single pitch roof

[handtapper]

I am building a 8x12 sugar shack to get me/new 2x4 evaporator out of the elements. 3 years boiling outside on homemade is over. I'm reclaiming some lumber from a teardown. I want to for ease of build ect build it with a single pitch. 9' on the tall end and 7' on the short end. I'm planning the evap goes under the 9' side in the corner. I plan to leave 8" exposed in between the rafters on the tall end. So that's about 9 square feet of opening at the highest point of the shack. Anyone seen any problems with this? I have two small windows that swing open and a large door for it. Thanks in advance

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

You must be excited about getting out of the elements. I think that building design will work great. One thing I wasn't clear on though. If I understand you right, the 8" exposed is to vent steam, and is the openings between the rafters on the tall wall. Right? If yes, I may look at closing those in, and cutting a hole to fit on hinges instead. That way you can close and open at will. I may misunderstand what you mean though.

Ben

[MISugarDaddy]

I also boiled under an 8' by 10' single pitch roof with a 2' by 4' evaporator for the last six years. It had open sides that I put roll-up tarps on for those windy days. When the tarps were down, the only place for the steam to escape was through the rafter openings as you described, and that was not enough opening with a good boil going. Also, when the wind was out of the direction on the high side of the roof, it really got steamy inside. I would suggest, as Ben suggested above, to have hinge openings on all four sides to allow you to open and close the sides that you want to have open. This would also allow you to have more available open space when you need it and close it up when you don't want it.

[handtapper]

Mountain good idea on hinging the exposed areas between rafters both for heat and steam with the wind. MI how tight was the 8x10 with the evap you and everything else in there? I am going to have to move this when I move in next few years so I don't want to go to big road limits without a permit etc is 8.5 feet wide. I could go longer than 12 if needed.

[MISugarDaddy]

It was fairly tight. It would have been nice to be wider, even a couple of feet, as well as longer. We are just finishing up a new sugarhouse that is 16' by 24' and I can't tell you how nice it is going be to have more room and no more tarps.