

http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_BBQadded.jpg

[DonMcJr]

Had the wife watch the Boiling and I ran to Meijers and bought a Turkey Fryer!

Now the Boiling is going quicker...only 5 gallons left to add!

http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_turkeyfryerboil.jpg

[DonMcJr]

sugarmangraham... I got the Bottles at Family Farm and Home in Richmond but I bought the last 5 they had...

The labels I bought Avery Address Labels at Target and made the labels with Microsoft Works...

[DonMcJr]

Well I've been at it 13 hours but I only have ONE GALLON left to add...

It's almost GO TIME!!!!:mrgreen:

[DonMcJr]

Well that was a long first boil...LOL! I learned a few things to make it go quicker though!

But the taste was worth it 200%! 8)

Here's the finished product...now I need SLEEEP!!! :shock:

In the Bottles...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_firstsyrup1.jpg

Labels On...
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_firstsyrup3.jpg

Close-Up!
http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_firstsyrup2.jpg

[3fires]

Hey 3fires... I watched a few of your YouTube videos and I like your filtering setup for the syrup! What did you use for the filter material if I might ask...Thanks!

Thanks, that was a hobby filter set I got from Sugarbush supplies company in Mason, MI. I don't recall the material, not wool, but synthetic. The kit came with the nickel basket, 4 SS clips, 4 pre-filters, and one final filter. The place is great to deal with though, very good prices and they really were patient with this noob. They took time out of a pretty busy day to answer all my questions and really got me off on the right foot, along with the folks from this site.

[DonMcJr]

Thanks 3fires! I watched you videos and managed to get everything but the filters and the filter I used was slow and I think it let stuff through...I'm gonna look up their website now.

[michiganfarmer2]

the bad thing abuot a turkey frier, is yuor syrup is gonnna cost you $80 a gallon because of the cost of the propane. ..unless yuo are just using that to finnish

[michiganfarmer2]

That was my question and you answered it...Should it be a rolling boil...

How many inches deep should I have the sap? If I continue this way would it be better to have less sap in the Pan?

Id only run it about an inch deep.

[cjric]

Looks like you are having a blast! Me too! This is my first year and my set up is similar to yours, but outside. I have a nice old all nighter Wood stove sitting on my deck w/ 2 borrowed hotel pans on top. I'm able to get both pans at a slow boil after a little finessing of the stove. I'm getting about 5-6 gallons a day from 6 trees and 12 taps. I'm jealous of your sugar maples! I'm tapping Norways, which are running about 80:1. Roughly 50 gallons of sap boiled has netted 78 oz of syrup. Don't feel bad about your slow boil, my last boil of 25 gallons took me 25 hrs, including finishing. Pretty slow, but 10 hrs quicker than my first boil!

[DonMcJr]

I will have almost 50 Gallons to boil this weekend...eeeek! Can't wait!!!:lol:

[DonMcJr]

LOL! I just came across this thread in a search...

THIS is how it all Started for me! LOL!:lol:

[Run Forest Run!]

Yeah Don, I remember following right along with whatever you were doing in the videos. All of the tips and hints that the much more experienced members on here were giving you was helping lots of us who were too reluctant to be posting on our first try. It's nice for all of us that your official cameraman has gotten much more steady since last year. ;)