Cupolas, Cupolas, Cupolas

[Trapper2]

Does everyone have one? Do I really need to build one?. I was thinking about doing a hinged drop down section on the gable ends instead. Bad idea?
20070

[ecolbeck]

I don't think it's a bad idea, but it likely won't be as effective as a cupola. Might it be effective enough for your situation? That depends on the how big your evaporator is and how big the gable opening is. I believe the general rule of thumb is that the surface areas of your evaporator and the cupola opening should be the same. If the gable is less effective, you may need additional area to achieve the same venting effectiveness.

[tcross]

i think your idea would work "ok". i think if you had it vented on both ends of the gables it would work much, much better! if you have a day where the wind is not blowing in the right direction, you may be blowing steam back into the shack.... for example. if you had it vented on both ends, you'd be able to get rid of the steam!

[Trapper2]

I will have about 10 square feet open on both ends, plus storm windows and a swinging service door. . My evaporator is a 3 X 4. I only batch boil 800-1000 gallons either 4 or 5 times a season. I want the shed mostly for storing Syrup equipment during the off season and in case we have wet weather during season. Also I would have a finish turkey fryer setup so I can finish the last few Brix in more controlled environment than in my garage on Sunday night after a 72 hour boil.
Picture of current setup.
20071

[Trapper2]

20072

Picture of evaporator.

[johnallin]

A cupola is not a huge necessity, and what you're about to do with a new building will be a huge improvement over what you are doing now.

But, with a cupola you are utilizing the natural draft created with the heat radiating off the arch. The hot air rises, finds an escape at the cupola and takes the steam up and out with it.

Your new plan is good as long as you can generate an upward draft. If cold air can enter the gable end(s) it will drop like a stone taking the steam with it.
With your open gables; unless they're way up near the top of the building, you may find wind blowing in - and if it's cold the steam will just sit there. It can take a while to get steam moving up and out in our sugar house, I find opening a door to let cold air in near the floor helps get things moving.

I would just build it and try it out for a season, sure beats boiling out in the snow and rain! You can always put a cupola in later...
Good luck with the new digs.

[Maple Lady]

I had both gable ends open this season and I still had quite a bit of moisture dripping down. I only have a small evaporator, 18X36, in an 8X9 Shack with a very low pitched metal roof. I'm hoping to have a steam hood with a stack going out the roof for next year. When it was damp and rainy out, the "rain" inside was worse. I only had a couple boils on a nice day and it did vent better on those days.

[TapTapTap]

Cupola all the way. If you're doing 72 hour boils then you're suffering enough.

[Russell Lampron]

Build a cupola and make that building look like the sugar house that it's going to be. You're probably going to find that the steam isn't going to vent well anyway.

[Lukie]

Build a cupola you will like the look and it makes it look like a sugar shack and the steam will rise on most days out the cupola

[Gremlin]

What material is best to use when building a cupola? With all the steam generated I would think you would need a good waterproof wood??
In the past I have used MDF boards called "Miratech" or "MiraTEC". It's supposed to be super weather/waterproof. Wonder if this stuff would be good for cupolas?

[johnallin]

Maybe with the exception of Red Oak, which rots very quickly, I think any wood will work.

Ours is hemlock, as is the rest of the framing and siding on the sugar house.

Cupola "doors" are maple I had sawn up from a tree on the property.

Although lots of steam passes through, there's still lots of air movement up there.

20073

[Bucket Head]

I agree and have always said a cupola sets a sugarhouse apart from every other building on the farm, or in the neighborhood! No pressure treated stuff in mine- all hemlock I believe. Yes, it's wet to the touch during and after a boil for a while but it dries out quickly.

Steve

[Russell Lampron]

Mine's built with pine and it's still solid after 19 seasons. It does have a metal roof but the studs are rough cut 2x4's and the doors and ends are rough cut 1" boards.

[Maple Hill]

What material is best to use when building a cupola? With all the steam generated I would think you would need a good waterproof wood??
In the past I have used MDF boards called "Miratech" or "MiraTEC". It's supposed to be super weather/waterproof. Wonder if this stuff would be good for cupolas?M y cupola was built in 1957 out of hemlock and is as good as the day it was built.

[Trapper2]

Lets keep this thread going even though you already convinced me to add a Cupola.

[Sugarmaker]

Depends what type of environment you want inside when boiling? Cupola works and looks like a sugarhouse. But if you want the steam out you need hoods and steam pipes. Now they could vent into a Cupola too. I choose not to have another big hole (cupola) and went with steam pipes to vent. Very dry in our sugarhouse and visibility is good on all days.
Just another view point. I had boiled in the rain forest for years prior to building this sugarhouse. Have not regretted it!
Regards,
Chris

[Gremlin]

I guess the reason I thought the steam would rot the wood is because I have 3 cupolas on my detached garage (and one on my house garage). Cupolas on detached garage are about 5 years old. I built them myself and last year I had to replace one because the base rotted. I looked up there one day and the cupola was leaning to one side. The other 2 cupolas were fine, just that one had problems. I replaced it using pine. The treated wood I was going to use was to wet to paint so used pine and so far it's good.

About 20 years ago I replaced the one on my house garage. That one was starting to decay. But if you keep templates of the ones you build, replacing them is no problem.

[SuzukiSapper]

I built a Cuppola with 2'x7' operating windows covered with Rigid Greenhouse plastic sheeting. I also closed in a Steam Chimney with the same plastic sheeting and the Steam just rolls up and out!! Couldn't have worked better. Two boat winches and some pulleys open and close them. Sorry no photo of finished Cuppola other than the end by the Chimney. See photos 20909 20910 20911

[SuzukiSapper]

found some Cuppola photos showing windows, crank system comfy Sappin' Chair and a View from the Cuppola!! 20912 20913 20914 20915

[Trapper2]

I will be doing my first boil the middle of next week. What can I expect with the cupola? Will it start venting immediately or does the sugar house need to warm up first? do I open a window for it to draw air in?
Excited not to be out in the dark and the elements.

[BAP]

Steam rises so you shouldn’t have any build up. Mine goes right out my cupola right from the start.

[Northbound1]

2122321223

Sorry I don't know how to rotate these. I have my cupola windows on rope and pulley so I can open while standing on ground in the shack. So far so good