Folks using a Leader Half Pint...

[DonMcJr]

Well I'm starting my 1st Boil this year on my Leader Half Pint. I had one boil last year but once I ran out of Sap I just hosed out the fire and dumped it al in my Flat Pan to finish on my Turkey Fryer.

I've read all the instructions and am prepared to hit this Season Full Force but was wondering if those experienced on the Half Pint can give a quick how to?

Here's the Senario:

I have around 75 Gallons of Sap to boil and doesn't look like a Run is coming til Next Wednesday-Thursday. I AM Boiling this weekend I am itching and can't wait!

So do I just boil, watching temps to see if I hit a drawoff until say half the pre-heater full of sap is all I have left, then stop stoking and flood the Syrup Pan with the Sap left in the preheater? Then let it cool and cover til I get the next sap flow?

[Starting Small]

That sounds about right, I think at 75 gallons you will be very close to drawing off but not quite there. On my 2X3 I usually stop feeding the fire once I fill the preheater, which holds about 5 gallons, for the last time. That tends to give me enough to be on the safe side. It will continue to steam for a couple of hours after I shut it down and I am always surprised the next morning when I check it at how much boiled off. The fire bricks hold a ridiculous about of heat, especially if you use arch paper like I do, and keep the inside warm for a long time.
-Dave

[donka]

Don,
I've been running a leader half pint for a few years now. I only use it for batch boils, I feel the syrup comes out better and I can clean the pan in between. I would do like you did last year, get things as close as you can in the leader, then finish off in the turkey fryer. It should be a super light batch this early in the season. Good Luck.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Don, you wont make syrup with 75 gals unless your sap is fairly sweet. It will take over a hundred if I recall. But, yes just run it through, do not drain pan to finish in house when done, this way you may be able to draw off next time. Also, I always left a preheater full of sap for cooldown time. Alittle more doesnt hurt though, but it also depend on how deep your running your pan.?

[DonMcJr]

I'm gpnna fill the preheater pan with a gallon jug to see how many that holds. Then flood the pan and see how much 2 inches deep is in the pan. I need to know that so when I flood it I know how full the preheater pan needs to be. I think I got a handle on it!

If I want Syrup this weekend I have to finish it in a SS Pot like last year. If I want to start Drawing sooner next weekend when I boil then leave it in the pan til then.

Thanks Everyone!

[judgejp]

7-8 gallons in the pan and 3 in the preheater. Without hosing the evaporator i need about 4-5 gallons to cool down. At 43 to 1 ratio you'd need somewhere in the area of 100 gallons to draw off any syrup and more if your leaving your pan sweetened with a good gradient.
Pat

[johnallin]

When I'm out of sap, I just shovel the hot ash and any wood out of the rig, keep the door open and let 'er cool off. Don't think I'd be hosing anything down for fear of cracking bricks and castings.
I ran a half pint for two years and it will cool off pretty quickly once you empty it out and leave the door open. Anything that steams off after that just puts you that much further ahead on your next boil.

[Waynehere]

I converted my half-pint to a 2x6 last year. But when I did run it, I had some heavy doors built and welded on the sides, so that when it came to the end of a batch, I pulled the pan and closed the doors over the top. I have to say it worked pretty slick. Then the arch acted just like wood stove. I tried pulling syrup off, but it was so little at a time that I gave up and just did batch boils. When I got 1.5 to 3 gal of syrup in it, I pulled it, took my pre-heater pan in on top of my gas stove in the house, across 2 burners, finished if it needed it, then bottled from the pre-heater. Did this for 7 years until last year.

[sapbrush]

i have run a half pint for years and years, dont run anymore than a inch of sap in the pan, just watch it carefully,when done flood the pan with the rest that is in the pre heater it will stay boiling for a while even when fire is out, the fire up next time and keep going, palletts work great its a hungry lil unit for wood every 5 mins load it, run it wide open and no more than an inch of sap in the pan, good luck there fun JIM

[MarkL]

I'm on my 6 or 7th year on the half pint and add my agreement to just about everything here - run it low in the pan, stoke like hell, top off when you are done and draw off and finish in the house. There's just no profit in trying to run this thing like the 'big rigs' with drawoffs and whatnot. You won't have the volume to justify that and if you draw too low with a fire below you will ruin your pan. I've come close, and I've shoveled the hot coals out, and yes I've dumped a whole weekend's worth of finished syrup on the ground wrestling with a hot heavy pan.

Make it easy on yourself: boil like hell, let it cool, finish in the house.

[68bird]

Hi Don, On my second year with the H/P I have made six gallons so far. But I keep drawing off about two quarts at a time into the turkey fryer, and boil in that, adding 'till get a gallon, or two to bottle. Enjoy! Doug

[gwcutter10]

And I also boil with a half pint pan... I do the same .. Draw off into a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup, strain into my finish pan and finish when i have a gallon or 2 or 3 in the pan.. but my finish pan is in the shed with me so i can keep processing and drawing off... i keep a couple big stainless pots to put the draw off in while the finish pan is going....i run 80 to 120 taps on this unit and i put in a lot of hours...but i am usually a one man show.. and i bottle there too... i have some upgrades to make on my homemade arch this weekend with insulating better and a preheater coil set up.... after I tap

[DonMcJr]

Ok today the boiling point here is 210.7 and I keep hitting 213 and thats it. So my question...

Should I get the pan depth to 1 inch - 3/4 inch and then find the right drizzle for the preheater pan? When I let the pan level go lower it seems to up the temp...

So what level in pan and how much flow going into the pan from preheater?

[DonMcJr]

Here's what I have going. ..


http://youtu.be/9s4xV5JY3Bk

[DonMcJr]

Nevermind...I just had my 1st drawoff!


How fricken cool! :o:cool:

[daniel_wentworth]

Hi Don.......Noticing your pic of your H/P...I have 4 channels in mine......What gives?
Good run today here in the Cooperstown NY area.

[DonMcJr]

Bought mine new last year. ..dont know...

[bowhunter]

Bought my last year and it has 3 passes also. They must have changed the design.

[eustis22]

why do you have two valves in your preheater?

[New England Yankee]

You folks that are using a Leader HP......

Is your shack vented at the roof? Reason I ask is I boil outside and have a possible deal on a 10x16 wooden shed and was think of getting a HP.

I saw somewhere that using a HP doesn't give off that much steam and I could get away with a large door and a couple of windows? Any info and/or thoughts appreciated.

[DonMcJr]

Mines indoors and until the building get heated up u I have to keep opening doors to let the steam out. Then after it heats up I have to keep opening doors to let the heat out...had it to 95 degrees in the room last night and it's like 25 x25. Also you get alot of moisture and everyting gets wet.

[Ryan August]

I got a cozy 6x8 suga shack. front and back on the 8 foot sides is open eves so moisture moves fine. DOnt know about all the heat. I got mine bricked, some cement and it does not give off much heat. I gotta be right on top of it to feel much heat. if your going to a 10x16, what if you just put one or two vents in, should be simple, dont need anything fancy, just a hole and something to keep the birds out.