New, nontraditional sugarshack

[Gavin W. Hooks]

I have developed such a fondness for the traditional maple houses I have seen you all post pics of here and would love to build one in the likeness but the budget (and my skills) won't allow. Have started one in the pole building style. No cupola for now but I do have a vented ridge beam over the 20 ft length of the building. Will see how this works. It is no frills for now but looking forward to many years of enjoyment with family and friends in this building. It will hold a 2x4 hybrid GBM. Can't wait to do a trial with water soon.

Thanks to everyone involved in this web site. I have gotten so much good info and inspiration.

7956

7957

[Moser's Maple]

looks GREAT!! Gavin. Nothing wrong with that building. If you can put that together, then a cupola should be a walk in the park if you want one

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks Jake. I love it so far. I can't take credit for the the quality job on the building so far. I have a great friend who is an excellent carpenter that has done the real construction. What a blessing. Needless to say he's getting some syrup...:)

[Limitpusher]

I seen one, one time that was a pole building like yours, looks great btw, but was all done up like a old timey sugarhouse on the inside, looked great.

[BreezyHill]

Nice building! You will want to use a steam collector. Our old building was like yours and it would rain like crazy when we boiled. The cold roof and the steam...made a mess. Looks like you did a great job on the site preparation. High and dry beats a muddy maple season every time!
Ben

[maple flats]

A hood with steam stack will take almost all of the steam out. It's no fun getting rained on while boiling and you don't want contamination falling into the pans.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

I was afraid of the condensation problem. A combination of lack of funds and time got the cupola scratched this year. My carpenter friends doesn't (and shouldn't) work for free... A steam collector would be great. I am deep into my available funds and have a way to go on other supplies and equipment. Would an inexpensive sheet metal version work to start? What about doors (2'x2') on either end of the gable to open when boiling?

Thanks for the good word.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Checking out steam hood prices... Not as bad as I was expecting. sugarbushsupplies.com has an aluminum 2x4 that is priced at 500.00. If anyone has any better options would love to hear.

Thanks again for all the help.

[sapman]

I also opted for no cupola when I remodeled. Kinda wish I'd put one in, though. I have two windows at either end, and even put a box fan in one sometimes, but it doesn't seem to help that much. Steam will be rolling out under the eaves usually. It is two story though, so the steam always stays above my head as long as I let some air in. And this is all from the front pan, as my flue pan/steamaway are hooded.

[jrgagne99]

With a steam hood and stack through the roof, I doubt you'll need a cupola, especially if the hood covers the front pan.

[unc23win]

Cupolas depends on your set up. I am building a new sugarhouse and the evaporator only requires 2 pipes through the roof one for steam and one for exhaust so there is no need for a cupola. Personally I like the looks of a cupola but its easier if you don't need one.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks for all your comments. Sapman, your results with 2 doors/windows at the gable on each end is nudging me toward the hood. (Guess I was wishful thinking that the vented ridge beam +/- the loft doors would be enough. We considered there may have to be some adjustments when we ran the test boil.)

My question is, can I put 2 stacks through the roof in a way to expand my evaporator size later using same hole(s) in the roof?


PS I love the look of the cupola too. Would add one given the chance/finances.

[unc23win]

That would all depend on the pipe size and the distances between them. Chances are if you went bigger down the road the pipes would be farther apart. As far as the diameter I suppose you could go bigger on the pipe now. But you could also just sell the roof jacks on here and get new ones. With steel moving the holes might possible depending on how much work you would want to do and if the holes still line up between trusses. My trusses are 4' apart so I have 45" to work with. Lots of variables. I think it is a good idea to plan for the future but sometimes you have to do what you can afford and what is within reason for now. Good luck!

[delivron]

I have seen about 200 sugar houses in the last 2 years. I have yet to find a "Standard" sugar house. And yes I have seen a number of steel covered pole barns. Have lots of fun with your new hobby and fine looking sugar house!

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Does anyone have a recommendation for sealing a new concrete floor (or not sealing) and how soon it can be sealed after being poured?

[Moser's Maple]

Does anyone have a recommendation for sealing a new concrete floor (or not sealing) and how soon it can be sealed after being poured?

if you buy a "cure n seal" it can be done directly after power troweling, or when you can walk on the concrete. you can also flood the pad for a few days to help promote a slow cure, then sweep of debris and put on your sealer at that time. I even heard of people using Thompson water seal as a sealer...... in my business I alsways use a cure-n-seal concrete sealer.

[maple flats]

As far as hood goes, I made my first 3. A 2x3 for my half pint, almost flat roof with 6" vent stack, a 2x3 (taller and hip roof, with pre heater) for the flue pan on my 2x6, and a 3x6 with 3' x 20" extension over the syrup pan on my 1st 3x8 set of pans. All were made of aluminum flashing on a light weight aluminum trim break. The seams were over lapped and pop riveted. The last one got several comments and many thought it ws professionally made. My current hood was made by Thor in Quebec and it is bright SS. A few years ago, on a Maple Tour in Central NY, I saw a hood made from firing strips and clear poly. That one was in a dirt floored sugarhouse, and the owner had lots of ribbons for his syrup from the State Fair, mostly 1st places but a few second places. On that one the hood did hand outside the pans about 6" and it extended up to a cupola.
The point is that a hood does not need to cost a lot to be effective. If you make one from aluminum and from the top, run a vent out the roof, it will serve the purpose. If you do, make a gutter on the bottom for condensate, an inverted funnel or drain tray under the stack, drained to the gutter, then out at a corner to a bucket you will catch the condensate that would have fallen back into the pans to be evaporated again, (and again). Then at some point you may get an "official factory built hood" but many never get one. In the case of my current one, they offered it at a super price 1 yr old demo with a couple of real small dents when I picked up my new set of pans. When I tell others about the dents I have a hard time finding them, but they saved me over $1000 at the time. I paid $800 for the 3x5 and 3x3 set of SS hoods while a new set was priced at about $1875 at the time. I must admit, the current one is better, but it performs the same function as my home made ones did. The first set on my old 3x8 pans took me 3 hrs to make and then another 3 hrs to make and attach the gutter (made from aluminum 1x1x1 channel mitered and welded, then pop riveted on). It even had a sliding door on each side.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

8023

Happy, Happy, Happy...

Thanks Dave. I have a guy working on a hood for me. Pretty reasonable price so he got the job $375.00. The guy at Anderson suggested I hang it so I can raise and lower it for better access to syrup pan because it is a hybrid pan, all one piece. Not sure how to go about that. Does anyone have some ideals?

My carpenter friend got me some industrial strength sealer. I added some non-slip sand and got it sealed. Now all the fun starts.

[unc23win]

Nice building looks great glad see one with the evaporator in it. (I had been waiting for trusses for my sugarhouse finally they came today after almsot 6 weeks.) I would think a couple of simple pulleys will make it easy to raise and adjust the hood as well as hold it if you want to clean the pans.

[Father & Son]

I've seen a hand crank boat winch and pulleys used to raise and lower stacks and hoods. Worked well.

Jim

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks Jim. Great idea. Should be able to find pretty easy.

[maple maniac65]

[QUOTE=Gavin W. Hooks;229519]8023

Happy, Happy, Happy...

Thanks Dave. I have a guy working on a hood for me. Pretty reasonable price so he got the job $375.00. The guy at Anderson suggested I hang it so I can raise and lower it for better access to syrup pan because it is a hybrid pan, all one piece. Not sure how to go about that. Does anyone have some ideals?


I used 4 cinch straps (non ratchet type) on my front 2x3 hood to raise, lower, level it. Simple and low cost and takes a just a few minutes to adjust. I was at a neighbors sugarhouse and liked the idea better than using a chain

[unc23win]

Gavin I would think tractor supply would have a crank. It probably wouldn't be too hard for you to make a 4 point harness one for each corner and then have just one rope or cable going to the crank. TSC has lots of cable and rope and all of the hardware pulleys and such to go with it. I think they have coated cable as well similar to dog runner cable that might be a good idea. Let me know how it works I will most likely be doing something similar on a larger scale for my hoods.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks again everyone. Will be visiting TSC and/or marina supplier for wench/crank and pulleys. Will definitely post some pics. I'm waiting on the hood to continue. I am planning on making the stack an 8" stack off the hood that telescopes up 18"-20" inside a 10" stack section that goes up to the roof jack.

Will that work? Anyone see any problem?

[Gavin W. Hooks]

The arch is home.

8099

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Progress...8226

Ready to test for leaks.