Things got a little steamy in the sugarshack !

[nace]

8745 after some delays and patching 2 leaks, I finally fired up this 40"x12' king ! Now to get some vacuum on my 235 taps and hope for a late spring.

[maple flats]

buy or make a hood. I made my first 3 hoods, my current was made by the pan manufacturer. Mine worked fine, but theirs is certainly nicer.
I made mine out of aluminum sheet and used 1" aluminum channel for gutter. I've seen several homemade hoods, the most basic was a suspended lightweight wooden frame made from firing strips, that hung about 6" outside the 4x12 evaporator and went up to about 6" from the cupola. That sugarhouse had a dirt floor and they had plenty of 1st place ribbons from the New York State Fair for their syrup. All the others were made from aluminum and were pop riveted together.

[nace]

Hi David, I have the hood but I just wanted to watch the first run closely to learn how this monster boils. Going from a homemade 2x4 divided pan even though I've learned a lot from all the traders on here, I knew I'd better start slow. Even so, I still had a little scorched spot...I didn't even think it was anywhere close to syrup...wow. It had been boiling more in the middle two sections so when I restoked the box I had spread the embers around the edges. Didn't waste much and clean up won't be too terrible. The learning curve reminds me of paddle ball.

[Sugarmaker]

nace,
Very nice shot of the stem rolling! Good thing you were watching that could have been a lot worse. I did the same thing when I started up our rig for the first time. It boiled a lot faster than I was used to.
We will be into that boiling thing in a week or so. Currently about 10 below zero in Albion PA.
We will wait till it warms a tad to tap.
Your 40 x 12 is the big brother to the 3 x 10 King we run. Post some more pictures if you have them.
Regards,
Chris

[nace]

Well, I figured out that the foam got up in the flue pan which raises the float which causes your syrup pan to boil dry. On tonight's run I noticed the syrup pan level drop and that the flue pan was quiet. Added defoamer and the float dropped and started adding sap !

[Sugarmaker]

nace,
I have not seen the foam effect the sap level that much?? Good catch though. Adding a drop or two of defoamer can change the whole process. I add a drop or two in the rear pan each time I fire. Also a drop in the draw off channel near the draw off.
That rig should boil off 100+ gallons per hour or more if you have it tuned up.
Regards,
Chris

[afretired]

Nace
Things are looking good around here. I took off 275 gallons of sap Saturday and 375 gallons this evening. We had the evaporator rocking, took off two batches then got the syrup two shallow and scorched the pan. That ended cooking for this evening, spent the next hour cleaning the pan.

It sounds like you have a monster of a pan, is it 12 ft long? My trees have really turned on in the last few days. I've got trees that haven't gave up a drop! and now they are coming on. I think we will have few more weeks.

David

[nace]

Hey David, yes this monster( for me) 40"x12' king has a 5' syrup pan and a 7' drop flue. I only have 239 taps and the guy I thought I could lease 12 acres from, backed out. I'll be working on a lease this summer.

[afretired]

Mace did you do any cooking today, I thought I saw a big smoke down south, was that you? I'm sure I could see the smoke and steam for 60 miles. We'll, we cooked this evening the sap was flowing a little slower today, we only had about 325 gallons. I didn't check the sugar content but it had to be lower. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
David

[nace]

Yes David I was cooking, I doubt if you could see it from 60 miles but I have noticed several heilocopters. Several people ask if I make moonshine too. I've got the tank down to about 250 gallons, it was near full (estimated 500gallons ). It's good to know that my homemade tank actually holds up! I've drawn off 2 1/2 gallons and I'll be trying to improve the evaporation rate. Part of the problem is my wood got wet. Always something. My sap was running slow also so perhaps with these warm days, I can get caught up and ready for this weekends freeze.

[afretired]

Nace
Cooking again, only got 175 gallons tonight. I'm glad, these late nights are killing me. No help tonight, just me. Got to go and through more wood in the fire.
David

[nace]

88778877hey Chris, here are a couple more pictures 8878