Advise on evaporator i'm about to get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cpmaple]

Here is the issue i have around 13 cord of wood put in the wood shed already but the evap i'm getting is oiled fired. My question is do i switch it over to wood or leave it alone and burn oil? If i converted it to wood how much of a pain in the butt would it be? I dont know alot about oil fired rigs but i like the thought of shutting it down and not worring about did i leave enough sap for cool down etc..... Also i will be running the rig alone since my father in law moved to florida for work. My son is around now and then but school and being at his mothers takes alot of his time. So any input would be great also i dont have an ro so it would use alittle more oil i know. I dont know much about the burner except its a agway. The arch is 40"x12' also with hood and preheater.thanks in advance chad (cpmaple)

[ericjeeper]

Oil is close to $4 a gallon.. You have plenty of wood precut.. basically a no brainer for me. Temporarily convert it to wood.

[NH Maplemaker]

cpmaple, I disagree about the oil,But that just me! If you are going to change it all back to wood, why not just find a wood fired evaporator and save your self all the trouble of cutting and making doors and ramps,and bricking the fire box! If your going to do oil than buy and oil rig. If your going to do wood than buy an wood fired Rig! A lot simpler!
I have oil and would'nt change! just change thing so you make more syrup with less oil! Just my 2.5 cents. JimL.

[red maples]

yeah I would think it alot of work to temp switch to wood. If there is anyone around you that does maple (that is if its all pine and crap wood) if its hard wood then make sure its wood stove/ fire place legnth then you got your self a few grand in wood. then see if you can get rid of it cheap at least enough to get your gas and a little time back for putting up the wood. a few hundred $$ anyway. then you can buy a couple gallon feul with that for the new evap.

And remember oil might be $4 a gallon but your going to be pulling quite alot of syrup off that per hour so basically the first gallon you get every hour goes to the oil and thats it.

[cpmaple]

Thanks red maple i've made up my mind gonna stick to oil i can use the would in the wood stove i have in the sugarhouse and some outside in the summer for bon fires with the kids. After all the wood is gone i will pick up that much more room and no mess of wood either. so i guess that is what it will be.Maybe i will look into building and ro for next season to help with fuel prices.