Today's the Day!

[DonMcJr]

I'm at work right now...get out at 7am...then its off to pick up my new Leader Half Pint!

I currently have about 42 gallons of good sap that I have been icing every morning and night with 6 two leader POP bottles and its holding up good.

Only 2 of my trees haven't flowered so I am not expecting much more sap but at least I get 40 gallons to boil before its over!

Gonna be busy firebricking then letting it dry and shooting for a Saturday morning test boil then Saturday afternoon boil!

I can't wait for next year already!

[TerryEspo]

Hey Don:

It,s 2:45 am here in Orlando Florida, LMAO.

I am off now too,,,,to bed.

I can,t wait to read how it goes for you.

I am sure it will be great to try out your new equipment, please tell us all how it goes. I will post this Sunday how I did, mabye with pics.

Good luck.

Terry

Opps....PS..........I have at home 40-60 gallons of sap to boil on Saturday too. My friend has my sap on ice and I cannot wait to get home to boil.

[DonMcJr]

Well I got it! I work midnights so I have to sleep now cause I have to work tonight...maybe ill get sick cough...cough...half way through the work night so I can get to putting it together sooner!

Terry...hope you like the warm weather there cause it will Probally be 70 when u get home too...this weather sucks! Good luck on the boil!

[TerryEspo]

Hi Don:
Agree all the warm weather is terrible for us all.

Somehow, sap is running full tilt at my place right now. I have a friend collecting my sap for me and he says some buckets are overflowing before he can get back the next day.

I am looking forward to see the pics of the new rig you got today. Hope that illness that may get you tonight isn,t too bad !!

Good luck with it.

Terry

[DonMcJr]

Well the illness didn't hit I'm at work and the Leader Half Pint is still in boxes...BUT...I don't work Friday or Saturday night so first thing when I get home in the am she's going together and the firebrick is going in!

So if this is my first and last boil on my new half pint what should I do near the end of the boil? Do I let the fire die down to nothing and when its cool enough take what's left and boil it inside and then how do I clean the pan for storage?

[Brent]

I wouldn't screw around with cementing in the bricks if your sap is on hold and the temps are going tropical.

Just stack up the bricks and be gentle when you put in the firewood.

We had a Half Pint a few years back. Generally if you have an inch of sap in the pan when your sap tank
runs dry, you stop fireing and let it coast to a stop. Get out what syrup you can then transfer to a small pot in the kitchen
or a gas turkey frier or whatever.

Get a gallon or two of vinegar ... if you can find it get "cleaning vinegar". It's 10% acetic acid instead of the usual 5%. Put it in an let it stand, brushing with a soft brush until everything on the bottom is loose. When your happy, Leader says to make a mild solution of baking soda to rinse. Then a fresh water rinse, flip it over and clean the soot off the bottom. Shouldn't be to tough with only 8 - 10 hours of boiling. If the soot becomes an issue, use Easy-Off oven cleaner.

Good luck. I remember how excited we were when we started the first fire in the Half Pint.

[wnybassman]

Anxious for the update. Hope the sap held up for you!

[Zamkev]

Don,

I think it would be good fun if someone shot a video of you unpacking and assembling your new rig in time for the last boil.....and then put it in fast motion. Noticed you have some video capacity....

[DonMcJr]

Well It's all together...I have a few pics but no video...

Phrase of the day and for ANYONE putting together a Half Pint... " Make Sure the Holes for the Fire grating Are to the front and toward the Bottom..." Otherwise you get to take it apart and put it back together and trust me that SUCKS!!

I am definately not a Masonary LOL! I don't ever wanna lay bricks again if I don't have to!

Here's the Pics...Sap Still looks good for tomorrow too!

The Bricks...

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


The preheater Pan...

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

All Done, Painted and Waiting for tomorrow's Boil!!!:)

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

[Fishgill]

It looks good.

[chevypower]

Nice job, it looks great! Have fun tomorrow, we'll be boiling again tonight after I get done work at midnight (got done boiling at 4:30 this morning and could use a nap:).

[DonMcJr]

Thanks!

What should I clean the Pan with before my Boil tomorrow?

Here's what I did the last 2 hours before Dark...Been up 24 hours...bed is calling...

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

[backyard sugaring]

You will enjoy boiling on a real evaporator. The process goes so much quicker. You will be looking for more trees to tap. Good Luck. Lee

[DonMcJr]

Thanks! Can't wait! I already plan on marking my maples in my woods...I think I can get about 50 taps maybe more next year!:cool:

[Brent]

A small thought. If you're going to fire it hard you might want to put a bit of sheet metal between the stack and the back of the pan and
pre-heater pan. The sides above the splash line can get backed on hard or even scorched.

Sleep deprivation is part of sugaring.

If you get 50 dripping next year it will take on even more significance

[Brent]

OH and the second to last rinse should be with a mild baking soda solution .... it's in the instructions for some of Leader's bigger
evaporators ( you can download fromtheir web site ) I don't recall that advice in the Half Pint instructions.
Finally a rinse of fresh water

Good luck.