January Journal

[themapleking]

All right the new year is in.
Time to strap on those boots and get moving you'll be tapping before you know it.

[mapleman3]

Joe, Starting the New Year Journal... Way to go, looks like you got a real early start :)
Getting ready to go out to the sugarhouse and set up the Feed tank (barrel)inside the sugarhouse, I forgot to stop and get a peice of clear tubing to run to the float box, I'll have to improvise for todays test boil.

Joe do you feed straight to your float box from the outside sap tank?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

I'll try to take my camera today and take some pics of my tank to evaporator setup. You may find it helpful and I will email them later this evening! :D

[mapleman3]

Just did my Test Boil..... the 2x6 pumped out tons of steam, all the floats worked perfectly and no leaks.... the doors are a little tight, they need to open together not just one at a time, I may try to fix that, when you guys fire yours do you just use 1 door or both?
next I need to get the blower working, I think the one I have is too powerful, I may look for a smaller one.

I'll post the pics later so check back and I'll edit this post when I put them up.... and yes Rick(syrupmaker) I took some Video for ya ;)

Wooohooo bring on the cold weather lets hope for a banner year!!!

[themapleking]

I feed right from the feed tank into the water filter to the u.v. filter to the evaporator.
I use both doors for wood try to keep it even in the fire box. Turn your blower down low before you open the doors, or you'll have the fire jump out at ya. Will also keep the ashes from blowing out and into your syrup pan.
Don't do anything with the doors they will shrink & expand with the heat. Your could try and insulate them with blanket that will help alittle.
I thought you were going to boil all day guys. So how big where your smiles :D :D :D :D :D

[mapleman3]

Draining everything in the Evap as we speak, I was amazed, even after how clean it was when I got it from mike, I still got water out of it with a slight caramel color and faint smell of maple,(which was cool) I think it's getting pretty clean, then a nice soft cover for it for the next 9 or so weeks.......

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Forgot to take the camera with me today, but I will try Sat when I do my test boil. Can't wait to see all the pics and glad to hear everything went well. I am not holding my breath for my test boil. It's been that kind of year.

As far as my feed pipe, I have a 1.5" foodgrade tubing that I ordered from US Plastics which runs from the tank to the evaporator. I have a quick coupling in the middle of it to be able to flush it and when I flush my feeding tank, I have enough tubing that I can run the water outside. It works great, but the tubing was $ 1.93 @ foot. I only needed about 16', but had to order 20'. It is fairly stiff, but is still flexible. I am going to try to wash out my tank a couple of times during the season and santize it and the feeding line, and it is much easier with some flexible. Besides, it won't freeze up nearly as fast as something like copper and is even a little more freeze resistant than pvc! :D

[Brian]

Happy New Year!! Nine more weeks, that's pretty scary. Been running main line, hopefully I'll end up with another 400 taps out of this deal, so that should put me up to about 650 taps without buckets. If I run my buckets, it should be another 180 taps. I have about 200 of those on vaccum, I have about 50 on gravity by the roadside.

I don't know, that 2 1/2 by 8 is sure gonna be busy this year! Gotta get my oil tank filled I guess, coming right up. I guess my Dad's woods is gonna have about 2200 taps on that and Glen is going to buy the sap.

Brian

[mapleman3]

Here Ya go... I figured it out how to post a pic.... Chris I'll post yours for you too!!!


More on my site.

http://www.desjardinsmaple.com/AliceMe.JPG
Test Boil on New Years Day

[mapleman3]

Thanks Jeremy, I'm having more fun than I should be allowed to have. I really want the sugarhouse to be just so!! My wife will be bringing kids from school on a small feild trip, and the cub scouts will be coming for a pancake breakfast, all this and lots of friends and reletives, so I want the sugarhouse clean and SAFE!! so thats mostly why I am spending alot of time on it, if the public wasn't involved I wouldn't care as much.... but Heck I LOVE THIS SH%& :) :) :)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

I love copper too and my entire house is plumbed in it. If I have a problem with ice in the lines, I'll just use a hair dryer and it works like a charm. It gets very hot, but not hot enough to melt the pipe!

Good luck! Everyone has a different preference and thats what makes mapling so much fun. It would be a boring website if everyone had the same evaporator and the exact same setup! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Sure is a great looking setup. I am sure it was exciting watching the steam roll today. I'll be sending you pics in a few days!

By the way, I was told by an old sugarer that the first time you boil on new grates, you shouldn't get them too hot because the first fire is what seasons them?? Make sense to anyone else :?: :?: :?: :?

[mapleman3]

Thanks, didn't have to worry, had a roaring fire, grates have been through a few seasons... I know your talking about yours.. Good luck with your boil.. it was fun, I'm sure folks who were driving by today thought my place was on fire with all the steam and smoke!! :)

[mapleman3]

Jeremy, does your evap stand off the floor or is it up on blocks for firing height? mine is pretty high as you saw in the pic, so I'm thinking of a small step and rail so you can see into it but not get close to it, better than folks holding their kids over the boiling pans of syrup. or I was thinking of a mirror, last year it wasn't bad with the halfpint, but I know poeple want to see what in the pans....when it was fired up yesterday, I ran it for over an hour, it wasn't that hot around it, maybe it's insulated pretty good.

[backyardsugarer]

Taps and lines are clean and the wood is dry. Now all I need is for it to be the middle of Feb. The only thing I really still have to do is fire brick my 2 by 6 and I have never done that before so it should be interesting. Have a good new year everyone.

Chris

[michaelh05478]

Jim, Id go with a mirror if your going to having young kids there, might be safer..the ole girl really dances when she gets up to speed!!!!set up your cam and have a tv for them to look at inside!!!!!!...

[mapleman3]

Thats a good idea Mike. Thanks... hows your new girl doing? did you get the road cleared for the oil truck?

[michaelh05478]

Got the road cleared, hope to have oil there this comming week....need to get a little frost in the ground........your pics looked great.....we'll have to make you the "OFFICAL" MAPLE TRADER PHOTOGRAPHER!!!!!!!! 8)

[mapleman3]

Race I got your pics today, and I have to say, your sugarhouse and evap are about the nicest setup I have seen yet, what a place you have there!!

Brandon I got your pics today too, The new Leader look awesome with all the stainless and the steam coming from your test boil.. bet your itchin to go for the real deal... won't be but a month away for you down there... nice job!!!

I'll have both of your pics up in the next day or so!!

[themapleking]

Last night I buildt a a wooden box down 4 ft from the coupla around the evpaorator. This should help guide the steam out. It's 15 ft from the floor to the coupla doors and I had problems with steam filling up the shack even with the hood and stacks.
Will install my 3 bay s.s. stink today I got free from a bar. Clean the shack up again. Every time I get it clean I come up with a new idea.
If I get time I will start making the stand for the vacuum pump. And make some repairs on the lines.( deer & tree limbs )

[mapleman3]

Joe I think the deer are just getting back at you!! ;)

Boy with the sink, you must not have much more room, but an endless amount of hot water from the hood will be nice!! you just piping it to the sink and out the drain to outside? that will make things so easy to clean!!

[Race]

Hi Jim,
Thank you for posting the pictures. The shack was 8 years in the making beginning with site prep , slab and finally the building itself. I upgraded the evaporator this year. It all helps when my syrup buddies are in the building trade as they are much handier than me when it comes to construction.
Your personal site is a good resource as it passes ideas around so that we may all benefit , also puts a face to the hobby.

Thanks again---------- Race

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Thanks for the complement about my evaporator and setup. One thing is for sure, it is hard to make steam when it is 65 degrees outside. :D :D I'm not kidding, it was that warm here yesterday. Normally, this time of year, nearly every day is below freezing with snow on the ground, but the past few days including today have been really nice.

I am only about a month from the start of syrup season down here and I was really happy with the way everything went yesterday. I have also posted some pics on my website if anyone is interested!

[mapleman3]

Hi Race, Your welcome for the posted pics, My pleasyre, thats exactly why I did the website, we are getting quite a few different setups on it,it's fun to see how everyone does this wild hobby of ours.

Brandon when I did my boil it was only in the low 40's which helped alot with the steam, I'm working on getting your pics up too, I'll do some re-arranging on it.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Thanks and I can't wait to see them! :D :D :D :D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

Thanks for all the info! I appreciate any and all help. As for the stack, it is over 3 feet above the top of the coupla, so it shouldn't be a problem there. I have more than 2' of stack for every 1' of evaporator length. As far as the blocks, the evaporator is sitting on a firebrick foundation that are cemented together with refractory cement. I am having a customized piece of steel to cover the opening so I can play with it both ways. I boiled for a couple of hours yesterday and it seemed to work great with it being open. Both of the reps at Leader have fairly large operations and have been making syrup for years and they have their evaporators on 12" blocks with the front open. I will play with different combinations to see what works the best. I tried it both ways yesterday and it worked great both ways! :?

As far as making the candy, I was showing Jim(mapleman3) when he was down here visiting on his portable camp stove at his camper. I normally leave the thermometer in it and don't move it.

Thanks and good luck and check out my website if you like!

[themapleking]

Smile Brandon, You got to smile for those pictures your haveing fun.

[Mike]

Race: Nice set up!! Brandon: looks good!! I have a question for you Brandon? Are you planing on closing up your open wall or is there a reason for that???

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mike,

I am going to close up the end with a tarp. The building belongs to my dad and that is where I make syrup because he loves to help. Besides, I don't have any property to build a sugarhouse and he doesn't use the building for much and I couldn't afford to build a seperate sugarhouse. In time, we will probably completely close off that end of the building for sugaring! :D

[mapleman3]

Well now that we can get this warmer weather out of the way... they say we have to brace for some frigid weather for awhile... I say BRING IT ON we need the cold.. I was starting to wonder what was going to happen, I think with the wet summer we had it should be a decent year, unlike last year that followed a dry summer...any predictions yet from some of the old timers you guys have talked to?

[themapleking]

Race;
That's a nice looking sugar shack you have. But I have one problem with it. I don't see any syrup stains on the floor :lol: Clean enough to eat off the floor 8)

[chris]

Race,
That is the a great looking sugar house nice job.
Chris

[Race]

Thanks Guys,
The floors are the result of a powerwasher that I borrowed from work. I have made syrup in this shack for three years so it is barely broke in.
I appreciate the nice comments.

15 below 0 without wind chill----- Race

[mapleman3]

Al... Just wondering how the firebricking went, did ya finish it yet? are ya ready to boil?

[Al]

Nope, backs been bothering me :( so I'm waiting until it feels better. Did order my thermometer and scoop today thou. Hopefully this weekend I'll get a shot at it!! :D If not I'll wait another week and just have to go for it whether the backs good or not. Guess I haven't got much common sense to get into this line of fun with a bad back. But you know can't let a little thing like that hold you back(unintended pun :lol: ) when your doing something you really like. :D :D
Take care

[mapleman3]

whew Al, you'll be haulin alot of sap, hope you can hold out!! better start learnin them kids bout sap haulin ;)

I hope you feel better soon, it's getting real close now(not trying to make you nervous);)

[mapleman3]

I had to share this....
had a dream last night I was driving home from work and saw plastic pails set out at a nearby maple producers trees, I could see they were half full, mind you it's only 19 degrees out and still the begining of Jan. so I,m driving by and notice more trees are tapped, I get closer to my area and notics still more trees, finally I get to my Bush and all my trees are tapped and they are not my buckets, and they all are at least half full... of course thats when I woke up in a panic.... think I'm thinking of the start of the season too much???? weird!! ;)

[michaelh05478]

Dang Jim !!! YOU GOT THE BUG BAD !! YOU NEED TO SEE A TREE DOCTOR!! :lol: ......I THINK THOSE WERE MY BUCKETS.... 8) ....

[themapleking]

Watch out for those buckets Jim :!: Remember that picture I sent you on what they might be used for 8O :o

[mapleman3]

Interesting interpretation Jeremy :) I think I am just starting to feel the crunch coming on!! so little time left and still so much to do, I'm sure even the day I start I won't feel fully ready the way I would like to be... I still need to get out and finsh lines too!! and it's about 2 deg right now"yikes" this sat. it will only be the low teens, I still may run a few lines just not pull anything tight yet.. but at least it will be up!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

All I can say is you need to get busy. Sounds like you have a lot of work to do. As for the stack, I have a 11" stainless base stainless for a 2x6 Grimm that is brand new if you are interested. All you would have to do is get three more sections. I would be glad to ship it up to you, just let me know as I don't want much for it.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Buddy, as for you, I am not sure what to say. I am afraid we will be sending you family flowers between now and the end of season because you will die of a heart attack from all the excitement and anxiety. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

The best solution I would have for you is to head down this way around the 3rd Saturday in Feb as we should be cooking! Maybe it would help calm any and all nerves and fears! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Your even welcome to come down for an entire week and do all the cooking you want by yourself! :D :D

[Race]

Jim,

Too bad you are are not a dog so that I could medicate you. My buckets are not plastic so please do not blame me. Anyway , I was glad to hear that they were half full---- might be a good season ahead.

Best wishes--------Race

[mapleman3]

Hey Race you might be on to something there, maybe it's a sign, actually I have welcomed this nice frigid cold weather with open arms and a lot of wood for the wood stove... if we could get some snow here to cover the ground for the rest of the winter it would be even better, I am thinking that it will be a good sap running year with the wet spring summer and fall we had.... buckets half full? naw, I'm seeing them overflowing now :) :) ;)

Brandon, sure is a sweet (no pun intended) idea, man how I would love to come down and boil with you for a few days. 3rd weekend of Feb is definately crunch time, Last year I tapped March 1st...

Jeremy, any luck finding the metalbestos? or are you going conventional stack?

[syrupmaker]

Jim....you gotta remember how cold it was ,for so long last year. Thats why we all tapped so late. This year i think we will get to tap before Brandon does. :P So you'll be too busy boiling your own to road trip it down there. If Lake Erie doesn't freeze this year that will help with our temps this way,and hopefully keep the lake effect comming for a killer snow cover :wink:

Rick

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Rick,

I agree with you even though I am a lot furthur south. Last Dec and Jan we only had five or six days it even got above freezing and a lot of days and nights in the single digits. This year I may be boiling the 1st week of Feb, who knows.

Good luck to all!

[powerdub]

An old timer told me last weekend that for every winter thaw that come it is equal to a good run in the spring. We have had quite a few thaws so far this winter so it ought to be a banner running year this year. Sure held true for me last year, no thaws, no good runs.

[mapleman3]

Scott can I use that quote in my "stories and recollections" page thats a cool quote, hope it runs true!!!

[powerdub]

Sure, go for it, I cannot be held responsible for any butchering of the way he said it but that was the point anyway.

[mapleman3]

Great Thanks :) I'm looking for interesting stuff for the part of my site, the older the stories the better;)

[powerdub]

The next time I run into the old far-- fella I will bug him for some more stories and sayings. I know he has a few but I never paid much attention. Funny thing is those guys have it figured out most of the time. Or they just have a saying for everything.

[mapleman3]

that would be great!!! :)

[powerdub]

I remeber one story he told us. Years ago him and another guy had a sugarhouse just off the main road. Early one evening while boiling these two guys from CT literally kicked the door in and tried gabbing them and pulling them out. After a lot of yelling and quite a scuffle they finally convinced thier southern hero's that the building was not on fire. To calm the situation they offered the embarassed almost hero's a beer and started to explain to them what they were doing. One question led to another and one beer led to another and after about four hours the would be saviors staggered out of there with about five gallons of syrup, a real good buzz and, if they remeber, a good knowledge of how syrup is made. I would say they were very happy customers, until the next morning.

Someday I will get him to write that story down the way he tells it. It must be an hour long.

[mapleman3]

that was a funny one for sure. I would love to sit down with an old timer like that and drink (no pun intended) in all the old stories....

I added both to my Site !! Thanks, and keep em coming guys!!

[mwarren]

I heard the very same saying. Every day above freezing equals a day of sap run in the spring. Two years ago this was true as there were several days above freezing and it was a good year. Last year was FREEEEZING and I had a horible year.

Sounds good so far. I have been keeping mental notes for this year to see if it's the same.

Mike

[michaelh05478]

Here's a story that happened here in VT about 2 years ago !! A guy was delivering sap to a sugar house and had his truck parked on a hill and was getting ready to pump the sap down when the little boy he left in the truck hit the shifter!! The truck crashed thru the sugar house missing the guy who who had just finished drawing off and had moved to the front of the rig when the truck crashed thru the wall and moved the rig about 3-4 feet..... No one got hurt and i heard they where able to get the rig back in place and finish there year.........Lets have a safe a productive year.....

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If the days above freezing is the case, I should be able to make a gallon per tap down here as we have had a bunch. However, it was a balmy 5 degrees above freezing yesterday evening at dark, so we have had some cold weather also! :D

[mapleman3]

Just got done welding up my own type of drop line tool, pretty simple really, just doesn't have the cutter in betweem the tubing holders(aka vise grips with metal half tubes welded on) I just have to file the rough edges and give it a good paint , maybe some hand grips, not bad for 20 bucks worth of material

Mike I bet they had to do alot of repairs to that rig, boy what an aweful thing that is!!

[Parker]

well my oldest and I got up another 800' of mainline today. I tried to teach Meredith how to tie the maineline to the wire but, at 5 she had a hard time with the spinner, well we have a lot of line to practice on ahead of us. There is a stream on the lot that is frozen solid and she had a heck of a time sliding on that so I made tracks. I bet putting up line would be alot eaiser in the summer (when I had planned on it) BUT that would take all the fun out of it. good luck,,,,Parker

[mapleman3]

A balmy 9 below right now, the truck turned over REAL slow.... this is Cold weather now..... hope everyone is well!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Sounds like Brrrr! It got up to about 40 today and sunny. The weather has been warmer than normal this year here, so I am watching it closely through the end of the month to decide when to tap! We are supposed to get a few inches of snow tonight and it is supposed to be colder the next few days!

[mapleman3]

I here ya Jeremy, time to finish the tubing....

[mapleman3]

Had a great day today.. attended the Mass Maple Producers Assoc. annual meeting and dealer show, also a presentation by Dr Randy Heiligmann of the Ohio State University State Extension and Co editor of the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual. His presentation was about gradeing, density checking at finishing, and Flavor... we all had a "taste testing" just like wine tasting, we had a dozen sample cups with different looking syrups in them all on a plate. we went through each sample and commented on the taste and density... THEY WERE ALL AWEFULL!!!!!!!!!!!! they were all off flavored, he brought syrup from all over .. ohio, wisconson, and new england, we got to see what buddy, fermented, syrup with soapy taste,metalic,ROPY,Metabolism, Bad Grade B and so on... very interesting all the different off flavors syrup can get. he also gave us info how to get syrup ready for contests...

Picked up our Mapletrader Celebrity's copy of the New Leader catalog... Brandons letter in it!! Well done Brandon.


ps, still trying to get some of the awefull flavors out of my system.... yuk

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Just have been interesting tasting that syrup. I have made syrup for years and have never made anything other than grade A, so I wouldn't know what it tasted like.

I don't usually push the season length, so I guess that's why I don't have that problem.

As for the letter, I was blown away when Joe Kist sent me an email about 10 days ago and told me about it. Sure was a suprise, but I will have to say that the letter is completely true. I have owned a small business for years and have dealt with hundreds of other companies, and I have never found a company that comes close to Leader. No, I am not trying to sell their products, but so far I have been extremely impressed with their customer service and the extraordinary quality of their products.

As far as progress, I did close off the one end of the building today for all who were concerned and I also made a nice table top out of the old arch that lifts on and off. This is in case I would ever want to use it again for making syrup or molasses. My dad will retire in about 10 years and I have a feeling he will want to try to make molasses some fall. I am hoping to get a sheet of stainless bent to make a cap to set onto of the existing table in a few months and it will look really nice! :D

Good luck to all! I am only 2 to 4 weeks away from tapping, depending on the weather.

[mapleman3]

Brandon, you will be alot more comfortable with it closed in!!!

less than a month for you.. WOOHOOO we'll get some new pics soon!!:)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

CAT GOT EVERYONE'S TONGUE :?: :?:

Sure has been quite on here the past few days. I am now counting down the days until I can start cooking. Hopefully, it will only be about 3 to 4 more weeks until everything gets rolling and maybe sooner.

It has been cold down here with some single digits at night and around 20 during the day. It is supposed to be 9 here tonight. I know that may feel like a heat way to some of you, but cold for here but fairly normal for January down here. Next Sunday through Wed, it is supposed to be 40 to 43 each day during the days, so we're getting close! :D

Good luck to all on the upcoming season and I hope it is an enjoyable and profitable for everyone!

[DougM]

Brandon,
we are planning to tap this weekend, the forecast here in central Ind. is for sugaring weather from the weekend through the middlle of next week. Hopefully they are right, and it will also warm up the end of next week.

We will also be installing our blower this weekend. It looks a lot like the two-blower catalog version, only a LOT cheaper. I scavenged the fan from a gas furnace, and made a transition out of metal saved from my roof. Bought a piece of rectangular duct for about $6 to connect it to the back of the evaporator. I can't wait to see how it works.

Doug

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Doug,

Good luck! I will be anxious to see how everything goes. It may get down to zero or below here tonight with -30 winds.

Hope you get a good first run! Keep me posted because I will be tapping within the next 2 or 3 weeks!

[Brian]

I now have 3 12v dewalt drills and 8 batterys charged and ready!!! the down fall is they will need to be charged again by the time i am ready to tap.
The other day I went and put on quick connects on my bulk tanks. they are 1 1/2 inch. My tanks should run gravity into my truck. I guess I'm starting to get anxious, anyone else?

Brian

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Doug,

Just wondering if you went ahead and tapped. On Thursday, they were called for it to get up to 47 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, but now they have already changed to to 39 on Monday and 42 on Tuesday. The ground is frozen so hard here and so deep, that it is going to take a couple of fairly good warm days to even get the sap even started and that is on the south side of the hill.

I know your weather is similar to mine, so I guess they may have downgraded your forcast also. The ten day forcast shows it to be mostly in the 20's and low 30's into the first week in Feb.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Doug,

Looks like your weather is about the same as mine. I don't think either of us will be tapping until at least Feb 7th.

We'll see!

[mapleman3]

picked up a nice 350 gal SS tank today, it's square with a 2 inch SS valve on the bottom of 1 side, a 16" manhole on the tob with a smaller cap in the middle of the manhole. it was pretty heavy, should last a life time, maybe not as easy to clean as the round bottom tanks, but with the cover on the top a tree could fall on it and it would survive.... also picked up a blower ready with duct for the evaporator...I'll post pics tomorrow for ha ha's
also trid out the snow shoes with the wife, we went for a nice walk in the woods across from up where they did some logging, was a nice walk and went pretty well

[Al]

Good deal Jim, glad you got your tank and some snowshoing in. Hopefully,hopefully tomorrow I can at least get the bricks cut to fit the evaporator. Still trying to keep sugaring season in play. Thing are going a little slow but we're gradually improving here. :D
Take care

[mapleman3]

Al, Glad to here the sugaring may still go on, hows your wife doing? hopefully the weather will stay cold for the next month to give you time!!

[themapleking]

Now that you 2 kids are done playing with your snowshoes. Make a trip back over here. My lines are under 4 ft of snow. There's only 6 miles to dig out. Oh ya I forgot to say that you have to dig threw 1 foot of frozen snow and ice too.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

Been watching the weather channel and I have seen how much snow you have gotten--sure is hard to believe.

I am curious what you will do to tap?? Will you wait until the snow melts down?? At the rate you are getting it, that may be July before you see your lines! :lol: :lol: or should I say :cry: :cry: :cry:

[mapleman3]

Holy Cow Joe, Have you been plowing the road all the way down to where your tanks are? sounds like you sure have alot of work to do, when I get done with Rick (we may do another test boil with my blower) I'll send him your way, he always says he works for ....BEER :) :)
looking forward to the seminar.. getting real itchy, just got out my submersible pump I have that will go in my new tank to feed the feed tank in the sugarhouse, that thing is so powerfull, I'll probably get 25ft of head to it before it even sighs... should fill up the 55gal tank in minutes. have it circulating and cleaning in a bucket in the bathtub right now...instant spa!!! :)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

If you don't have time to do another test boil, you could play around with it the first couple of times you boil. Down here, my first run is fairly small, so it is a good time to do a check and and make sure everything is working properly. I would imagine your first run most of the time is not real large, but who knows with the way the weather has been this year.

Besides, you had better get busy with everything else because you are only four weeks from today till you tap. :D :D :D :D :D

[mapleman3]

I should get a good deal done tomorrow, I will have help tubing, and I 'll get the storage tank set and think about the pipng to the feed tank, I hope to run 2000ft of tubing tomorrow , that way I'll see how much more I need for the other bush.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

It sounds like the tank you got is on of the stainless gathering tanks. I will be curious to see the photos!