local newbie with questions

[lisound]

Hi all.
My name is Scott and this will be my first maple season. the only thing I've done so far is read all i can and marked out 30 trees.
I'd only like to produce around 10 gallons each season on a block evaporator.

I'm having trouble deciding which style pan to get. divided or flat batch pan.
I will most likely be boiling ever other day or every 3rd day depending on runs. i will only be able to boil daily from 7pm-11pm
2 x 4 pan with no dividers is where i was going to start, but most people start this way and end up going to a divided pan in the long run.
I'm not even sure how much sap to expect daily.

My thought is that using the divided pan, the most i can even draw off would be a quart every few hours? right or a few pints?

[Sunday Rock Maple]

A rule of thumb for gravity is about 1 gallon of sap per tap for each "average" run. That would give you about 30 gallons of sap to boil that could yield perhaps 3 quarts of syrup (depending upon the % sugar in the sap). There is no bad option on the pans (you'll have a blast with either) but the divided pan gives you more options --- one is to seal off trays to allow the sugar content to build while you still add fresh sap into the pan.

[lafite]

welcome to the club! It can be fun as you learn along the way. I started with a 2x4 pan (which I might be willing to sell) and was able to evaporate 10-12gph with a blower on my arch. Since mother nature doesn't always work on your schedule, you'll find yourself boiling at some odd hours. I think 10 gallons of finished product with 30 trees is an aggressive goal on a block arch but having a goal is important! Reading this forum was (and still is) a valuable asset for me. Stay active in the forum and ask questions when you need to. I've been part of many forums over the years and I must say that the members here are the most helpful group I've ever seen.

Good luck!!

[lisound]

i was interested in a 2 x4 from stainless creations but that's what got me thinking about a divided pan. I was also thinking with only 60 gal to boil every other day or so, maybe a 2 x 3 would be better. I just don't get the idea of leaving sap/almost syrup in the divided setup. Since I'll be boiling in the woods, I won't have much cover. And with a divided pan, I may need to run 90 gal or more before my first draw. with the batch pan, I run what sap i have every few days and get maybe a gallon to finish on the grill burner.

I was also concerned that I would produce a darker syrup with a batch pan. But from my research, that may not be true.
Thoughts?
This seems to be the only thing holding me up at the moment. And I need the pan before I build the arch. Snow is a coming....

[jrgagne99]

I would go with a divided 2x4 pan. You've probably heard it before, but once you get bit by the sugaring bug, it's difficult to stop expanding. A 2x3 may be ok for 30 taps, but next year you'll be at 50 taps and wish you had more boiling capacity. By Year 3 the 2x3 will be way too small and you'll need to do something else to upgrade you effective evaporation rate.

Trust me, 7 years ago I started with 20 taps on a steam-table pan and a propane grill. Did that for two years then got a 20"x40" divided flat pan and arch. By year 4, I had outgrown the 20"x40" flat pan. Rather then going bigger, I modified the 20"x40" pan into a hybrid: drop-flue + syrup pan. When that wasn't enough, I added AUF, then a home-made steamaway, then a homemade RO. I keep saying enough is enough, but then I keep adding more taps. It's a vicious cycle. I'm up to 150 taps now, and I'm considered to be on a relatively conservative expansion track. A lot of guys are up to 150 taps by year 3.

Good Luck!

[boondocker]

These guys ar so right its funny to read this. go way bigger than what you need, because next year is going to be a whole new ball game for you! I am a second generation syrup addict and when i had decided to pick up the ball and start running i started with a turkey frier and 12 taps, the second year was a home made 2x6 with devided flat pans and 80-100 taps in a new 12x16 sugar house and ran with that for a couple years. well now on year 7 and i have sold every toy i had and im in a 22x24 post and beam sugar house with a brand new CDL 30x8 raised flue, 500+ taps and a tax I.D. number lol........trust me when i say things get out of hand quick. i could make a list right now of 30 things made of stainles steel i want to go buy. Go big and make some sort of shelter, because i will make it so much nicer when mother nature decides to open the flood gates and your a 1/4 of the way.through a boil. Best of luck to you.

[girmann]

Heh. I dunno. I think it's all in what you want to accomplish. I do a neighborhood pancake breakfast after the season and invite all of the families that let me use their trees. Usually I have just enough syrup for the breakfast and a little for myself.

That being said - in the first three years, I went from 2, to 4, and now 8 buckets... So that's 400% expansion in three years! :-)

I certainly can't wait for the start of the season, though!!