New Evaporator

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Stepping up from last year, We purchased a CDL Hobby Evaporator 18"x48" with Flat/Flues pan. I am looking for anybody who has one that I can talk to about how much GPH it boils and amount of wood used and also number of taps. We are also in the progress of building a 11x16 sugarhouse also. I can't wait to use it to boil this spring!

[Drew Pond Maple]

When I bought mine last year I was told that it would do 18gph. I would say it's more like 12-15gph. Not exact but a good estimate. 18gph would be pushing it.
Wood consumption is about 1.5-2 cords. I burned a lot of white pine and some for my indoor stove.

A few drawbacks
The partition in the flue pan is only tack welded so sap mixes
No flue drain, real pita to drain and clean

I have 140 taps, mostly woods trees that are red and sugar maples. My best weekend was 75 gallons and 65 gallons. Not a lot, I know for 140 taps.
Estimate that 700-750 gallons of sap total for the year. For 2014 I'm running a small vacuum pump

All in all great little evaporator, very pleased

Good luck G&D

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Thank you so much Drew Pond Maple! I was hoping to find someone who has the same evaporator as I do. I am in the progress building a 12x16 sugarhouse so once that gets completed then we'll get the evaporator ready and test boil.

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

8136813781388139

[Drew Pond Maple]

My sugar shack is also a 12x16. Plenty of room inside....for now. How many taps do you have? I see from the pics you also have a pond. Maybe a source of water for a water cooled vacuum pump someday

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

I was thinking of maybe doing 100 taps, with some sap brought from other neighbors/friends. After I see you wrote 140 taps, I may add more taps in.

[Drew Pond Maple]

After I see you wrote 140 taps, I may add more taps in. Just remember that my trees are smaller woods trees with small canopies. If you have larger trees with larger canopies you will get alot more sap. At 100 gallons of sap, that's 6 1/2 hours of boiling. I don't know how much time you have to boil. I work a full time job and with a 3&5 year old, doesnt leave much time for boiling. Had some pretty late nights last year

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

I am a College kid going for Natural Gas Technology here in NEPA and would only have 3 days of classes this spring, the maple business is under my neighbor and I so between both of us there would be lots of time to boil and collect.

[Drew Pond Maple]

That is great! Then I would say go for it. Get as many taps as you can. It's good to see new generations getting into maple. I can only hope that my kids would have as much interest as you or I do. I think you'll have a blast with the new CDL evaporator. I know I did. Good luck G&D

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Drew Pond Maple,
While you had the evaporator running, was your sugarhouse warm enough from the evaporator? My neighbor and I discussed if the sugarhouse would be warm to be able to boil on cold days if we ever do.

[Drew Pond Maple]

G&D Absolutley. Being bricked with half bricks only allows for some heat to be radiated from the arch. I think the biggest thing is being indoors, not out in the elements. Unlike my first year. Outside, cold, wet on drizzly nights, windy-snowy. But I guess everybody experiences that in the beginning. One up side to being outside is your boiling sodas don't get warm. You'll be fine

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Drew Pond Maple,
Just another thought, do you have a preheater for the evaporator? We got one too but I'm thinking of making a copper coil going around the smoke stack before it reaches the preheater so no cold sap goes into the preheater to speed up boiling.

[Drew Pond Maple]

I do not. Thought of making one out of copper like a parallel one but learned you need a drip tray and hood so I scratched that idea. Not putting much more money into this thing. Saving for the big upgrade. Maybe a 2x8 or 2.5x8. There are some threads on here about the stack preheater, which you probably know. I have no idea if they work. So which one are you? G or D

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Good Question, G & D are the first letters of our last names, I am the "D", My name is Ben Davenport. I thought it was a cool idea to make a title like that. That also makes me wonder how your title was formed as Drew Pond Maple. Interesting title.

[Drew Pond Maple]

My wife and i always wanted a large parcel of land, so when one came on the market with a VERY OLD house and a "pond" we had to have it. It's just over 100 acres. Anyways, the people that lived here before us were the Drew family, and the pond is called drew pond. So I thought it was fitting to call it drew pond maple after the folks that had lived here for something like 80 or 85 years. That's just my user name for now, as we'll see where it takes me in the future???

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Some are some New Pictures to add
860486058606

[NE PA Maple]

Ben, where are you guys located?

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

I am in Susquehanna County near Montrose.

[tuckermtn]

Nice looking shack and set-up. Hope you have some room to expand...this is an addiction.

Can you put a blower on your arch? Might be a good first ad-on to boost your GPH.

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Yes we're looking for a blower but haven't found one yet

[cvmaple]

Nice shack and evaporator!! Very smart to put it up on blocks to save your back when stoking. Also approve of your big windows. good job and have a fun season. cvmaple

[Ridgeville]

I just bought the same evaporator with a continuous flow pan instead of the flue pan. I was told it should boil at 15+ gph which I knew would be a stretch. I'm hoping for 10 gph. I'm planning on 75 - 100 taps this spring.

I have some questions:
(1) I bought the half bricks, what is the easiest way to cut them? I am installing in the wood with no electricity near by.
(2) I am installing insulation under the bricks, can I install the bricks with cementing them down? I need to move back into the barn after season and what to save my back.
(3) Did you use sand on the back of the arch or bricks? I think I bought enough to cover with brick.
(4) How does the stack attached to the back of the arch? Mine just seems to sit on top of it. Is that right?

I know I can call the folks I bought it from, they are very helpful, but why not ask here. Thanks, RG

[G&D MapleSurgaring]

Sorry I can't answer all of your questions,
#2- I would cement the bricks so that why they wont fall in the firebox while loading wood and boiling.
#3- No need for sand if you got insulating blanket and firebricks
and #4- Our smokestack too is just sitting on the arch.

[eustis22]

#1) If you have a grinder, buy a tile blade from Home Despot.....just dribble water on where you're cutting to keep the dust down. Same if you have some kind of miter...otherwise rent a tile cutter.

[maple flats]

Some are some New Pictures to add
860486058606
You might be happier with a hood. Since you have the roofing steel, direct on the spaced boards it will rain in there. I know this because mine is the same design. Make some sort of hood to carry the steam out and you will be OK.