Help! I can't keep up!

[lindseyr1980]

A blessing and a curse. Can't keep up! Only have 45 taps in, and I'm well over 100 gallons. Our little make shift back woods evaporator doesn't keep up. We just do this for ourselves and a few friends, but I hate to see that precious sap coming out and possibly going to waste :(

Next year we will revamp our system. This only year 3, and like I said, we really just do it for ourselves. BUT WE ARE ADDICTED! I heard that could happen.

Any thoughts or tips on evaporating faster?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BillinTennessee]

I too have a small operation and my first attempt last year was with a 5 gallon Aluminum cauldron over an open fire.
I figured out right away that was not going to work this year.
I bought a 2'-0" X 4'-0" Stainless steel evaporator pan. I am still boiling over an open fire outside but I can process 100 gallons a day now if I keep the fire hot and have a good boil. It will be a loooong day but I can get it done.

FIRST YEAR
11070

THIS YEAR
11069

[brass maple]

Bill
If you put a door on that rig I'll bet you could boil alittle faster. A lot of heat escaping out the front the way it is in your picture

[Run Forest Run!]

Hey Lindsey, your exact situation is when I really lean on my sap refractometer. I boil the most sugar-rich sap first and work my way down from there. Since you've only got 24 hours in a day, at least you can make the most of it when you know what brix you are dealing with.

[FarmerJake]

Bill - I'm a newbie this year and I have a setup similar to yours from last year. What was your evaporation rate per hour with that setup?

[lindseyr1980]

Bill, wondering how much and where you got your pan?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[asknupp]

Lindsey had your same set up last year but I had a door and a leaf blower shooting air under the door.
If you look through my gallery you can see it there. Around 8gph.
Andy

[BillinTennessee]

I bought my Pan from Smokey Lake. It came with a Dial thermometer and stainless steel draw off ball vale. It was about $450 but I don't recall the exact amount.

I am getting better at this. The last batch I did took me 9 hours to boil 60 Gallons so about 7 gallons per hour?
As suggested below I did have a metal plate blocking the opening part of the time.
I also use a good quality firewood. White oak and Hickory. I learned the better the firewood the hotter the fire and faster the boil.

I must admit I am still a little timid with the fire. I am afraid I will damage the pan. I let the fire die down a bit at the end because I am afraid I'll scorch the syrup so I probably lose a little time by doing that.
The fire pit Concrete block firebox could be better. I am going to improve it for next year since I hope to do more syrup.

[BillinTennessee]

I'd add this, If I lived "up north" I would expect to be able to find pre-owned equipment. I move here from Michigan and I knew a farmer who had an evaporator sitting in his woods. It had not been used in many years.
I tried locating equipment here in middle Tennessee and most people had no idea what i was talking about. I order everything off the internet.

[lindseyr1980]

Thank you bill. Since I am in michigan, I might suck it up and get something better yet this season. I'm barely getting 15 gal a day! Thankfully today was chilly and so slow I haven't had to empty a single bucket yet. Barely a quarter gal from each tap today....at best. I'm supplementing right now with our propane boiler. But I don't want to drop $20 a day on a tank of propane for what little it does for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BillinTennessee]

Lindsey, I considered the cost vs reward thing and decided if I was going to do this I would make it as easy on myself as possible. I have not sold any of my syrup so I am not seeing any return on my investment. I started this as a hobby, LOL. Something to do while the weather was still crappy. But even at Walmart prices I figure I made about $475.00 worth of wonderful Maple syrup this year so I already have recouped most of my investment. And it beats the heck out of eating Corn Syrup on my Waffles and the Candy is great.
I hope the sap starts flowing better for you. It should. I shut down a little earlier than I should have. I could have run a couple hundred more gallons of sap but I think I did enough for this year.

I have plenty of firewood available to me all I have to do is cut it so I won't be using any Propane

Funny thing is I now have people asking to buy syrup from me and willing to pay top prices. I'm not sure I want to part with any.

[Hannah]

Lindsey I agree, yesterday was a horrible flow day and tonight is not supposed to drop below freezing so I don't expect to be collecting great amounts tomorrow. We also are small time with around 38 taps in. Not sure if you have any larger operations in your area, but I know if I get into trouble with too much sap there is a local gentleman here that will run your sap through his RO system and charges a percentage of sap. If you know anyone in your area with an RO system see if they could assist in your dilemma.