Sugar Shack

[Paul01036]

OK, I am pulling the trigger on a sugar shack for next year after this season. If you could build or buy yours over again, what features would you add. Other than going larger to account for future expansion, I would like to hear your thoughts. Being a single hobbyist, I am looking at an 8x10 or an 8x 12 built by Jamaica Cottage Shop. I have a 2x4 propane evaporator that I may buy an arch for and use wood to fire it going forward but we will see how the rest of the season goes.

Propane is handy for me as I do not have an ample supply of wood readily available to be other than buying fire wood which isn't a problem as I have a fireplace in my house but then I would have to split it again for the evaporator or a least that is my understanding.

I'd like to hear your ideas on what features you would add to your shack if you were to do it all over again.

Thanks

[NhShaun]

I have met the owner of Jamaica cottage shop who was a great to work with. I was impressed with the quality of their work and the variety of inventory and options to customize.
I would opt for a 10ft wide building over 8ft if you can, even with my 12x16 it tends to get narrow at times. I do have a 34 inch deep counter top running the entire left side which gives lots of storage but shrinks down the floor space.

Here are some extra features i would look into having
Pulley/rope cupola opening
Extra windows for natural light
Extra collar tie support for a head tank or loft storage space
Wide or double doors for easy access and ventilation
Overhang/Lean-to on 1 or two sides for firewood/sap tanks/misc storage
Frame the rafters for stove pipe exit including proper spacings to combustibles(Much easier than cutting in later)
Don't skimp on floor joist sizing, i would go at least 2x8. I know lots of shed companies use 2x6.
Same applies for decking, Opt for 5/4 Tongue and groove boards over plywood.

[bigschuss]

My only thought is the size. A 2x4 evaporator in an 8x10 or 8x12 shack is going to feel real cramped. I won't mention future expansion as you requested. My 2x4 sits in a 12x16 sugar house...and even that can feel cramped. In the 15 years os so that I've ben doing it I've never felt the need to expand my operation, but I do wish I had a bit more space.

I am very happy with my 2x4 and 90 buckets or so. I am hobbyist too. But my family really enjoys it. We have friends and family over. We eat and drink and make lots of memories. Having enough room for visitors and a place to sit during long boils and all of the equipment you'll need to store....I think you'll regret an 8x10 or 8x12.

If none of that interests you, then yes, you can certainly boil sap in an 8x10 if that is your only goal.

[maple flats]

Just the size. I built my 16x24 sugarhouse for the 2x6 I had at the time (2004). Within 4 years I had a 3x8, a filter press, a finisher, a microwave, 2 freezers a sink, a water heater and counter space plus shelving for syrup. I kept thinking I would build an addition but it never happened. Then in 2011 I bought a larger finisher (2x6) and an RO. The RO needed a heated space, so I converted some shelving space into a very tight heated RO room. The addition still has not happened, lift keeps getting in the way.
I suggest you figure how much space you will need in 5 years, double it and you will have half enough. My 16x24 should have been 20x30 at least, or better yet, 24x36.

[ecp]

I tent to agree with wider than 8 feet is going to be important. If you are going to move to burning wood you will need to think about a space for that as well. I guess it comes to a lot of questions for me. Do you RO? Are you planning for any tank storage inside? Do you use a filter press? Do you ever plan on a vacuum pump? Do you have family/friends/neighbors that come? If I were to build another one I would completely change the layout and think about work flow a lot more. I would also elevate all my tanks at least 3 feet so I could stop wasting sap draining lines. I would also put a lot more floor drains and electrical outlets in because every time I turn around I'm kicking myself for not having close drainage and a close outlet. As you requested planning for expansion is not part of my thoughts I'm putting down here.

[DrTimPerkins]

…and a close outlet.

Two words, cord reel
https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660247_200660247

[CTguy923]

i run a 2x4 evaporator in a 8x12 sugar house and i can tell you, its wicked tight on the sides, i dont know if its gonna be next year or the year after but i,m gonna go with at least 10x14

[aamyotte]

The width becomes critical if you want access to both sides of the evaporator. Since my shack is small, I put the evaporator in the corner and protected the walls for heat.

[Russell Lampron]

I had a 2x6 evaporator and my sugar house was 12x24 with an 8' woodshed down one side. It seems large but by the time that I added an RO and a filter press there wasn't much room left. If I were to get back into the business and do it over again I would go at least 16x30 so that I could expand and still have some room. Like others have said that 8 feet wide is going to be pretty tight with your evaporator.

[LMP Maple]

As everyone else has said, Def put twice as many outlets as you think you will need. Everyone forgets the ones for the auto draw offs if you get there. I have dreams of building a true sugar house down the road a bit where I tap now. For my list I want to have hot water and room to do it all in the sugar house ie. No bringing sugaring items into the house to clean etc. Go as big as the town and money will allow to fit your needs. No matter how much advice you get or take you will forget something and always want more room.

[maple flats]

If firewood is an issue, just keep your eyes on the lookout for free wood. One year I got likely 4 (face) cords free, just by watching homes that had tree work done and the "free wood" was by the road. I did that all year. If I could move it I took it, I even took a chainsaw on occasion to cut into desired length to make it easier.
That was before decent battery operated chain saws, but there are some fairly good saws run by a battery now. Even though I own 4 chainsaws, gas powered, various sizes, I also have and sometimes use a DeWalt cordless saw, much quieter and it will cut a surprising amount, not as fast, but not too slow. If you have 2 batteries, even better.

[Aaron Stack]

If firewood is an issue, just keep your eyes on the lookout for free wood. One year I got likely 4 (face) cords free, just by watching homes that had tree work done and the "free wood" was by the road. I did that all year. If I could move it I took it, I even took a chainsaw on occasion to cut into desired length to make it easier.

I've been looking at that scenario as well and this year's upgrade will probably be a chainsaw and log splitter. In the summer months I've noticed FB Marketplace gets flooded with free wood ads after a a good storm passes through so keep an eye there and craigslist. As Dave pointed out, if you do the cutting you also can get the right size pieces. Heck, I have a full tree on the other side of the sugarhouse that came down this fall but got hung up in other trees. That needs to come down this Spring after the season is over.

On the sugarhouse size, I agree that 8' is very tight. I was hoping to put in a raised tank and coil feeder for my warming pan but I just don't see anything fitting.

[wobbletop]

I built a 10x12 shack for my barrel evaporator and planning to upgrade to oil tank evaporator. 10' is probably the minimum width.

I wired in a bunch of outlets and ran it to an external outdoor outlet. I use a male-male extension cord to power the shack. I don't use a lot of electricity in the shack, just a AUF bathroom fan and and LED 4' ceiling light. I was planning possibly putting in an induction hot plate so I could finish in the shack instead of on the kitchen stove. That might be pushing it for electrical power though.

I used steel roofing and used left over pieces to protect in front of the evaporator from embers. I also use it to protect other crap I have stored in the shack from the heat of the barrel evaporator. It puts out a lot of heat because it was not insulated well.

[maple flats]

About the wood, a maple evaporator can use wood many would not use in their wood stove or fireplace. Just 1 suggestion, if pine, split it at least once. A few years back I cut some Scotch pine in a thinning project. I split all but 1 piece that kept popping out of the splitter. After 3-4 tries I decided I'd just split in in the evaporator. The next season when I had a perfect fire going, early in the day, I tossed the piece of pine in to burn it. For several hours after that I kept adding my wrist sized hardwood into the fire, at the end of the boil as it cooled down I saw that the pine piece was still in the evaporator, and nothing else. I then decided it must be dry after the intense heat and I foolishly left it there to burn up the next day. After a long boil the next day it was still there, so the next morning I took it out and threw it in a pile of snow in the woods.
I then read that pines(all?) have a natural fire retardant in the bark to protect them in case of a forest fire.

[fisheatingbagel]

That is pretty fireproof. I don't burn much pine, as it just doesn't become as available as hardwood in my area. I did burn some last year that had only been split for a month or so, and it still burned really fast and hot. Which got me wondering how long pine actually has to season before it can be efficiently burned, seeing as the resin contributes immediately to the burning even before the wood has dried.

[Paul01036]

thanks for all of the great ideas and comments. I'm now looking for a spot on my property to allow for a larger building, things I will incorporate are, electrical power, water (if I can get a line there depending on the location) and plenty of counter space. I suspect the counters will be less than 30" deep, but they will still allow for some storage and workspace.
Thanks for the info gents, here's to a great 2022 season.