Windy

[one more]

💨 Fighting the wind with today's boil, a shack will be built for next year's season! Come hell or high water... Or wind.

[DuncanFTGC/SS]

I agree, the first two years that I boiled I had a garage to do it in. Close to the door with the door open. This year I am outside, and I am realizing that I did not appreciate how good that I had it! LOL
Next year I am going to put up a simple lean-to with some scrap metal roofing and probably some plywood around the sides, on the bottom half of the walls. It will have to be temporary for a year or two till I figure out where to put the permanent shack, but I do not want to be out in the open again!

[Flapjack]

I built a 3 sided enclosure to break the wind. It sure eased my mind as I was always concerned about sparks from the fire. You will sleep much easier and have a more controlled boil.

[wnybassman]

You won't ever regret a shack. My first 16 years (16 years!!!) I boiled in the open air. The last few years of that I upgraded and put a tarp up as a wall on the predominant wind side. Now after being indoors for two years, I just snicker during times of lousy weather of how insane I was.

[one more]

13994
This was taken on a nice day, half in the garage half out! Today was nothing but leaves blowing!

[Hannah]

I've always boiled outside, but with the snow storm bearing down on us this last Tuesday I had to do something if I was going to get my sap boiled. I moved my homemade rig just inside the garage and added an additional 4' of horizontal stove pipe to get it outside and closed the door part way, then I blocked the rest of the opening off as much as I dared. I have been able to boil every night this week despite receiving 6" of snow and 1/4" of ice over the past two days. I do some of my best work in the Garage:cool:

[Jim Coleman]

This is my first year boiling inside, it s amazing. I boiled outside for over 20 years and didn't mind it because I didn't know what I was missing. I finshed my shed just before boiling and improved my evaporator/woodstove. Doubled the size of the boiling area and added a blower and grate. I store the raw sap in coolers and leave ice when it is there to keep the sap fresh. Hanging out in the sap house boiling and making splits keeps me busy. I was thinking the other day what will I do when the sap stops running....then I remembered all the other stuff that always needs doing. My shack is 10 by 12 and I got quite a few items free and second hand. I am in about $1600. and will need to buy one bundle of cedar shingles. I listen to the radio surf the web and just chill out to the smell of maple boiling and spruce wood splits, We sure are blessed to have sugar maples!

I have added the cupola and strapping since this photo ws taken.
Jim

IMG_5895-2-2-2-2.jpg

[Jim Coleman]

Here is the almost completed sugar house with the cupola in place still needs shingling.

14019

[campus189]

Here is the almost completed sugar house with the cupola in place still needs shingling.

http://mapletrader.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=14019&stc=1


Ok, I'm now jealous, thanks.

[one more]

Nice! Do you have a wood floor? If so, would you recommend it? I was going to make a pad for the evaporator and then stone the rest for the time being. Trying to trim budget so the wife doesn't kill me! Lol.

[Jim Coleman]

One more: I used 30" by 24" cement patio stones, I got 30 of them free off Kijiji (a used stuff shopping site). All I had to do was load them on my pick up truck, and put them in place, The front door was free (off of my son's log home) the two big windows were $30 each and the small ones $10. each. The shingles were left over from my son's log home build years ago and there were 12 bundles still banded. I like the patio stones because they are rugged and won't rot. In addition it is easier/cheaper than a slab (obviously a slab would be the best but $ was an issue). It becomes a bit of a contest to see how much I could save with used materials which are available.

I will use the sugar shack for storage after boiling and slide the evaporator off to the side under the work bench. So if you can build and take the time to find used or free materials you can save a lot of money and be happy about it.

Good luck.

Jim

[saphound]

Very nice, Jim. Is the cupola just for steam or does it vent your smoke too.

[Jim Coleman]

Sap Hound: The cupola is for steam only. I ran the chimney pipe outside and took it out above the cupola. I got some (you guessed it - free) galvanized sheet steel that a made a hood out of. The steam rises nicely right out the cupola and the sugar house remains steam free. I had never really built a building like this before but it really wasn't that difficult. My buddies helped me raise the stud walls and trusses, and after that most of the plywood, windows, doors etc were done on my own. I built the cupola seperately and did need help raising it up. The winch on my quad runner and my sons helped me slide it up the ladder into place where I quickly screwed it in place. It has been an enjoyable job.

Jim

[Daveg]

Really nice! Your wide overhangs add a lot to make it pleasing to the eye.

[one more]

That's an idea I hadn't thought about Jim. Going to have to keep an eye out for that now! I'm torn between good ideas for cutting costs or biting the bullet and doing it the "right" way, or more expensive way first. I want to really upgrade everything this year, looking at getting a canning filter finisher combo, a new hybrid drop flue pan and the shack! So I stand to spend a decent amount of money. Lol😨, anyway thanks for the ideas and stayed tuned for progress!

Matt