Drop lines or buckets

[Skeller001]

I just purchased a property with about 15 sugar maple trees on it that are over a foot in diameter. I would like to tap them and make my own syrup.

I am a bit confused about which way to go, buckets or drop lines to 5 gallon buckets. Any recommendations would be appreciated! Also any suggestions on where to get supplies and buckets, good spouts to use, etc.

I think I need. Spouts, lines, buckets, hammer, removal tool, candy thermometer, hydrometer, hydrometer flask, and filter of some sort.

Sorry for all the questions but I would truly appreciate any help

Steve

[minehart gap]

Steve, I have only found maple supplies in Southwest, Not and Northern PA. Brenneman's (south of Summerset) is probably the closest to you. Or you could order supplies online. Check the Dealer Directory at the top of the Maple Trader page that you are looking at when you read this. Good luck, this maple stuff is pretty fun.

[maple flats]

I just purchased a property with about 15 sugar maple trees on it that are over a foot in diameter. I would like to tap them and make my own syrup.

I am a bit confused about which way to go, buckets or drop lines to 5 gallon buckets. Any recommendations would be appreciated! Also any suggestions on where to get supplies and buckets, good spouts to use, etc.

I think I need. Spouts, lines, buckets, hammer, removal tool, candy thermometer, hydrometer, hydrometer flask, and filter of some sort.

Sorry for all the questions but I would truly appreciate any help

Steve
Steve, depending on your budget, you could buy all of those things or you could make some to save money.
The hydrometer cup comes to mind. With a length of 1.5 or 2" PVC pipe and a flat cap you can make the cup. If you do, cut the PVC at 10-12" long, glue the cap on one end and while not fancy you have a hydrometer cup. If you decide to use buckets, make sure thay are food grade. One source of free buckets is your local bakery, they buy frosting in buckets. Get the lids too. Then I think drops are easier and keep the sap cleaner but either method works. If you go the bucket method, drill a hole just below the top rings on the bucket for a snug fit into the bucket. Then make the drops, a plastic tap (spile) on one end and make it long enough to reach from a good comfortable height, to the ground. When you tap, set the bucket on the ground and push the free end of the drop into the hole you drilled. I used that method my first year, but buckets got blown over. I then put a small clamp on the drop line just inside the bucket, that held the bucket upright until it got sap weight in it. Just set the lids on, and a stone can help hold lids there, if you snap them on you then need to fight getting them off. If the buckets you get are 3 or 3.5 gal, just 1 tap/bucket, if they are 5 gal, you can use a T to combine 2 and that can then service two drops if the tree is large enough or the trees are close to each other.
Most of all, have fun.

[Skeller001]

Matt, I will check out the Maple Trader. If nothing there I will order online ASAP. It sounds like fun, I cant wait. It doesn't hurt that we love maple syrup.

Dave, I was leaning towards the drops. That is a great idea on where I might be able to get some buckets. I have a wine/beer making hydrometer and cup. I need to see if it is for the same range.

[lyford]

You will need a hydrometer made for syrup. The beer one won’t work.

[Cjadamec]

If you are looking to save a couple bucks on the hydrometer you can get a refractometer on Amazon for around 20 bucks. A "honey refractometer" has a brix scale high enough for syrup. It might not be perfectly accurate but for home made syrup it worked well enough for me last season. I checked the boiling temp with a thermometer and used the refractometer. When they both said I had syrup I called it good.

I would also say drops into 5 gallon buckets or clean 1 gallon water/milk jugs is a great way to start as a beginner. My first year that's how I did it.

You can get premade drops in bundles on Amazon as well. They aren't that economical if you have a lot of taps but for around 10 trees it's an easy way to get proper taps all set up with tubing drops. It will say you shipping costs

[minehart gap]

Steve, you might want to call Brenneman's, I was there a few months ago and he had used stainless steel spouts for a good price and just about everything else that you might need. He told me that if I called an order, he would ship.

You may also want to check with some other guys on here about how many taps to put in if you are boiling on turkey fryers.

[Skeller001]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I ordered my supplies yesterday and will go for buckets today at a restaurant supply store. I tried a local bakery but they reuse theirs. I can’t wait to try my hand at this.

[maple flats]

For the buckets several have commented in years past that they got some from their local Walmart bakery dept, free. Another place to try would be any local grocery store that has their own bakery.
Back in my first year I stopped at a local Chinese restaurant. I got about 50 jugs (5 gal), that originally had frying oil in them. They were a bear to clean, but they finally came clean. I used Dawn, hot water and a clean dish cloth to clean them. I'd fill it with about 1/2-3/4 gal hot water, add some Dawn, drop the dish cloth (brand new) in, screw the cap on and shake as hard as I could. Then I repeated 4-5X on each, with just hot water after the second wash.
Then I tried to drill the caps to insert the tubing, but the caps were too brittle. 2 broke, then I got a steel rod the same O.D. as the 5/16 tubing, ground one end to a blunt point, heated it to red glow and pushed it thru the caps. I could do 3 or 4, then reheat the rod.

[Skeller001]

thanks for the suggestions. I ended up picking up a few food grade buckets with lids at Lowes for $7.50 each. If I need more I will keep this in mind.

[Tap&sap]

thats a little rich for my blood, haha

[Skeller001]

Lol... edited... missed a decimal place

[Helicopter Seeds]

I got my buckets from Lowes also, and I chose to drill in the lids rather than the sides. I use an 8 inch small bungee to secure the lid without fully snapping, it does a good job of keeping stuff out, including rain and snow since the tubes are tight in the holes. I bought enough that I can carry two empties to the trees, and swap the buckets. Then the buckets ride in back of the truck with other lids and bungees, and a cargo bar keeps from sliding. Then I pour into a 55 gallon food grade plastic drum. System works, I keep them several inches from the top while driving, really don't spill much. I also can hot water rinse and wipe buckets mid season. I will need more, as I have more trees. Sap collection and storage is not my biggest limitation- boiling time is.

[Sugarmaker]

Maybe I missed it? What are you boiling on? The buckets and drop lines will work well and result in good clean sap. Drill your tubing entry hole on the side of the bucket just below the lid. This will allow the lid to be installed and removed with out removing the lid of each bucket.
Good luck with your season. Pictures would be good.:)
Regards,
Chris

[Woody77]

I drill through the lid I do 200 this way and it works great.
When I collect sap I carry two pails to the tree pop the lids swap the pails snap the lids back on and head to the truck to dump. Then repeat. I bought buckets at menards on 11% rebate for $2.35 a piece but I bought 200 of them. The best lids are the black lids from home depot there easy to remove and don't break when it's cold.
I just recently found a guy in central Michigan that has used pails for sale on Craig's list for $1.25 a piece he gets them by the thousand they have chicken or beef base in them he wont ship them to you but if your close that's a darn good deal. i just got 200 of them.

[Skeller001]

Sugarmaker. The plan is to boil on two turkey fryers. I have 10-15 trees on my property. I will be very happy if I can Get a gallon or two of syrup this year!

Helicopter seeds and woody77 thanks for the info. For this year I plan to tap two to four days, enough to fill 2 buckets per tree then boil it off that weekend.

This may be a sill question..... when you remove your taps do you plug the tree?

[Chickenman]

No...do not plug the tree. Let it heal on it's own. Many "old timers" used to put an aspirin on the hole too and this is another no no. Dr. Tim has mentioned this as well as many others.

[maple flats]

Trees do the best job filling in the tap hole without any "help" from us. If you use 5/16 taps the hole will be sealed in 2-3 months and fully filled in by late summer on all healthy trees.

[Skeller001]

I ordered 5/16th to be less of an impact to the trees.

One more novice question, at least for now... How many gallons should I expect to boil down per hour per turkey fryer setup? I have 2 of them.

[Helicopter Seeds]

I ordered 5/16th to be less of an impact to the trees.

One more novice question, at least for now... How many gallons should I expect to boil down per hour per turkey fryer setup? I have 2 of them.

It could be only 1 gph, and will vary depending on things like burner BTU, gas flow, pot size and even on outside temperature and wind. It can get expensive, and the bottle will freeze up before it is empty. most folks that start that way end up with a wood fire under the pot. A few members here just got more pots and bigger fires, and get 15 gph that way. I call it a brute force, but it sure works. I use propane to finish, so I can adjust the flame low to avoid spillover. Something you will learn quickly. Good luck.

[Skeller001]

I have plenty of firewood for camping but no place at my current home to make a fire. Next year....

Do I need to use stainless pots to boil off? I ask because I have a larger, wider enamel pot I could also use. I assume more bottom surface area would be better?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

[minehart gap]

I'm thinking that you definitely need stainless but the old time sugar makers used copper and cast iron kettles from what I've heard and before that, who knows? I've never heard of anyone using enamel pots though.

[Cjadamec]

Stainless is preferred because it is easy to see that it is clean and it won't impart any off putting flavors into the final product.

An enamel lined steel pot should be ok but its not always possible to see any cracks in the enamel that might allow the sap to come in contact with the steel of the pot. That might impart a metallic taste to the syrup. Also any leftover flavors from anything previously cooked in the enamel pot could come out in the syrup. There is risk involved with using that pot.

You are correct that having a larger surface area of pot is better. A large roasting pan would perform better in terms of evaporation rate when compared to your average turkey fryer pot.

Restaurant steam table pans (https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-NJP-1004-Stainless-14-5-Quart/dp/B0036C67U6/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=steam+table+pan&qid=1547731624&sr=8-6) are an easy to get and cheap pan option for a hobby beginner. Each full size steam table pan gives you roughly 2 square feet of evaporation surface.

It is very easy and inexpensive to make a quick fire pit from concrete block that can hold one or two steam table pans over a fire. That's how I boiled my first year.

My current oil tank evaporator uses 5 six inch deep steam table pans and I can get around 15 gallons an hour evaporation rate.

[Bucket Head]

As a kid, I used two enamel coated roaster pans for years without any issues. Also had a plain steel flat pan made for boiling. No issues with either. Believe it or not, a thin coating of the nitre and sugar gets "baked" on, which basically seals the pan, and they won't rust. Just do not scrub, steel wool, wirebrush, sand, scotchbrite, etc. the coating off! Gently wash/rinse and leave it at that.
Stainless steam pans are a great alternative providing their cost is in the "budget". As a kid I had no budget...lol.

Steve

[Sugarmaker]

Not many of us tap or gather for only a couple days. (There just seems to be something terribly wrong with letting sap run on the ground when it could be made into syrup.) I do understand your just getting started. Good luck and have fun. Yes stainless pot or pan would be a good choice. Although I have seen some very odd unusual and maybe not safe boiling pans used.
Regards,
Chris

[Skeller001]

I agree and have been thinking about this. I may tap less trees but do it for longer especially if it will take forever to boil larger amounts down the way I have to do it this year. If I start the first week slower I can gauge what I can do with my setup.

[gbeneke]

You probably be better off with buckets or sap bags on 1' diameter trees unless you can reach 2-3 trees with drop lines to 5 gallon buckets. You may find this equipment cheap on maple trader classified.
Guessing but yield could be 7-30 gallons so you need some type of storage. 50 gallon plastic drum (food safe) to hold sap. Many people start with a turkey fryer set up or restaurant pan and small double
burner and look for a small evaporator if they want to continue making syrup. Syrup Hydrometer, yes. SS hydrometer flask yes. Orlon filter yes. Paper prefilter yes. Sugar Bush Supplies, Bascom Maple or a local
supplier for supplies.
Have a great time

[groomer_guy]

You probably be better off with buckets or sap bags on 1' diameter trees unless you can reach 2-3 trees with drop lines to 5 gallon buckets. You may find this equipment cheap on maple trader classified.
Guessing but yield could be 7-30 gallons so you need some type of storage. 50 gallon plastic drum (food safe) to hold sap. Many people start with a turkey fryer set up or restaurant pan and small double
burner and look for a small evaporator if they want to continue making syrup. Syrup Hydrometer, yes. SS hydrometer flask yes. Orlon filter yes. Paper prefilter yes. Sugar Bush Supplies, Bascom Maple or a local
supplier for supplies.
Have a great time

Yes I agree buckts or bags would be the best for your set up. I still use buckets and this year we are putting more out.

[Sugarmaker]

Skeller,
You wont know until you tap them, but ma' nature will set the pace! You just need to keep up.
Regards,
Chris

[Skeller001]

Based on a lot of great information on this forum I decided to jump all in. I previously purchased drop lines, spouts, hydrometer, thermometer, and the tools needed to insert and remove the spouts. I then gathered up 13 food grade buckets and that number will grow as the cafe at the place I work empties them. My weak spot for the year is not being able to build a better way to boil off so I am limited to two turkey fryer burners. For next year I will be able to make a wood fired setup. So I was concerned about the time, labor, and propane issues I may have this season. So last night I ordered two 6” deep steam pans to use on the propane burners which will provide more surface area and I can use them in my build for next year. Here is the all in part... I also ordered an RO bucket to reduce the time further. That will hopefully allow me to tap more and longer this season. I am excited for the season!