A New Sugarhouse is Born

[GeneralStark]

Today a new sugarhouse was born in Bristol, VT. Now Little Hogback Farm has a permanent home.821182128213

[unc23win]

Looks Great General! I'd say thats a good days work.

[noreast maple]

good design, --thats what im going to do also when i build my new one, post and beams!!!!!!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

awesome, hurry up its coming fast

[maple flats]

That looks like a great start. This is about how far I was at this time when I built mine. Well not exactly, we had a truss raising party on New Year's Eve day. We made syrup in it in 2 1/2 months.

[GeneralStark]

Looks Great General! I'd say thats a good days work.

A crane certainly helps. Only took two hours to raise the frame, but there was a fair bit of work prior to that. Now it is on to the roof and siding. I have an evaporator on the way.

[GeneralStark]

awesome, hurry up its coming fast

I hear ya. 100% sugaring for the next month.

[Vermonner]

That's great!! We did a timberframe up at Shelburne sugarworks last year. Something perfectly appropriate about that in my mind.

[Starting Small]

How long did it take to cut the mortice and tenons? Thanks,
-Dave

[GeneralStark]

How long did it take to cut the mortice and tenons? Thanks,
-Dave

On the six posts, about two days including planing with a hand power planer. Two days for the four scarfs and all mortices on the plates (24' in length with two timbers each). About two hours for the three joists and then about 6 hours for cutting the rafters and another 2 hours for planing and assembling. I used an awesome rafter calculator I found on line to lay our the rafters (4x6). All the angle braces are fastened with 8" timber locks and are not mortice and tenoned. This saves lots of time though certainly is not trad. Perfectly functional though and a fine compromise in my mind, especially when sugaring season is coming quick.:o

I am not a pro timber framer but was a boatbuilder/shipwright for almost 10 years. The two hour crane service for 300$ was well worth it.

[GeneralStark]

That's great!! We did a timberframe up at Shelburne sugarworks last year. Something perfectly appropriate about that in my mind.

Yeah I watched that one go together as I often drive by there. Nice functional frame. It's true, timber frame construction is ideal for a sugarhouse. I think it is much quicker and cheaper, especially if you can mill the material. That is if you cut the frame yourself. Not for everyone, but not as tough as many think. Also, with modern fasteners like timber locks you can save some time on the braces and rafters.

I am going to do a frame for our house as well and will do some more fancy features for that like crooked braces and some debarked round logs.

[GeneralStark]

Lots going on between getting married, milling more logs for sugarhouse material, getting the roof on before the ice storm, and starting to get siding on. The evaporator is coming the first week of Jan., so I should be ready.

825482558256

[wiam]

Looking good!

[RC Maple]

Is the shelter over your building materials temporary or will it be wood storage when your done building?

[GeneralStark]

Is the shelter over your building materials temporary or will it be wood storage when your done building?

That's temporary material storage and chop saw shelter while the building goes up. There will be shed roofs off the ends off the building for wood and tank storage.

[GeneralStark]

Some very shiny and expensive equipment was delivered today.

83498350

[unc23win]

Awesome General the Sugarhouse looks great also!

[GeneralStark]

Roof details are finished and the exterior is done (for now). Now onto finishing the heated room, electric and plumbing.

83858386

[eagle lake sugar]

Very nice! I wanted to do the same thing, but just didn't have the time. I'm building a log home next summer and will be employing some of the same techniques.

[Sugarmaker]

Very nice sugarhouse. I like it! I am interested in the placement of your rig in the sugarhouse. What are your thoughts or use for the total space? Looks like you have the new rig, which looks awesome, placed to the side and one end of the sugarhouse. Does that get it closer to the wood storage area?
Regards,
Chris

[GeneralStark]

Very nice sugarhouse. I like it! I am interested in the placement of your rig in the sugarhouse. What are your thoughts or use for the total space? Looks like you have the new rig, which looks awesome, placed to the side and one end of the sugarhouse. Does that get it closer to the wood storage area?
Regards,
Chris

Chris - Thanks. In terms of the layout, I am shooting for a functional space that maximizes the small footprint. I have been in many sugarhouses through the years and while the "traditional" design with the rig in the center under the cupola is nice, I don't think it is a great use of the space. So, I decided to push the rig to the side with about 32" of clearance between it and the wall. With this rig I will always draw off on the left side (looking at the door) so that frees up quite a bit of space. On the other side of the building there will be counter and canning area and a sink. A heated room in the other corner with storage above and more storage below the head tank next to the heated room. I will be posting more photos as it comes together.

In this photo, you can see the door that wood will be loaded through. There will be a woodshed on this end of the building with a tank shed on the other. When boiling, we will open this door and load wood directly from the woodshed into the rig. The woodshed floor will be about 8" lower than the slab so should be a little easier on the back.

8387

[unc23win]

General that's very similar to how I did mine except I have an oil burner so. My evaporator is pushed to one side and set up for left side draw off only I left it out about 5' for a little extra room, but my building is a little bigger also. So then I have a heated room in one corner with storage above. Then I have plenty of space to the side of the evaporator and in front of the heated room for canning and what not.

Very nice looking building good job!

[Vermonner]

That's really looking great General. Boiling before we know it. If you happen by Shelburne Sugarworks and see us boiling before you are, stop in and say hi.

[GeneralStark]

That's really looking great General. Boiling before we know it. If you happen by Shelburne Sugarworks and see us boiling before you are, stop in and say hi.

Thanks! Haven't had time to post more photos but I will try to soon. The shell of the building has been done for a bit and am now working on systems and prepping to brick the rig on friday. Most of the electric is done and will be hooking up the vac. pump, sap pump and blower next week. More to do in the woods, but will definitely have 500 taps ready to go by the 22nd. Looks like not much going on until then anyway and with the frost we have in the ground, things will be slow to start. I do want to be tapped when it really comes.

I will definitely stop by sometime. These days monday is my burl. day, but am up there occasionally in addition. You guys tapping yet?

[GeneralStark]

I decided to add on this year and double the size of the sugarhouse. The new addition is 16x22 and it will primarily be for sap storage but will also have an area for storing syrup barrels. I may even add a small coolbot walk-in at some point for storing open barrels.

I scored a used 1500 gal. round bottom ss tank for sap and purchased a 700 gallon tank for concentrate. The 1500 gal. tank will overflow into the 700 gal. so I should not have to worry about overflowing tanks ever again. I'll be using my old 400 gal. ss tanks for permeate now. This year they will be in this new addition, but next year I will be moving them under a small shed roof off the east side of the addition.

1696516966

[n8hutch]

Looks like your setting yourself up good General.

[red dorakeen]

Sugarhouse was born and it's growing. Looks great.

[unc23win]

I was wondering where the General had been looks like you have been busy. Nice addition you have there. Best of luck in 2018!