My plan 2022/23

[Swingpure]

I think you deleted a whiplash post :lol:
In your defense you are a stream-of-consciousness poster. Just part of the charm. My stream of consciousness is probably just as back-and-forth... I'm just not fast enough to write it down before it switches -- usually.
Wise to be considering age and resources.
Also, I think recognizing that satisfaction isn't ultimately attainable in a sugaring setup helps keep things in check. If the four-digit operation doesn't quite satisfy and the 5-digit or even 6-digit operation doesn't quite satisfy, the difference is how many digits you have tied up in it!
I have to check my receipts, but I think I'm still a 3-digit operation... but barely. At least my yearly losses will be kept within 3 digits. If my time is free. :lol:
Oh, and your homemade arch is really lovely. If you find you have a bit more resource, it would greatly benefit from a real door!
Andy

LOL I did delete a whiplash post, but I am still trying to make it happen. The 10% chance my wife giving the thumbs up went to zero, but there is another way to skin the cat and I feel 50% certain I will get it. I have to sell a few things, some of them because they become redundant if I do buy the other thing and other things I hope to sell I have not used for awhile. At one point in selling things, I get pot committed.

I could have purchased a real door, I struggled with how I could merge it into the cinder blocks. The existing concrete door actually works better than it may look.

However if the 50% comes true it will not matter.

[berkshires]

LOL I did delete a whiplash post, but I am still trying to make it happen. The 10% chance my wife giving the thumbs up went to zero, but there is another way to skin the cat and I feel 50% certain I will get it. I have to sell a few things, some of them because they become redundant if I do buy the other thing and other things I hope to sell I have not used for awhile. At one point in selling things, I get pot committed.

I could have purchased a real door, I struggled with how I could merge it into the cinder blocks. The existing concrete door actually works better than it may look.

However if the 50% comes true it will not matter.

I hate to add to the whiplash, but I must say that the cinderblock evaporator you finally wound up with is the best I've ever seen on this site. Would be kind of a shame if you only used it a season. Also, I think a proper pan (which you're getting) will make much more of a difference than a proper arch - precisely because you've put so much effort into your cinderblock arch.

GO

[Swingpure]

I hate to add to the whiplash, but I must say that the cinderblock evaporator you finally wound up with is the best I've ever seen on this site. Would be kind of a shame if you only used it a season. Also, I think a proper pan (which you're getting) will make much more of a difference than a proper arch - precisely because you've put so much effort into your cinderblock arch.

GO

Thanks.

I will be giving my cinder block evaporator a good try with the new divided pan and base stack, this upcoming season.

Over the last 24 hours I had thought the difference from what I was paying for the pan, base stack, base stack base and float box would be getting close to the price of the whole evaporator system. It was tantalizing close, but because we are saving for two other more important things, my wife was not supportive of the idea. I thought a way I could get around it was to sell a few things, but then I remembered the price did not include the 15% sales tax and that additional amount was a hill I could not climb. Lots of emotional ups and downs debating it, but I am at peace now sticking with what I have. It should work well.

Potentially I could add a metal door, but then I guess you have to attach the metal door to a metal plate, thick enough not to warp, and then attach the metal plate to the cinder blocks in an air tight way. I think for this season I will stick with my patio stone door and if I am unhappy with it, adding the metal door might be a 2023 project, with the challenge it has to be removable, because I disassemble and remove the evaporator after the maple season, so that the structure becomes a summer gazebo and deck.

We had strong winds and snow squalls last night. I will be walking my lines on the steep hill to make sure there are no branches or trees on the lines.

(Edit: My wife and I walked the lines and they were fine, no trees or branches down. I plan to walk it after each snow storm or wind event. I will also walk the other closer lines occasionally, just to keep the path easily walkable.)

[Swingpure]

Today I gathered up all of the mason jars and bottles returned to me and took inventory of them and also of the ones I had left over new from last year. I had enough for 120 L of syrup. Last year I had 109 taps and made 109 L of syrup. This year I will have 172 taps and hope to make close to 172 L of syrup.

I will buy mason jars in mostly 1 L sizes and a few 500 ml sizes to give me another 60 L of capacity.

The old bottles and jars were returned clean. I will remove any labels left on them and I will put them in the dishwasher on sterilize. I will have new lids and caps for all of them.

I do have about 41 bottles in 500 and 375 ml sizes and a few flasks.

[Swingpure]

Oh, and your homemade arch is really lovely. If you find you have a bit more resource, it would greatly benefit from a real door!
Andy

My pan maker is also an evaporator maker. He already offered to sell me a door. I could ask him if he could add the door to a metal plate that would fit. It would not be cheap. The whole thing would have to be removable so that I could access the ashes at the end of the day.

I could either secure it tight to the front face of the cinderblocks, by having other cinder blocks on the other side, or with 5’ long threaded rods and nuts, I could “clamp” it to the cinder blocks.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/00bMvqUg5ibjpbWDbMkxtijpg

I am open to ideas.

I suspect it would cost me $400, maybe more. That whole plate would get hot and I would have to be careful never touching it.

[nhdog]

swingpure
reading back at your post about getting old i thought i'd give you something to keep in mind . just my thoughts though.

while it is wise to consider age as we get older. i feel that we should go on and doing those things that make you happy and enjoy them as long as you still can. i'm 83 and last year i had 140 taps all on buckets spread out all over. i may move around a lot slower now but i plan on enjoying my self as long as i can. life is to short to not do what you want as long as you can and don't worry about getting old.

[DrTimPerkins]

...i may move around a lot slower now ...

I find that I move around in the woods a bit slower and quite a lot more deliberately (carefully) than I used to. The younger folks move around faster, but they tend to fall down more by taking missteps or slipping on snow/ice. I very rarely fall now compared to them or when I was younger...which is just fine by me.

[eustis22]

You're 83 and hauling buckets? Kudos. I gave up on buckets 3 years ago in favor of tubing and pumps but I have 6 or 7 buckets at the neighbors that I will pull via garden cart or sled, depending on the snow.

After slipping and shattering my scapula last february (luckily I have a good cru of friends who saved my season for me) I won't go anywhere in the yard without the YakTrax on.

[Swingpure]

swingpure
reading back at your post about getting old i thought i'd give you something to keep in mind . just my thoughts though.

while it is wise to consider age as we get older. i feel that we should go on and doing those things that make you happy and enjoy them as long as you still can. i'm 83 and last year i had 140 taps all on buckets spread out all over. i may move around a lot slower now but i plan on enjoying my self as long as i can. life is to short to not do what you want as long as you can and don't worry about getting old.

Thanks. I still feel young and can put in a physical 10 hour day. I am not as strong as I was, but strong enough. My goal is live out here on our rural lake until I die. There are a few people in their 80’s here doing their chores, but have found smarter ways of doing things. Congrats to you getting your buckets at 83. I will aspire to be like you. I agree you should try to live life the best you can, while you can. I don’t even take tomorrow for granted, but hope to have lots of tomorrows.

[Swingpure]

So if I go ahead and buy the door and I think I got my head wrapped around how to do the plate and attach the door to the plate and how to put some firebrick on the inside of the plate to keep it from getting too hot and losing heat out the door.

What I am not sure if I will have enough air openings for the draft.

The height of my evaporator is 18.5”. The opening size required for the door is 16x16”. That would give me one inch above the door for the plate and an inch and a half below the door. The plate would go from the top of the evaporator, tight right to the bottom of the concrete pad. My firebox opening is about 22.5” wide. Potentially I could have openings 3” wide and 4 “ high either side of the door and I could drill holes in the plate below the door.

Would that allow for enough draft for my base stack and 8” wide stovepipe?

The yellow rectangles are not to scale but give an idea of where the larger openings would be, and the yellow circles give an idea where the holes would be, but there would be more of them, slightly smaller.


https://share.icloud.com/photos/084cy_VXew4D9twcb-92YEL2Q

[berkshires]

So if I go ahead and buy the door and I think I got my head wrapped around how to do the plate and attach the door to the plate and how to put some firebrick on the inside of the plate to keep it from getting too hot and losing heat out the door.

What I am not sure if I will have enough air openings for the draft.

The height of my evaporator is 18.5”. The opening size required for the door is 16x16”. That would give me one inch above the door for the plate and an inch and a half below the door. The plate would go from the top of the evaporator, tight right to the bottom of the concrete pad. My firebox opening is about 22.5” wide. Potentially I could have openings 3” wide and 4 “ high either side of the door and I could drill holes in the plate below the door.

Would that allow for enough draft for my base stack and 8” wide stovepipe?

The yellow rectangles are not to scale but give an idea of where the larger openings would be, and the yellow circles give an idea where the holes would be, but there would be more of them, slightly smaller.


https://share.icloud.com/photos/084cy_VXew4D9twcb-92YEL2Q
No, this does not look like a good plan. You want all air to come in *under* the grate. Air coming in above it is going to cool down your pans. As for how big the opening, you want the area to be the same (or larger) as your stack opening. So 8" stovepipe = 50 square inches. So if the firebox opening is 22.5" wide, you could have a two inch high opening the full width of the space to give yourself about enough space. Or else buy a blower.

GO

[nhdog]

one other thing about your door, i think you'll find that fire bricks do not will give you much insulation, fire brick normally is used to protect your insulation.

[Swingpure]

No, this does not look like a good plan. You want all air to come in *under* the grate. Air coming in above it is going to cool down your pans. As for how big the opening, you want the area to be the same (or larger) as your stack opening. So 8" stovepipe = 50 square inches. So if the firebox opening is 22.5" wide, you could have a two inch high opening the full width of the space to give yourself about enough space. Or else buy a blower.

GO


Thanks the 50 sq inches is helpful.

My grill sits 4” above the fire brick and all of my air openings will be below it. I will have a blower like in the attached picture (600 cfm)

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f5NQKrK0zrtY8ZDT_o40Pnmg

The questions still remains will I have enough openings sq footage? The two 3x4” openings gives me 24 sq inches. The most I will get, if I get creative is 12 more sq inches below the door, which would add up to 36 sq inches. The question is will the blower or two like it, make up the 14” sq inch shortfall and is it wise to count on blowers to give you the minimum amount of draft?

[Swingpure]

No, this does not look like a good plan. You want all air to come in *under* the grate. Air coming in above it is going to cool down your pans. As for how big the opening, you want the area to be the same (or larger) as your stack opening. So 8" stovepipe = 50 square inches. So if the firebox opening is 22.5" wide, you could have a two inch high opening the full width of the space to give yourself about enough space. Or else buy a blower.

GO


I just cancelled getting the door. My evaporator needs to be 2” taller to allow for enough draft. Once again perhaps a next year project.


The positives from today is while at my steel supplier, I think I finally may have got my new fire grate from their scrap yard. I will know tomorrow. This has been a several month endeavour.

I also picked up four dozen more 1 L mason jars. I will get one more dozen 500 ml jars and that should be plenty for the bottling this coming season.

[berkshires]

Thanks the 50 sq inches is helpful.

My grill sits 4” above the fire brick and all of my air openings will be below it. I will have a blower like in the attached picture (600 cfm)

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f5NQKrK0zrtY8ZDT_o40Pnmg

The questions still remains will I have enough openings sq footage? The two 3x4” openings gives me 24 sq inches. The most I will get, if I get creative is 12 more sq inches below the door, which would add up to 36 sq inches. The question is will the blower or two like it, make up the 14” sq inch shortfall and is it wise to count on blowers to give you the minimum amount of draft?

I didn't realize you have a blower. That changes things 180 degrees. Size of opening is important only for natural draft. With a blower you do not want other openings, or it will just blow ash all over the place. You just want the blower bolted on (if possible) to one opening, and the size doesn't matter. All that matters is placement and volume of air.

GO

[Swingpure]

I didn't realize you have a blower. That changes things 180 degrees. Size of opening is important only for natural draft. With a blower you do not want other openings, or it will just blow ash all over the place. You just want the blower bolted on (if possible) to one opening, and the size doesn't matter. All that matters is placement and volume of air.

GO

It was a stand alone floor blower and I could not make a hole wide enough to accept all of the air it puts out. If it ever died, I would be in trouble.

I rather have enough natural draft and let the blower add to it. I have a 100 cfm blower and will buy a 600 cfm blower with three settings if the 100 is not enough.

Right now with my existing door I can control the amount of the draft, from 90 sq inches down to zero. I am hoping the 100 cfm one will be perfect, some air, but not too much. Last year I had my leaf blower and even from a distance, it was way too much.

I am at peace not getting the whole new evaporator at this time and not getting the metal door at this time and next year I will re-evaluate.
Although the new evaporator was tantalizingly close. I will have to pick up a temporary part time job next summer if I want it badly enough, and I will already have the pan and base stack for it.

[Andy VT]

I think it sounds like a good 2023 plan to go with what you've got.
Interesting that you mention a potential part time job to upgrade next year.
One thing we often forget, somewhat by necessity, in sugaring is that time is still money.
You can spend time building equipment, or you can spend time earning money to buy equipment.
Most of us do some combination of the two.
One is not necessarily superior to the other (making your own versus working/earning to buy), but they do both deserve consideration.

[Brien]

Is a blower one of those dangerous buys. like you get a good increase in your boil rate, but then you have to listen to the thing all day?

[eustis22]

Yes, but it's dangerous in that as you increase your boil rate you realize you have to tap more trees since you now have excess capacity.

[Swingpure]

Today I removed the labels from the jars and bottles that were returned to me.

For all of the mason jars, I put on brand new lids on them. I have to say though, the lids I took off the jars looked every bit as new, as the brand new ones. Almost seemed a waste.

[Swingpure]

The last to days were quite windy, so my wife and I walked the lines again and they were all okay. While at the peak I explored the topography for a possible fourth line next season.

We will have to see if the landowner will let me return at all, but if he will and does not mind me adding another line, and if I am not overwhelmed this year, I might add another line of 25-30 taps.

Approximately 93 days away from tapping! (Sugar Moon)

[Pdiamond]

It is just like any other type of canning, always use new lids.

[82cabby]

It was a stand alone floor blower and I could not make a hole wide enough to accept all of the air it puts out. If it ever died, I would be in trouble.

I rather have enough natural draft and let the blower add to it. I have a 100 cfm blower and will buy a 600 cfm blower with three settings if the 100 is not enough.

Right now with my existing door I can control the amount of the draft, from 90 sq inches down to zero. I am hoping the 100 cfm one will be perfect, some air, but not too much. Last year I had my leaf blower and even from a distance, it was way too much.

I am at peace not getting the whole new evaporator at this time and not getting the metal door at this time and next year I will re-evaluate.
Although the new evaporator was tantalizingly close. I will have to pick up a temporary part time job next summer if I want it badly enough, and I will already have the pan and base stack for it.


If you use a blower you almost have to have a motor controller to adjust the speed. A leaf blower or a bounce house blower will work, you just dial it up or back as needed. Something like this (but check the amperage on the motor you are using):

https://www.amazon.com/Variable-Controller-Voltage-Electric-Rheostat/dp/B0B3DMWNL1/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=WB1GT4VE6ROR&keywords=router+speed+controller+120v&qid=1670251164&sprefix=router+speed%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE5MUJGVjRXWUQ5VkUmZ W5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NTg5MzkyVVZYVE5JS1hVQ1hFJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NjIyMzAzTlUwQ1JHSTE5SVdJJndpZGdld E5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2t SZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

And as mentioned above you don’t want any other venting besides the blower and the stack.

[darkmachine]

Is a blower one of those dangerous buys. like you get a good increase in your boil rate, but then you have to listen to the thing all day?

Depends on the blower you buy, if you are just doing air under fire, I have a dayton blower that is very quiet, can't really hear it over the boil. Some of the high pressure blowers for air over fire are a bit more loud and some producers mount them "outside" and pipe the air in.

[Andy VT]

P.S., I might have been a bit careless in suggesting getting a door for the cinder block evaporator. In theory, forgetting exactly what it looks like, but just remembering that it looked really good, it seemed logical to think that if one thing could be improved, it would be to install a real door, but I did not think though at all how that would be accomplished and what sort of air flow considerations would have to be made first. But I think you've got a solid 2023 setup!
Andy

[Swingpure]

P.S., I might have been a bit careless in suggesting getting a door for the cinder block evaporator. In theory, forgetting exactly what it looks like, but just remembering that it looked really good, it seemed logical to think that if one thing could be improved, it would be to install a real door, but I did not think though at all how that would be accomplished and what sort of air flow considerations would have to be made first. But I think you've got a solid 2023 setup!
Andy

I appreciated the suggestion and was gung ho to build it and sort of designed it at 5 am, before measuring the height of the evaporator. Another two inches taller and it would have looked amazing.

The cinder block evaporator is a product of listening to many suggestions last year and this year and it has changed dramatically from when I had it steel lined.

When I get my base stack, he will also be making be a plate that will sit on my evaporator, that will have the raised framing that the base stack sits on. I am thinking of welding that base plate when I receive it, to the 2x4 metal frame that the pan will be sitting on, to help keep it in place, and to seal it where they meet.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/004oTzW3KLNwPRlAXFg2JMSYA

[Swingpure]

I added two more taps on a medium sized length line today and picked out another tree to have a drop line to a pail, so that makes 176 taps.

I also made a bracket to hold a stove pipe probe thermometer on a single wall pipe as shown on another thread.

Almost no snow on the ground and if the 14 day forecast holds, there will not be a lot more at the end of the 14 days, but that forecast will change many times.

If I could tell the difference between elm tree bark and maple tree bark, I would be tempted now to run a fourth line on the steep hill, but they look so similar, especially when both have moss on them. I am getting much better identifying oak trees versus maple tree bark, but the elm is so close for my untrained eye.

22645

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04aXLjbUHfHTgmBs-Ph21kaLQ


Edit: The iCloud link gives a much better picture, but is only is valid for 30 days.

[bigschuss]

If I could tell the difference between elm tree bark and maple tree bark, I would be tempted now to run a fourth line on the steep hill, but they look so similar, especially when both have moss on them. I am getting much better identifying oak trees versus maple tree bark, but the elm is so close for my untrained eye.



Can you share a pic? Elm trees and maple trees should be very easy to tell apart. I know you said you have an untrained eye, but maybe we can help you. An easy way to tell elm trees from anything else out there is that elm tree bark will have a slightly spongy feel when you press it, especially on young trees. The shape of elm trees is fundamentally different from maples as well.

[Swingpure]

Can you share a pic? Elm trees and maple trees should be very easy to tell apart. I know you said you have an untrained eye, but maybe we can help you. An easy way to tell elm trees from anything else out there is that elm tree bark will have a slightly spongy feel when you press it, especially on young trees. The shape of elm trees is fundamentally different from maples as well.

I will take pictures tomorrow in the daylight, I have both, a few feet from my house. I did not try feeling the bark.

Thanks

[Swingpure]

Can you share a pic? Elm trees and maple trees should be very easy to tell apart. I know you said you have an untrained eye, but maybe we can help you. An easy way to tell elm trees from anything else out there is that elm tree bark will have a slightly spongy feel when you press it, especially on young trees. The shape of elm trees is fundamentally different from maples as well.

I took some tonight, will take some tomorrow as well. Now are the two trees both elm, both maple, or one of each and if so which one is the maple? I said that only to put doubt in whoever judges it mind, as I will have the same doubt in the forest.

I did feel an elm tree and a maple tree, both felt equally as firm.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04fRCW5uWNXqQyChL8m7NwCWA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/066OaYjzkNS36VJQxMeTDg1vA

[Brien]

Today I removed the labels from the jars and bottles that were returned to me.

For all of the mason jars, I put on brand new lids on them. I have to say though, the lids I took off the jars looked every bit as new, as the brand new ones. Almost seemed a waste.

I told my mom I get new lids each year. She said I was crazy! Just look at it and reuse it, so thats what I'm going to do.

[Pdiamond]

Gary, you've got the same thing going on that I do. Several of my trees are elm/maple, one side being the elm and the other a sugar maple yet when you look at the ground it appears to be all one single stump.

[Someclown]

I sometimes use binoculars and look at the branches, maple trees have opposing branches, elm trees have alternating branches. Sometimes hard to judge until you get familiar.

[Swingpure]

Here are the day time pictures of the elm and maple trees.

As I mentioned yesterday, the pictures could have two maple trees, two elm trees, or one of each. I am saying that so you will have the same doubt I would have in the forest. If you think one is elm and one is maple say for each photo, which one is the maple.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03826B6Szuj3fZMdjbsMLg0cQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/002MgC82FHT_v_JL8NyPRnkdQ

Thank you I do appreciate any tips for distinguishing the two trees from each other.

[DRoseum]

Are those the same trees? Left/right orientation same in both photos?

Look at branch structure as someclown suggested in addition to bark. Maple trees are opposite, elm is alternating. Picture of canopies is hard to tell but one on left is not a maple.

Of trunks... hard to tell alone, but one on right does not look like sugar maple bark to me. Would want to see canopy tho to confirm.

One of left....looks like sugar maple but would want to walk around it and look at canopy just to be sure.

[Swingpure]

Are those the same trees? Left/right orientation same in both photos?

Look at branch structure as someclown suggested in addition to bark. Maple trees are opposite, elm is alternating. Picture of canopies is hard to tell but one on left is not a maple.

Of trunks... hard to tell alone, but one on right does not look like sugar maple bark to me. Would want to see canopy tho to confirm.

One of left....looks like sugar maple but would want to walk around it and look at canopy just to be sure.

You are correct on both accounts.

After posting the picture of the bark, I could see the difference, although they can be similar colours, and look similar, the maple is more gnarly and the elm more uniform.

Although I can see the difference between those two crowns, others I find tougher to tell the difference.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/08fiTvpQmKlJaNXs__ONxDNfA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/060UvZvrY8y2VkWsUIICs8T4g

[Someclown]

As far as I can tell from the pictures of the full trees, there's one elm and one maple. Elm on the left maple on the right. I have been wrong before. When i zoom in on the upper branches they seem to be alternating on the tree on the left and opposing on the tree on the right.
See what others think
This comment is from your first set of daytime pictures

[bigschuss]

I concur with DRoseum. On the bark pic, the one on the right does not look like a maple. On the canopy pic, the one on the left is not a maple.

[Swingpure]

I concur with DRoseum. On the bark pic, the one on the right does not look like a maple. On the canopy pic, the one on the left is not a maple.

Tomorrow I will walk out in the forest and see how comfortable I am at identifying the trees and may bring some construction tape to mark the maples in case I decide to run another line.

Thanks for the tips.

[Swingpure]

I walked the steep hill with the three lines this afternoon. (Just an aside, I watch “Gold Rush” on TV and they always name their “cuts”, I wonder if I should have names for my lines, but I digress)

Having learnt the difference in the maple and the elm trees, I found it quite easy to distinguish between the two in the forest. (At least I think I have). I walked a path to the left of my left line and marked another 34 potential trees I could tap.

I could go buy more tubing tomorrow and run and put the drops on them, before the expected snow Sunday, but I am thinking I would be smarter to wait and see how I deal with the increased sap volume this year before getting way over my head. Also by waiting I can see what the landowner feels about our arrangement for our first year and if he gives me the blessing to continue the following year, that can be something I can add later.

My natural instinct is to tap as much as I can and find a way to deal with the sap. I can always give any extra sap to the landowners uncle who is a sugar maker nearby.

[Z/MAN]

Don't overwhelm yourself. It takes all the fun out of it.

[darkmachine]

Don't overwhelm yourself. It takes all the fun out of it.

Here is another vote for that! nothing is more depressing than pouring out 700 gallons of sap because it turned to snot because you couldn't boil it fast enough....just sad...

[Swingpure]

Don't overwhelm yourself. It takes all the fun out of it.

Thanks that was what my brain was telling me. There is still a drive in me to take on more, but I will listen to my brain.

I know they are there for next season, if I am allowed back on the hill.

[Swingpure]

I have to admit this morning while I was waking up, half awake and half asleep, I considered running down to CDL and getting more tubing. Once I fully woke up my brain took over and said no.

Last year the locals said the sap flow was really poor. I had 109 taps and in no day did I ever get a gallon a tap. (109 gallons). Looking at my sap records, I averaged 31 gallons a day on any day I collected sap, and 58 gallons a day on any day I collected 40 gallons or more.

This year if the sap flow is good, where you have several days of a gallon a day, that would be 176 gallons, which would take me two days to process, not counting any time saved by ROing any sap, and goodness forbid if I ever had one of those peak days of 2 gallons per day.

Based on last year’s slow flows, I could have a number of days with 90+ gallons which is more than enough to keep me busy. I won’t add anymore lines in the future unless I upgrade my evaporator or get in a sap sharing agreement with the land owner, which is a possibility in the future.

[Swingpure]

My wife and I walked the lines today. I marked the tops (start) of the lines on Google maps. We then explored the forests behind the lines. If it was my land and I wanted to getting into sugar making seriously, I could have a couple thousand taps.

On the way back, we walked down the potential fourth line, but I kept telling myself, I would be overwhelmed if I added it.

As we got close to home, I checked the line where I lost the tension hooks. I never found them, but I noticed a tree I had marked, but did not include in the line. It was a mature maple and I decided to change the line so I could include it. So I now have 178 taps.

I looked at my last years flows and there were a number of days where I collected zero sap, often after a larger flow day, so if there are days, I get more sap then I can process that day, there will be another day I can boil it. For the most part I will boil sap within 24 hours.

87 days before sugar season for me.

[Andy VT]

I'm no more experienced than you are... I've done two seasons versus your one season, but you've done more stuff and way more taps.
But I've been finding it helpful to think in terms of goals, and keeping a check on new goals.
You've got a lot of new goals. First time divided pan, first time with new arch, as you have opportunity first time with RO, and upsized 50% or so.
Adding significantly more taps than planned now would not serve any goals and would interfere with goals you've got.
If you ever want to do a larger operation in the future, adding more taps than planned for 2023 wouldn't do a thing toward that goal, and might even set it back. Your other goals of getting good at RO, divided pan, and other things (also landowner relations) totally go toward that goal, and will go better with the number of taps you've got.

Meanwhile, as you walk those woods, take notes as you have done. Those are your 2024 season notes. By April 2023 you'll know whether you want to expand and you can spend the summer deciding how much.

Have fun!

[Swingpure]

A very cheap and effective bit stop is a piece of 5/16" tubing cut to the proper length and slipped over the drill bit, leaving 2" of bit exposed for tapping.

I finally got my hands on some free 5/16” tubing and cut them to size. I likely range from 1 7/8” to 1 3/4” of the bit exposed. Now I have the tubing, which I will start off with. It does not fit super snug, so I expect they might fall off sometimes while carrying the drill. I have seven of those. I have many pieces of dowel drilled and cut to size and I have the drill stops, which I expect I will never use and are headed for my drill bit tool drawer.

I add both the iCloud link and the forum picture attachment, as the iCloud link is a clearer picture, but it only lasts 30 days, so the forum attachment is there for a long time.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/00eLlwEKIQnjDB_lxvSXnQ55Q

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[Swingpure]

I met the landowner who owns the steep hill where I have the three lines, in person today. We chatted for a little bit. His family has been tapping trees in the area for generations. They used to own very large tracts of land and still own a fair amount.

He said they used to tap on the hill that I will be tapping, about 60 years ago, but stopped doing it, because the trees did not flow as well as other areas they could tap.

Hopefully things have changed a little and hopefully the natural vacuum from the tubing will help. Whatever I get will be welcomed.

The sugar content from the trees this year will be interesting. Last year I was routinely getting 3 to 4% sugar content.

[Andy VT]

That's a neat history! I'd say 60 years is enough time to give it another go. :-)

[Swingpure]

I have to say making maple syrup has fundamentally changed my perspective on things. Winter was a season with snow and cold and ice fishing, now winter is just pre sap running season. Looking at the snow on the lines today, all I thought about was the sap running in the lines in less than 3 months, and did not think about the snow falling.

Today we received 16 cms (6.3 inches) and the snow is not stopping and we are supposed to get another 25 cms (10 inches) in the next 24 hours and we are another day closer to the sap running.

We are 80 days away from the sugar moon.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0056us-qj9lGmdJol9x0c3gjA

[Swingpure]

So we have received about a foot of wet snow, seems like more, and it sounds like more when you say we received 30 cms of snow. More snow this evening and overnight..

There was very little wind, so all of the trees were heavily laden with snow. Some branches broke, so I thought I would walk the lines on the steep hill, through the snow, to check on the lines and to start to make a path. I only found a small branch on one line. I also found a location where I might tap in a little nail into a non tapped tree, just to help hold a line up further off the ground. The lines look like they will be fine for staying above the snow, although the new lines are definitely lower than last year’s lines.

79 days until the Sugar Moon. There is a line in the second picture and obviously in the third picture.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/01eIvgOVVZ30FhhpZhnMIqhZA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0897Lai65lTFeMs80z108mDZA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0271Egulw_2yyQs96jY3eMTCA

[Swingpure]

I go through the whole maple season in my head, thinking about how I will do each step and looking for disconnects and new ideas.

Last year with my steam pans, as I poured my last pan into a stainless steel pot, I had a fine mesh strainer on top of the pot to strain out any large particles. This year with the divided pan I will drawing off from the valve.

Like the gentleman in the picture from a You Tube video, I plan to catch the syrup in large stainless steel brew pot and like him have the syrup run through a cone filter to catch some initial particulates. I will still filter it through my DYI vacuum filter after I finish it.

I guess different people do it different ways, but is this an okay practice?

https://share.icloud.com/photos/01eiL5QnZjl6P4L28EUn73rQg

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[Pdiamond]

That looks to be a finisher to me. The person may be completing a final filter. I use pre filters when I draw off the evaporator and into my container. Because when I take it into the house and complete the canning process it is put through the filter press.

[Swingpure]

That looks to be a finisher to me. The person may be completing a final filter. I use pre filters when I draw off the evaporator and into my container. Because when I take it into the house and complete the canning process it is put through the filter press.

I agree, it looked like a main filter, not a pre filter, but in the video he talked about filtering it more later. He may have used it because it held it’s shape using the clips.

https://youtu.be/yDCi50NdMFE

I would just use a pre filer using a stand to support it, just to catch any large particulate and maybe some sugar sand, then use my vacuum filter, for the real filtering, after I finished it.

[Swingpure]

Started thinking about the upcoming season this morning and it struck me I can save some trips hauling sap. I had bought a 35 gallon tank to go on my ATV, but at one collection location, on a good day, I could have close to 100 gallons of sap, which will be three trips. Last year I hauled sap on a trailer that I designed to hold 9 five gallon pails. It just occurred to me that it is not one of the other, it can be both. I can move about 70 gallons of sap each trip.

I also thought about the float box. I have never seen a float box in person and obviously have no experience with them. What I was thinking about was at night, after you shut the evaporator down and the temperature drops below freezing, does the sap that is in the float box freeze and does that harm the float box?

https://share.icloud.com/photos/055BMsZJvv6s5OKs_at55uqXw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b9ttIxWdBsj7jqYCOW4nReFw

[Super Sapper]

Depending on how deep the sap is in the float box it could freeze solid, if if only an inch or 2 I would not think it would hurt anything except starting up and restricting flow. Another issue is having the sap in it go ropy if not brought to a boil and left too long. I have a drain on mine and after I flood the evaporator and get it all up to boiling, I drain out the float box and it refills from the boiling flu pan. I then dump what I drained out into the syrup pan.

[LMP Maple]

My sugarhouse is on the colder side of my yard and the float box will freeze I have never had a problem with damage. There is plenty of room for expansion. Be sure you take out all the components when you are done for the night ie the float, arm etc. from the actual float box. What you will need to be mindful of is if you have a ball valve at the float and that freezes it will split and you will have a problem. (Ask me how I know). There are many ways to avoid this by drilling holes in the valve which has been covered on other threads or you may have a homerun shot from your head tank and it will not be an issue as long as you boil until the head tank is kicked. You will really like your new pan unfortunately judging by your thread you are more than hooked and I see a bigger operation in your future. I really enjoy your posts and can see the progression. I have a smokeylake 2X6 on my wish list but my 19X60 will have to do for now, things could be worse. I really wish I had a float box drain and I may have one put on before the season. I agree sap spoilage in the float box is a real issue late in the season in particular. Keep posting I can see your smile from NH!

[Swingpure]

Thanks for all of the float box advice!

Last year I had two different thermometers to help me with taking the temperature of the sap. I would use the SapTapApp to help me determine the boiling point of water and then would add 7° to that, to get me in the ball park where I would pull it off to finish the syrup later. I had a basic probe thermometer and a digital one. I mostly relied on the digital one.

This year with the new pan, I will be getting a true maple thermometer. The one where it shows 0-50 with 7 being syrup. My question is do you have to calibrate it each and every day in boiling water, prior to starting the boil? As I ask the question, I wonder how would you do that, with sap in the pan.

My guess is the 7° above boiling, in the perfect world, would give you 66 Brix sap and that you might have to get closer to 8° above to get 66.8-67 Brix syrup.

I had a fair amount of faith in my refractometer last year and I will be testing the sugar content with it and will dial it in (pun intended) with the temperature on the thermometer to know what temperature is close to the syrup Brix I want, before drawing it off.

[Z/MAN]

My 0-50 thermometer is mounted at a downward angle and goes in above the syrup in the pan. It reaches down into the syrup, so it is easy to remove without any syrup running out of the pan. I remove mine daily and check the temp of boiling water, it does change.
With a 30+ gallon tank on the back of "my" ATV" [Kawasaki Bayou 220] I could not fill it. It would overload my ATV, and I could barley steer it, as the weight would come off the front wheels. The trailer might make it even worse with tongue weight. It did help me to add another small tank on the front rack. I solved that problem for this year by buying a Kubota RTV x1100c side by side for hauling the sap.

[Swingpure]

My 0-50 thermometer is mounted at a downward angle and goes in above the syrup in the pan. It reaches down into the syrup, so it is easy to remove without any syrup running out of the pan. I remove mine daily and check the temp of boiling water, it does change.
With a 30+ gallon tank on the back of "my" ATV" [Kawasaki Bayou 220] I could not fill it. It would overload my ATV, and I could barley steer it, as the weight would come off the front wheels. The trailer might make it even worse with tongue weight. It did help me to add another small tank on the front rack. I solved that problem for this year by buying a Kubota RTV x1100c side by side for hauling the sap.

Thanks and thanks. That answers the question regarding the thermometer and highlites a potential ATV problem.

I have a Honda Foreman 500. It has a solid rear axle and is meant to be a work machine. I did not think it’s would overload it, but because of your advice, I will only partially fill it and see how it performs. In hindsight, this summer when I practiced how to attach it to the ATV, I should have filled the tank with water and saw how the ATV performed. A friend has a similar tank on the back of his ATV, but it is larger and has tracs.

In the perfect world I would have purchased a 100 gallon horizontal tank for the bed of the truck, but they wanted almost $600 for it.

I know I can easily haul the 9, 5 gallon pails, in the trailer on their own, because I did that last year.

I had planned not to use the pails this year and just use pumps, because they added to the daily clean up work, but they will be handy for when ice forms in them overnight and I can take the ice out and they will be handy to pour into the 35 gallon feed tank. There will also be times I pump sap into the feed tank. Through trial and error with the new pan and RO, I will find the right balance.

76 days until the Sugar Moon!

[berkshires]

Thanks for all of the float box advice!

Last year I had two different thermometers to help me with taking the temperature of the sap. I would use the SapTapApp to help me determine the boiling point of water and then would add 7° to that, to get me in the ball park where I would pull it off to finish the syrup later. I had a basic probe thermometer and a digital one. I mostly relied on the digital one.

This year with the new pan, I will be getting a true maple thermometer. The one where it shows 0-50 with 7 being syrup. My question is do you have to calibrate it each and every day in boiling water, prior to starting the boil? As I ask the question, I wonder how would you do that, with sap in the pan.

My guess is the 7° above boiling, in the perfect world, would give you 66 Brix sap and that you might have to get closer to 8° above to get 66.8-67 Brix syrup.

I had a fair amount of faith in my refractometer last year and I will be testing the sugar content with it and will dial it in (pun intended) with the temperature on the thermometer to know what temperature is close to the syrup Brix I want, before drawing it off.

If you have an auto-draw, I can see needing to calibrate every day, but I just adjust it in my head. I.E. if that day boiling is 213 (one Fahrenheit above normal) I draw at 220 (eight above instead of seven). I really don't need to be very precise, since I like to draw a little light anyway.

GO

[Super Sapper]

You should be fine with the foreman, I had a Rubicon with the straight axle and had no problems with a 35 gallons tank on the back rack pulling a 100 gallon tank on a trailer through mud. It did good even with the 3 or 4-5 gallons containers on the front rack. After that 4-wheeler got stolen out of my driveway, I got a new one with an independent rear suspension and it still performed well.

[Swingpure]

I walked the three steep lines today, partially to break a path in the fresh snow, but mostly to make sure none of the lines will become snow covered. I raised the lines in a few locations. I can always lower them when I tap, if they are still well above the snow. The lines were snow encrusted in places weighing them down in places. Where I could reposition saplings to help support the lines, I did.

I ordered a filter cone holder and filters to sit on top of my draw off kettle.

I do not have auto draw, so thanks for the suggestion of adding or subtracting whatever the difference is from the boiling point of water.

My Honda Foreman 500 is small compared to the new 1000 cc ATV’s, but it is mighty, and I also suspect that it will be able to do the job, but I will try it with a half load first just to check it out. If we ever get a January thaw, I could test it then, prior to the season starting.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b7P65onUgzN2IPKus6AMF-OQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/031YecgeF6CC3Y4XkefCV89zg

[nhdog]

swingpure, back in your earlier post you showed your evap fire wood stored around the edges of your "open air" sugar house, how dry is it staying now with the wind, snow, and rain? it would be a sham to have it be wet or damp come sugar season after all your work

[Swingpure]

swingpure, back in your earlier post you showed your evap fire wood stored around the edges of your "open air" sugar house, how dry is it staying now with the wind, snow, and rain? it would be a sham to have it be wet or damp come sugar season after all your work

I have them all tarped up. I have been removing snow off the tarps periodically, but we recently just got a bunch of snow and have a bunch more (14-20”) coming in the next two days. I am leaving the snow on them right now because we are expecting high winds and I thought the snow would help hold them in place.

I am going to be adding 2’ tall tarps, around three sides, just above the wood piles, to help keep the light snow from blowing in. Just waiting for a nice day to do it.

My goal is to keep the area where the evaporator is, snow free, especially since I still have to drill a hole in the metal roof to add my base stack, when it is built, hopefully in January.

The picture I just took now through the door window. The snow has slid off the metal roof several times this year.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/099--1kRT0aDbzgtIqEKwpbTg

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[Swingpure]

Merry Christmas to everyone and your families! I appreciate all of the advice, tips and encouragement.

I think most or all of us will be affected by this winter storm the next couple of days, so I hope you all stay safe and cozy.

Gary

https://share.icloud.com/photos/062OLxBcPnxt7anpdZsrBgBIw

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[Pdiamond]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family Gary. May God watch over you and your family. Thank you for all your inspiration.

[Z/MAN]

Merry Christmas Gary and family. I enjoy reading all your posts and love your enthusiasm.
Paul

[Swingpure]

I purchased another 16 quart (15.1 L) stainless steel, induction stove compatible pot today (70% off). I had one already, which I finished my syrup in, on an induction stove. Once I got the correct Brix, I would immediately pour it into my DYI vacuum filter. I also used the same pot to heat the syrup to the right temperature for bottling, then ladle out of. So after poring the syrup through the filter, I would have to take the pot from the detached garage, into the house and clean it, then bring it back and pour the now cooled syrup back into the pot and heat if up to the 180/190 bottling temperature range.

Now with the additional pot, I can immediately pour the syrup from the vacuum filter pot (kettle) into the new pot, while it is still fairly hot and will not have to reheat it very much. And then can ladle and bottle the syrup.

I hope to take the syrup off the divided pan close to 66 Brix and then bring it to 66.8/67 Brix.

[Trends]

70% off seems like a good deal, where did you order it from if you don't mind me asking?

[Swingpure]

70% off seems like a good deal, where did you order it from if you don't mind me asking?

Canadian Tire

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/master-chef-stainless-steel-stock-pot-16qt-1429107p.html?loc=plp

The sale ends December 29th.

[Trends]

Thanks for the link. I have a CTC fairly close I'll check it out before the sale ends.

Have a safe & happy holiday season.

[Swingpure]

We are all experiencing the winter storm right now. Our power has been off since early yesterday evening, but we have a generator with Generlink so that is not an issue.

If the long range forecast holds, by next weekend, we will all have an early January thaw, that if the forecasted temperatures and rain amounts hold, it will do a number on the snow depth on the ground. We have a lot of snow, so I doubt it will all go. I think I will hold off making paths along my lines.

Long range forecasts do change.

73 days until the Sugar Moon. I still have a number of little things to do to get ready.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/09aUgsh748xyfzKmzOqBKS8Ew

[Swingpure]

My lines were pretty tight, but just looking at the lines on my property, they are so snow covered from the wet snow, a few of them are even touching the snow below. When the storm passes, I will remove the snow, also the pending melt will resolve it.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/056wwiVElBIIhxjy-0kBs36fw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/087OCeEFwO_SZieSCtf9zuKAQ

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Edit: I couldn’t wait and cleared off the lines on my property and the two adjacent ones. I think when the lines get real heavy, there can be a tendency for the lines to slid down some ot the trees they wrap around.

[Swingpure]

Well, I might have fewer taps. A large poplar tree fell on the power lines at my neighbour’s. They pulled it off, up and over and it fell on a number of my short lines and knocked over a maple I was going to tap.

I will cut up the tree and see if I can get my lines back up. I am one drop down and maybe 13, we will see.

There are a couple of swear words in the video in case you are sensitive to that. The video starts after they got it back up.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/051C1QdWly4yJ_e9mUirD4Hcw

[Pdiamond]

I only have the one line up right now out front by the road. It has been so blasted cold and windy, and with the subzero temperatures, it can weather the storm until next weekend when it gets up to the 50's. I'll check it then. Just can't handle those subzero temperatures.

[Swingpure]

The cold does not bother me very much. It was below freezing all day today and I was out most of the day without a coat, just a hoodie and snow pants with a bib. Cleared snow for over 6 hours.

At the end of the day I had a chance to check some lines as well as the lines that came down as a result of the tree falling on them. Last year I never saw once the lines weighed down as much as this year. I guess just the right type or precipitation to stick to the line and then build up on them.

The snow is knee deep, but the big melt will reduce that. I still have to check the three long lines on the steep hill, but that will happen a few days from now. Tobogganing and snow fort building is on the agenda with the Grandkids for the immediate future.

The hydro guys that drop the tree, cut it up fairly well. I think after next weeks melt, I should be able to get the lines back up. These were just the ones I added extra, so no biggie if they are damaged and they do not go back up.

It’s hard to see in the picture, all the places that the crown of the tree are on the lines.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0caoCUkjPjjLZWGVISxhQSh3w

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[Swingpure]

I made 14 batches of syrup last year, but the very first batch, when I tasted it and my wife tasted it, we both said it was the best maple syrup we had ever tasted. I had my one mistake of the season, while bottling batch #1, which reduced how much syrup was actually bottled. Batch #1 was also my lightest batch I made.

I saved a one litre mason jar of batch #1 for Christmas and we will be enjoying that syrup tomorrow with the Grandkids. Tonight while transferring some of it from a mason jar to a bottle, we had a little taste of it. My daughter and my wife both thought it was still amazing. I look forward to tomorrow’s “big breakfast”. For a backyarder like me, this is really what this hobby is all about.


Edit: Everyone loved the syrup. About 400 ml was used and we will finish the bottle during their Christmas vacation with us.

[Swingpure]

My maple season is already a success and oh yeah, I tapped 17 trees today.

It is rare for my daughter and grandkids to be up while I am tapping. Today my daughter helped me recover the lines that were trapped by the fallen trees. It was great working with her in knee deep snow, in the tangle of branches, with snow falling. We were able to free the two lines and restring them without having to make any cuts or adding any new fittings.

I retooled, then my daughter, 11 year old grandson and my 5 year old granddaughter joined me and we tapped 17 drops. I was able to pass on to my grandson what I knew about tapping, looking at the tree, looking a good spot on the bark to drill, check where last year’s taps were and where to tap the new hole and why, bracing his elbow why he drills, a straight in and straight out hole at a slight angle, what to listen for when you are tapping the spout in, the distinct sound when you have gone in far enough.

Whether we get an ounce of sap out of the lines pre season does not matter, spending time with my daughter and grandkids doing maple stuff, was priceless.

Now to get back to tapping in December in Northern Ontario and I am sure some people might think I am bat sugar crazy.

I did it for the following reasons:

1 - I was able to tap while the grandkids were up. Whether I get any sap from them or not, does not matter.
2 - All 17 taps were bonus taps, I added them just because I could, and my thought when I added them was that I would experiment with them and tap them a couple weeks prior to all of the others.
3 - After the tree fell on them, the fact that they came back, it was like a second life, and they had endless possibilities.
4 - Originally planned to be experimental, and being bonus taps, where it did not matter if I get any sap or not, it would be a neat experiment to see if I get any sap from this thaw, or any other thaw’s, prior to the season starting, and how long will the spouts stay open once the season starts.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03dIqdgweJ31kH1zS1Q8R8B2w

https://share.icloud.com/photos/028wt08dAeJSuOufu_x0QZtBw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/097jIZqQgHcwFxpVlUCwbHASA

I will boil any sap I get in a large pot or pots, on my three induction elements.

I asked my daughter and wife and grandson what we should call the syrup, if any, produced. I suggested calling it “Christmas syrup”, but my 11 year old grandson immediately piped up and said call it “Sappy Holidays”. That name kind of stuck.

On a side note I put the 5/16 tubing on the drill bit as a stop, it fit slightly loose, and was worried it could fall off, sure enough before I tapped the first tree, it was gone. I had a pouch full of the stops and this time I grabbed a dowel stop I made, it fit snugly and worked perfectly.

[Pdiamond]

Hopefully they will be able to come back when you are boiling and making syrup. Congrats on teaching and spending time with your daughter and grandkids. Passing along a tradition is as you said priceless.

[Swingpure]

I remembered I had forgot to add a drop to a pail yesterday and I did that first thing morning, then I realized that the tree that fell, took out a different maple than I thought and the maple I had planned to tap, was still there, so I tapped it as a drop to another pail. So there are 18 experimental taps.

More snow fell overnight so I the snow is getting deep to walk through. Warmer weather arrives tomorrow, the melt starts and maybe some sap will flow tomorrow, maybe the next day. It will be fun learning.

I spent the morning plowing snow and the afternoon playing with the grandkids.

On the first three shots you can see the two maple trees that still have their leaves on and on the next two photos you can see my evaporator shelter.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/062traxuGhxbPzSfbHLc5IcnA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/061BrZ8hWo4KnJ3LKvEqSd8Dw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c1ZWFEESYlH6hbw-aER5cFAA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/053_LJI9VN9E4hVVuwWYL6VBg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b7jxwM739uNYtKyZeFxDUSLQ

[Swingpure]

It was fun today to see if any sap was running, but it was just not quite warm enough to thaw out the trees. Whether I get sap or not, I am enjoying the process. We will not have enough days as originally forecasted in the 4°/40° range, so I may not get any or much sap, but we will see. I am still happy I did it and they will be in place for any other thaws or for the start of the true season. I also tapped today two other very short lines beside my detached garage, so that totals 27 drops tapped. That leaves me with 151 drops to tap when the season starts.

In two days I will walk the three lines on the steep hill to look for any down trees on the lines. The depth of the snow should be measurably reduced by then.

I received a package from Amazon with my cone filter holder that I will put on top of the kettle that will catch the syrup I will pull off the divided pan. The pre filters I will be using primarily to catch and foreign objects and some sugar sand, should arrive in the next day or so. My main filtering will occur after I finish the syrup on the vacuum filter.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e8oh9Op6n_wNCC1sMCpgE_oQ

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The one thing about metal roofs on the sugar shelter is they sure shed the snow off of them when it warms up. I shoveled away the 2 feet+ of snow that came off the roof onto the other snow. I also shoveled out any snow that had made its way into the evaporator Tomorrow is supposed to be 8°/46°. If it does not rain the whole day tomorrow, I will put a up the two foot tall tarp walls around three sides of the shelter above the wood piles. That should keep most snow from entering.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/088-NlYq46iNRNJ_GqG1yPTsg

Next week I will contact my pan and base stack maker to see if there is any date yet set for when they will be built. Cutting the hole in the roof for the stack is the biggest job left prior to the season starting. Along with the base stack, I will be getting the base stack base that the base stack will sit on. My thinking is that I will have the base welded to the frame that the pan will sit on, to ensure a perfect seal between the two pieces and to give the base plate more strength. Not sure if there is a down side to welding the two together?

[Swingpure]

I went out at 11:30 pm and the sap was running in 3 of the four pails. Some pails have more than one line feeding them and one line is running and the other was not. It will remain 5°/41° overnight, which should continue to thaw the trees.

We will see in the morning how much I get.

[DRoseum]

Keep your line into the bucket up out of the sap. If not, when the tree freezes itvwill draw sap back up into it

[Swingpure]

Keep your line into the bucket up out of the sap. If not, when the tree freezes itvwill draw sap back up into it

Thanks for the tip!

It is still dark out, I am excited to see what has flowed. Counting today, I have 6 more potential days of flow.

To be honest if I my new base stack had already arrived and was all set up, with the new pan, I would be tempted to add even more taps, but right now, my boiling capacity is two large 16 qt (15.1L) pots, so there is a sweet spot of just the right amount of sap, to make a few bottles of syrup, including one for my grandson who helped me tap and who named this edition of syrup, “Sappy Holidays”.

All good fun, I am a 67 year old little kid right now.

Gary

[Andy VT]

Now that's what it's all about! Doing a few early taps is definitely the way to go if that's when the grandkids are there.

[Swingpure]

My Grandson and I collected 11 gallons of sap this morning and it has been running all day to various degrees of flow. One pail had 3% sugar content, the other two were 2.5%.

I might end up with close to 20 gallons at the end of today. There are still five more potential days of sap collection. I might end up with close to 60 gallons of sap. That might be optimistic, but it makes for easy math. That should produce at least 1.5 gallons of syrup or 5.7 L.

When I see my Grandson next weekend, I will bring him one or two of the bottles of what he calls Sappy Holidays syrup.

I am boiling the sap in two large pots and one small one. This is certainly a low event boil compared to last year.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0cbR3WsojEmK-c74Yy0-1EEhQ

22683

[Swingpure]

I collected another 6 gallons and all of the lines are still dripping, however slowly. I might collect again at 10 pm, we will see.

The temperature never dropped below freezing last night, and I believe whatever flow I got during last night and today is from the trees coming out of their winter freeze.

Tonight it will get close to freezing, but may stay just above. After that there should be a freeze thaw cycle.

The boiling with the pots is going slower than expected, one large pot and one small pot are boiling well, but the other large pot boils, but is not boing near as briskly as the others. Tomorrow I might replace the under performing pot with a smaller pot.

My goal is to get all 11 gallons collected this morning, to a boil. I will not come close to making syrup today.

I will have to decide whether at one point to stop adding sap to the large well performing pot and make syrup. I was hoping to do that once I had boiled 40 gallons, but I may do that after 25 or 30 gallons.

[Swingpure]

In the morning I collected 11 gallons, this afternoon 6 and just now 3 more gallons for a total of 20 gallons. That is two days of boiling with my pots or less than two hours when I get my evaporator running in March. 5 more days to collect sap before it turns cold. I really don’t want and don’t expect to get 20 gallons each day.

Each 12” diameter pot should boil .79 gallons per hour. I have two of those, plus a 10” pot, but I doubt I am getting anywhere close to that boil rate.

I think I have to run the pots with a lot shallower sap levels. Right now they are a half to 2/3’s full. I have to think of them as pans.

[Z/MAN]

TAKE THE LIDS OFF! Let all that steam escape!

[aamyotte]

Keep the level low like your sap pan, the evaporation rate will be better. Pour in new sap as it boils down.

[Swingpure]

TAKE THE LIDS OFF! Let all that steam escape!

Maybe I have to be more patient, but they seem to boil much sooner and much better with the lids on. The steam seems to find a way out. A couple of times now I have taken the lids off, just for the reason you suggest and the pot immediately loses it’s boil, an I wait for it to regain it’s boil and finally give up.

[Swingpure]

Keep the level low like your sap pan, the evaporation rate will be better. Pour in new sap as it boils down.

Thanks I have been trying to keep it lower today, but likely can live closer to the edge than I have been.

[Swingpure]

Last night the temperatures did not drop below freezing, so the trees did not recharge. I only collected 4 gallons of sap today. Next Tuesday’s run should be fantastic and even tomorrow’s should be good.

I have been boiling all day and I am still boiling. I do have the sap levels lower, but I guess I have to go lower yet.

I just might be able to make syrup close to New Years Eve. That would be cool. My syrup temperature is 217.83° right now. I like my syrup at 66.9/67 Brix, so that is more likely a 218.75° temperature.


Would I tap trees again mid winter! Absolutely, with two caveats:

One - my evaporator would have to fully functional. I could have boiled up all of this sap in under two hours.
Two - I might go more in, install more taps, maybe them all.

[Andy VT]

You'll still evaporate faster with the lids off. In the earlier stages of concentration, I'm not even sure how essential it is to actually be in a true boil, but it essential to not have anything in the way of the steam escaping. If you're doing it with lids on, and its going slow, that why it's going slow.

[Swingpure]

You'll still evaporate faster with the lids off. In the earlier stages of concentration, I'm not even sure how essential it is to actually be in a true boil, but it essential to not have anything in the way of the steam escaping. If you're doing it with lids on, and its going slow, that why it's going slow.

Okay, I will be starting a fresh boil likely tomorrow, so I will do it all with lids off.

I hope to make syrup tonight.

Edit: I consolidated everything in one pot to boil down and finish. I took the lid off, it immediately lost its boil. I waited 25 minutes and although there was some upwelling, there was no boiling. Go figure.

[Andy VT]

If you can achieve 200F, (edit, rechecked my notes, make that 205F) you'll lose an inch an hour of liquid without lids. More if you can get higher.
Curious, how many inches an hour, boiling, with lids on? (this is good data)

[Swingpure]

First syrup made in 2023, bottled at 1:30 am, January 1st!

https://share.icloud.com/photos/032Prd0r8gaMIQMJX2KrlGUAQ

22686

[Swingpure]

Just a few thoughts on making the syrup.

This was my first time making syrup starting with so few gallons of sap to start with (20 gallons). Near the end when I was finishing it, the syrup level was fairly low in the pot. I will wait until I have at least 40 gallons to start with, before doing it again.

I made less syrup than I expected. I thought I should have made at least another 500 ml of syrup. The 20 gallons should have made 1.9 L of syrup, and I made 1.375 L.

The taste of the syrup, based on the remnants in the pot, was different from when I boiled last spring over a wood fire. This time it was all done on an induction stove. It was still good, but different.

The DYI vacuum filter, with the new overcentered clamps I added, as per 4walls design, worked perfectly.

Having the new stainless steel pot allowed me to transfer the hot sap directly from the vacuum filter kettle pot to the finishing pot while it was still hot, so I had very minimal reheating to do.

I still cannot figure out the boiling without a lid thing. With a lid it boils vigoursly and steam is finding its way out and without a lid, it really does not come to a boil. All I know is it took me double the expected time to boil the sap.

Today I have to clean up last night’s pots and utensils from the sugar making, I will be walking the three steep lines to see if there are any trees or branches on them and then hopefully I will collect some sap. It did drop below freezing last night, but not as much as forecasted. Counting today, there is three more days to collect sap.

This is the colour of last night’s sap in the daylight. I seem to have a knack for making amber coloured syrup.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ddvaLsWwqkE8W2EvMMGUMyQw

22688

[aamyotte]

For the lid issue maybe put a couple of wooden spoons across the pot to create a gap to let more steam out while keeping the heat in to help with the boil.
The other thing to do would be to occasionally remove the lid and shake off the water droplets on the underside of the lid. It would be a shame to have them drop back in the pot having to reboil them.
Your syrup looks nice.

[Swingpure]

For the lid issue maybe put a couple of wooden spoons across the pot to create a gap to let more steam out while keeping the heat in to help with the boil.
The other thing to do would be to occasionally remove the lid and shake off the water droplets on the underside of the lid. It would be a shame to have them drop back in the pot having to reboil them.
Your syrup looks nice.

Thanks.

I walked the three steep lines today. No trees or branches on them. There were two locations where the lines were in the snow. This was not because they were strung low, but rather the lines spanned a fairly lengthy area and the unprecedented for me, amount of snow on the lines, simply weighed them down.

Last night the temperature was supposed to drop down to -3/26.6 °, but it barely dropped below zero, so once again it did not recharge the sap flow very much. I will only get a few additional gallons at the end of the day.

Tomorrow I will contact my pan builder to see if he has a best guess of when my pan and base stack will be built.

[wnybassman]

Some steam gets out with lids on, but I am guessing plenty more condenses on the underside of the lid and drips back into the sap.. I wouldn't run any more than 2" of sap in the pot, and add boiling sap to it to maintain that depth.

[Swingpure]

Some steam gets out with lids on, but I am guessing plenty more condenses on the underside of the lid and drips back into the sap.. I wouldn't run any more than 2" of sap in the pot, and add boiling sap to it to maintain that depth.

I certainly had more than two inches depth in the pots. I will try and keep them lower.

Thanks

[Swingpure]

I went to my step-son’s place for supper tonight and brought one of the bottles of 2023 sap for them to try. His wife opened it after supper and she tried it first. She really liked it. She said it was really maplely tasting. The “note” of maple she said was in the forefront. My stepson also agreed. They both really liked it.

[Swingpure]

The weather forecast for tomorrow, which was supposed to be a big sap flow day has totally changed. It may not go below freezing overnight and will only go slightly above freezing tomorrow, before turning cold for several weeks.

The forecast for the 7 days did not pan out as forecasted, but I did collect 26 gallons of sap and it was a lot of fun doing it and it certainly kept me busy. No sap was running today, so I pulled and cleaned all of my collection pails.

Right now I am boiling the last 6 gallons. I did all of the boiling with no lids and less sap in the pots, it seemed to help. Next time I will get a turkey fryer setup to have more heat to the pot and will likely upgrade one of my induction ranges as one definitely heats up the sap better than the other.

It will interesting boiling the sap down to syrup. 6 gallons of sap will only produce a half of a litre of syrup in the pot. Right now it is a medium sized pot, when it gets close I will transfer it to a small pot to half some depth to deal with. It may not end of being perfect syrup but we will consume it in the next week.

I have not heard back from my pan maker yet, but I hope I get everything, especially the base stack and base stack base in January. This will allow me to line up exactly where the hole in the roof should go and to install the base stack on the evaporator and through the metal roof. It will be cool to see the new divided pan and float box.

[Swingpure]

Heating up the sap this past week, it struck me how much heat it takes to heat up cold sap.

Right now my setup is to have cold sap from my feed tank go directly to my float box and into the divided pan.

Another option is to have a heating pan (as per the attached photo, I may not have named it correctly) that sits in the end of the divided pan that would heat the sap somewhat and also feed the pan based on how much you crack the valve.

Would you recommend a float box over this heated pan?

I know there are options where you could wrap stainless steel tubing around the stack, but the way everything is oriented now, I do not have that as a choice.

Thanks

https://share.icloud.com/photos/00ajtBwtNsExxZUSkVgzm-JJg

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[johnallin]

That looks like the pre-heater pan I had on my Leader Half Pint.
An excellent idea vs pouring cold sap into your pan.
Should have a valve so you can let it drip in to keep your level at whatever you’re comfortable with.
The float box wouldn’t do much for you, if it’s getting cold sap.
Look up the Leader Half Pint, lots of us started with that rig - it was awesome.
Good luck this year.

Edit:
Because the heater box just drips into the pan, it doesn’t kill the boil.
Pouring a cup or more of cold sap will tend to do that and you’re always trying to get everything boiling again.

[Swingpure]

That looks like the pre-heater pan I had on my Leader Half Pint.
An excellent idea vs pouring cold sap into your pan.
Should have a valve so you can let it drip in to keep your level at whatever you’re comfortable with.
The float box wouldn’t do much for you, if it’s getting cold sap.
Look up the Leader Half Pint, lots of us started with that rig - it was awesome.
Good luck this year.

Edit:
Because the heater box just drips into the pan, it doesn’t kill the boil.
Pouring a cup or more of cold sap will tend to do that and you’re always trying to get everything boiling again.

How warm does the heater box get the sap? Like 100°?

Thanks

[Swingpure]

I boiled the 6 gallons into syrup. I got it to the right Brix according to my refractometer. I may have over filtered it and came short of the 500 ml I was hoping for.

It was the first golden syrup I have ever made. It certainly had a different taste than the amber syrup I normally make, and it was thinner than usual as well.

I think it came out golden because I did not boil it as long. My wife was not a fan of it tasting it off of a spoon, but it tasted great on the waffles. Tasting it off the spoon, it sort of had a metallic after taste to it, but I did not notice that with the waffles. There was no metal that got into it, so it is not from metal that it got the different taste from. It was just different and far different from the amber batch I made on New Year’s Day which had a strong note of maple.

We both prefer the taste of the amber syrup I usually make, although maybe this batch was not representative of golden syrup.

Overall a fun experience and a learning experience and a family experience.

The middle bottle of syrup is obviously the golden syrup made today in the attached picture.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/071F7lTmtlpiTmpe0x3aobBzg

22692

[johnallin]

Probably not 100, maybe 60?
Depends on how much you keep in there.
Still way better than dumping cold sap into a boiling pan as you’re only adding by the drop to match your evaporation rate.
You can do the same with any pan suspended in the steam or near a good heat source, and just dripping into the boil.

[aamyotte]

For your turkey fryer idea I recommend the Martin brand cooktop. I connect mine to the bbq connection and use the house propane tanks. The turkey fryer from Canadian Tire has a timer on it that shuts itself off.
I also made a shroud around it to keep the wind off the flame.22693

[Swingpure]

For your turkey fryer idea I recommend the Martin brand cooktop. I connect mine to the bbq connection and use the house propane tanks. The turkey fryer from Canadian Tire has a timer on it that shuts itself off.
I also made a shroud around it to keep the wind off the flame.22693

Thanks

Is Martin just the brand name of the pot or the fryer?

Found this one on Amazon and is at Home Depot for $8 more.
https://www.amazon.ca/Portable-Outdoor-Propane-Burner-regulator/dp/B07G5H695G/ref=sr_1_21_sspa?keywords=Turkey+Deep+Fryer&qid=1672706055&sr=8-21-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExQ0FCMVMxWU81MzFMJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDc4NDkwR0xXQ01OV1hXV1pIJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3NzUzNTE1T1YwOVQ2MjhJREEmd2lkZ2V0T mFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3R Mb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

[82cabby]

Heating up the sap this past week, it struck me how much heat it takes to heat up cold sap.

Right now my setup is to have cold sap from my feed tank go directly to my float box and into the divided pan.

Another option is to have a heating pan (as per the attached photo, I may not have named it correctly) that sits in the end of the divided pan that would heat the sap somewhat and also feed the pan based on how much you crack the valve.

Would you recommend a float box over this heated pan?

I know there are options where you could wrap stainless steel tubing around the stack, but the way everything is oriented now, I do not have that as a choice.

Thanks

https://share.icloud.com/photos/00ajtBwtNsExxZUSkVgzm-JJg

22691


The image you posted is the set up I use with two exceptions: 1) it is a mirror image of mine. 2) my preheater pan sits on a shelf I fabricated into the evaporator instead of sitting over the pan. The flue gasses pass under the preheater shelf and warm it up. I haven’t measured the temperature but it’s hot enough to make it steam. I will try to post an image…

https://share.icloud.com/photos/083s_dJQoZ8Cv4iPsj8ZMOXXA

http://https://share.icloud.com/photos/083s_dJQoZ8Cv4iPsj8ZMOXXA (https://share.icloud.com/photos/083s_dJQoZ8Cv4iPsj8ZMOXXA)

[Swingpure]

Probably not 100, maybe 60?
Depends on how much you keep in there.
Still way better than dumping cold sap into a boiling pan as you’re only adding by the drop to match your evaporation rate.
You can do the same with any pan suspended in the steam or near a good heat source, and just dripping into the boil.

Thanks, I appreciate all of the information.

I was just reviewing my notes with my pan builder, as I remembered we had a discussion about it several months ago. He said it thought it only would improve the gph by 1/4 of a gallon/hour. He personally was not a fan of them, but said he would build one. From there we went onto discussing other pans and ideas and never went back to it.

[82cabby]

Im not great at posting images. I either posted an image of my rig or reposted an image of yours….. if someone could please let me know if it worked I would appreciate it….

[Swingpure]

The image you posted is the set up I use with two exceptions: 1) it is a mirror image of mine. 2) my preheater pan sits on a shelf I fabricated into the evaporator instead of sitting over the pan. The flue gasses pass under the preheater shelf and warm it up. I haven’t measured the temperature but it’s hot enough to make it steam. I will try to post an image…

https://share.icloud.com/photos/083s_dJQoZ8Cv4iPsj8ZMOXXA

http://https://share.icloud.com/photos/083s_dJQoZ8Cv4iPsj8ZMOXXA (https://share.icloud.com/photos/083s_dJQoZ8Cv4iPsj8ZMOXXA)

Thanks, I got the picture, interesting. I could still modify my evaporator to accommodate that if I went that way.

[aamyotte]

This is the cooktop I have. I bought mine from Max Propane a local Propane supplier.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/martin-sg-128-burner-stove/1000806617?eid=PS_GOOGLE_D00%20-%20E-Comm_GGL_Shopping_PLA_EN_All%20Products_All%20Prod ucts__PRODUCT_GROUP_pla-488082539672&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnsqdBhCGARIsAAyjYjQpBssj9tffu9gNZoWQ JCp8zd6hg2WedTvO6Vr2e1y7nWr6_Crvu6AaAs5wEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Swingpure]

Last night around 10 pm, the forecast changed and suggested the temperature would drop to -3°/26.6° and there was a chance for a flow today. I was tempted to order the turkey fryer on Amazon which would arrive in a couple of days. However at the time what they were saying was the current temperature was off, so I held off ordering the turkey fryer. Sure enough the temperature did not drop below freezing overnight and there was no flow today. I am partially happy because I cleaned and put everything away, but I would have taken it out again.

Today I added some extra tarp walls to two sides of the shelter just to help keep blowing snow out.

I am still trying to get the firebox grate for the evaporator. I had been working with a steel company who I know the owners, but for one reason or another, over 8 months they have not been able to get it. I have branched out today and I am trying two new sources.

I have not heard back from my pan maker yet. I am sure he is busy, I will try again next week if I do not hear back from him this week.

Winter returns tomorrow.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/023mNLI1T7YaVM5nwM96skcJg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03cNX4wjBMLiqppB2Dfknk0UQ

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[Swingpure]

It occurred to me yesterday, that I could also use my truck to transport the sap from my collection barrels to my evaporator area. My truck has 12v 185watt power ports as well as a 110v outlet. I can run my 12v 125 watt pump from the power ports and have enough quick connect cable to go from a power port to an on off switch that I would control in the bed of the truck, to the pump in the collection tank.

I could use a combination of a 55 gallon barrel, a 35 gallon tank and some 5 gallon pails to hold the potential, but rare 110 gallons of sap.

I have a safe place to park on the edge of a low traffic road and it would save me time.

I have purchased the connector from the power port to the quick connect ends and already have the on off switches and sufficient length of cable and hose to make it work.

[Swingpure]

I heard from my pan builder and my 2x4 divided pan, float box, base stack, base stack base, and accessories, should be ready in two weeks. Colour me excited! That will give me lots of time to get the base stack all set up through the metal roof.

I still have to buy a storm collar. The double wall pipe will go through the roof, then there will be about a three foot (possible 6’) piece of single wall pipe that will go above it for a total length of 12-15’ long exhaust.

Should the storm collar go on the double wall pipe, or on the single wall pipe?

Today I measured the distance from the far end of my collection point to the far end of where my truck bed would be and it was 25’. I have lots of quick connect cable and hose to reach that distance.

Today was a nice day, almost thought the sap would run again, but the temperatures never quite got above zero. It turns cold now, so no flow for awhile.

[aamyotte]

I would put the storm collar on the single wall so rain and snow doesn't sit on the joint where the single wall meets the insulated pipe and leak inside the stack.

[Pdiamond]

Put your collar on the single wall. I used a roof jack from Menards that is for High heat that forms around the double wall pipe. It is for metal roofing and starts out flat. You can cut it to the diameter you want. It is a brownish color, and I looked but couldn't find the name.

[Swingpure]

Put your collar on the single wall. I used a roof jack from Menards that is for High heat that forms around the double wall pipe. It is for metal roofing and starts out flat. You can cut it to the diameter you want. It is a brownish color, and I looked but couldn't find the name.

Are you talking about a roof Jack like this? This one is good to 450° and the aluminum outer frame will bend around the metal roof ridges. One of those ridges will run through the middle of the hole for the double wall pipe. It amazes me how the prices in Amazon can vary so much from the USA and Canada. Sometimes much, much more than the simple exchange. This one is like $84 on the US site and $260 on the Canadian site.

A friend just ran his pipe through the metal roof, bent up the metal surrounding the pipe to act as a ridge to guide water away from his pipe and has a storm collar close to the roof to help protect any rain from getting in. His exits his sugar shack dead center on the roof peak, where mine is a foot or so off of the peak. Not 100% sealed, but works for him.

There are all metal foot jacks, but I am not sure how well they would bend around the metal roof ridges. They look pretty rigid.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/024OE1S--_bfciPgKF2tiFBaA

22700

[Pdiamond]

It's similar to that Gary, but the base is square and made for metal roofing. I am sure it was also good for the heat on the outside of the double wall pipe. I don't remember the rating degree. I think it cost me something like $50.00 US. Want me to try and find you one and ship it to ya,

[Swingpure]

It's similar to that Gary, but the base is square and made for metal roofing. I am sure it was also good for the heat on the outside of the double wall pipe. I don't remember the rating degree. I think it cost me something like $50.00 US. Want me to try and find you one and ship it to ya,

If you find it, I will see what I can get it here for. Thanks for the offer.

Time is marching on. I am around 7 weeks from full tapping here, barring an early tap.

[Swingpure]

For my area, we are about 7 weeks give or take from tapping. Last year, my first year, I had trouble waiting for the tapping to begin and was a little envious of the southern areas that had started tapping weeks ahead of me. This year I am still really looking forward to the season beginning, but I am far more patient and accepting of when my time will come.

Despite seemingly working on improvements all throughout the summer and fall, I am still not ready.

I am excited that my new pan, base stack and other items could be ready in a week’s time. I will have a buddy help me with cutting a hole through the metal roof and rigging up the base stack and single wall and double wall stove pipe. He is much more comfortable than me being up on a roof and can really think outside the box for solutions, based on many years of experience building.

I am hoping that my fire grate for the evaporator’s fire box will also arrive in the next week or two.

One item I will be getting from my builder is a section of a 36” long, 8” double wall pipe. I suspect the OD of it will be 12” but I want to measure it first hand to be sure before buying flashing for it.

I am excited to be able to see the evaporator with the base stack and new pan and float box on it.

Last year’s concrete block evaporator I had tested 5 or 6 times prior to the season starting. This one I have not tested yet, but feel the lessons learned from last year and the addition of the base stack, 8” stove pipe, and the new pan should make it a more formidable evaporator. I will also have more seasoned wood, cut to a smaller size. I will also fill the firebox full to the bottom of the pan and will have fans blowing air under the door to help stoke up the fire. I should have a good boil.

There will be lots to learn with the divided pan, but I have read a lot about them and have watched a number of videos, so I feel comfortable starting off.

Last year I had labels on all of my jars and bottles, but I will not be doing it this year.

When I was boiling my Christmas sap, I was once again disappointed with the store bought defoamer. It once again congealed in the bottle and would not drip out. I will be using canola oil this season and just bought a bottle that I can control drip by drip. I will add one drop to the pan each time I fire up at first and adjust after that.

I do plan to start installing the remainder of my taps about a week ahead of when I think the sap will run. There is 140+ still to tap, with another 30+ taps already installed. I will be especially interested in the flow from the 30+ taps I installed at the end of December.

My DYI RO I have not thought about a lot. I still have to do the first ever flush. I will not do that until I get close to feeling overwhelmed, then I will flush it and then start giving it a try. My brain tells me it will ultimately save me time and fuel, but because of the unknowns of never have used one and none of the sugar makers I know around me never have used one, it seems like another level of complexity and additional work. But I will try it sometime this season and may ultimately come to rely on it.

[berkshires]

When I was boiling my Christmas sap, I was once again disappointed with the store bought defoamer. It once again congealed in the bottle and would not drip out. I will be using canola oil this season and just bought a bottle that I can control drip by drip. I will add one drop to the pan each time I fire up at first and adjust after that.

Other folks can speak to their own experience, but I have found that my early season sap doesn't need any defoamer. Later in the season I need some, and sometimes a lot. So you might try using it more sparingly, and then add more or even cut back to zero if you don't need it. The thing to watch for is a foam up in the syrup channel when you get close to or at syrup temperature. If you never get this, you don't need defoamer. If you can control it with less defoamer, that's great. Of course the trick is, you should try to add the defoamer *before* you need it. So that makes things more difficult. But I've found that if you should have added it earlier, and you catch a foam up starting in the syrup channel, you can add some defoamer to the syrup channel. Just then remember to start adding more to the earlier channels so you don't have to add it to the syrup channel often. Of course the risk is that if it's really too late, you might need to have that "Oh $h!t" bucket of sap handy!

GO

[Swingpure]

Other folks can speak to their own experience, but I have found that my early season sap doesn't need any defoamer. Later in the season I need some, and sometimes a lot. So you might try using it more sparingly, and then add more or even cut back to zero if you don't need it. The thing to watch for is a foam up in the syrup channel when you get close to or at syrup temperature. If you never get this, you don't need defoamer. If you can control it with less defoamer, that's great. Of course the trick is, you should try to add the defoamer *before* you need it. So that makes things more difficult. But I've found that if you should have added it earlier, and you catch a foam up starting in the syrup channel, you can add some defoamer to the syrup channel. Just then remember to start adding more to the earlier channels so you don't have to add it to the syrup channel often. Of course the risk is that if it's really too late, you might need to have that "Oh $h!t" bucket of sap handy!

GO

I only needed it on my second batch of syrup when I was only boiling 6 gallons. It got very shallow in the pot and started to bubble up, I added it, but it was also very close to finishing and I believe that is why the golden syrup had an off taste. Lesson learned.

I never use defoamer when finishing and I rarely had to use it all last year. In this case with such a small amount I was boiling and finishing at the same time. In hindsight, I should have just turned the heat down.

To your point, I will not add defoamer until I see some evidence that it will be a concern. As mentioned I rarely had to use it last year on my steam pans, but it could be different with the divided pan. If I have to use it, I will be mindful to use the least amount that is necessary. I will have a few gallons on raw sap on hand for emergencies.

[Swingpure]

I haven’t been posting much, because I have been waiting for things to happen.

I finally got my firebox grate after trying to get it since June. I actually got two grates, both too long and both too narrow. I will cut them to size and get them welded together, to make it into one correct sized grate. They are certainly heavy duty enough.

I also bought my blower fan. It has three settings and I can adjust its force as well by moving it closer or further away from the draft opening. I have another lower speed fan, so I am sure I can dial in the correct cfm.

I thought I might have got my pan and base stack last Friday, but I am told it is close, so I should get it next week, fingers crossed.

Just now we are getting our first extended cold spell, which looks to be at least two weeks long. It will make it interesting to cut the hole in the metal roof and install and seal the silicone roof Jack.

[Swingpure]

Today I cut the two grates to the proper dimension using an angle grinder and I will be dropping them off at my welder contact to join them. They are pretty heavy, so I expect they will fair well by the end of the season. I support the grate in the firebox so thatnis is 4 inches above the firebricks.

22793

I did not hear from my pan maker today, so I am really hoping I hear from him early next week. I can be pretty patient when I know a date something will be delivered, I am not quite a good when the delivery date is an unknown moving target. I still have a month before I start to panic, so I am still calm, but I used to have 8 months.

A deep freeze will be settling in here starting Sunday and the long range forecast shows it lasting at least two weeks and maybe all of February. The snow amounts are starting to build up again and I will have to start walking all of my lines again to reestablish my trail along them again

This is a picture of the fan(blower) I purchased. I am not sure what productivity improvement I will get from it, hopefully 1 or 2 gallons per hour.

22794

[aamyotte]

Does your fan a speed control on it? I've been reading on another thread about controlling the fan speed to suit the best between fire heat and not wasting heat.

[Swingpure]

Does your fan a speed control on it? I've been reading on another thread about controlling the fan speed to suit the best between fire heat and not wasting heat.

It has three speed levels and I can move it closer or away from the opening below the door, to do any little adjustments.

Last year I tried a leaf blower, but it was wayyyyy too powerful. We will see how this works. I will check the boil with and without it and will also check my stack temperature. Hopefully it will increase the gph and not just race through wood.

I got it at Canadian Tire. I have been waiting for awhile for it to go on sale, but it never did. I am sure it will go on sale now.

[Swingpure]

Today I took the two pieces of grate to the Welder, and explained what I wanted done. He asked when I needed it done by. Not knowing his schedule, I said two weeks and he replied he would have it done in a couple of days. I asked how much to do it, he paused and said $10. I replied how about $10 and a jar syrup once it is made. He said deal! It is always good to know a friendly welder. ( I used to know how to weld 47 years ago, but that is when I had company equipment and a little bit of practice. That skill has likely faded quite a bit.

I also walked the three steep lines. We have had about 50 cms / 20” of fresh snow the last week, which was on top of more than a foot of snow. I have to say it was a work out. It was good if I stayed on my now invisible previous path, but when I stepped off of it, I went down and it was deep. I went up and down all three lines and had some friends that were snow shoeing, go down the lines as they finished their hike. Lots more snow in the forecast.

Now for ice fishing.

[aamyotte]

It has three speed levels and I can move it closer or away from the opening below the door, to do any little adjustments.

Last year I tried a leaf blower, but it was wayyyyy too powerful. We will see how this works. I will check the boil with and without it and will also check my stack temperature. Hopefully it will increase the gph and not just race through wood.

I got it at Canadian Tire. I have been waiting for awhile for it to go on sale, but it never did. I am sure it will go on sale now.
That's how Canadian Tire seems to work. Murphy's law, it never goes on sale while waiting for something. At least they honour the sale price for 14 days from your purchase dare.

[Swingpure]

I picked up my welded grate today. It is heavy and heavy duty. It is 1/3/4” tall. I am still deciding how I will support it 4” above the firebricks. Last season I used bricks to suspend it up. I have left over pieces of grate. I might use them.

The weather forecast for next Saturday morning is -30° C / -22° F. There are no immediate thoughts of tapping here.

I am hoping I get my pan and base stack this coming week.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/047FECBjUFqfSD8ENxdHt2s9A

22797

[Pdiamond]

bricks might be the way to go again this year if it's that heavy.

[Swingpure]

Today I ordered the silicone high temp roof Jack flashing. It came on sale for a reasonable price. I wanted a round one, but the square one will work just fine.

22798

We received more snow and I walked the lines. With all of the snow, I am now using snow shoes to help make a better path. We are going to get about 36 hours of polar vortex type temperatures starting Thursday night. The snow is deeper than what the path shows in the picture. The snow under the path has been walked on and compressed throughout the winter.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/050V_BoMQW7TlvrwF7-eQOUfQ

No word on my pan or base stack yet.

[Pdiamond]

You are going to like the roof jack. Make sure to use the double wall pipe with it. it fits real tight. If memory serves me I think when I put mine up I used some bar soap on the pipe to make it slide better. But it was also in the summer time.

[Swingpure]

You are going to like the roof jack. Make sure to use the double wall pipe with it. it fits real tight. If memory serves me I think when I put mine up I used some bar soap on the pipe to make it slide better. But it was also in the summer time.

Thanks for the tip.

It is not the ideal time of year to install it, or to be up on the metal roof, which at the moment has a foot and half of snow on it. I had originally hoped I would have the base stack in October. I just hope now that I get it in the next couple of weeks.

[Swingpure]

bricks might be the way to go again this year if it's that heavy.

Seeing how the pallets with bricks on them are all snow covered at my rural hardware stores, and they are not too keen on digging them out for 6 bricks, I will be going with making a metal support for the grate, made out of steel I already have. I will drop it off at the welder later today. The flat bars on top not only join the two pieces of grate, but it makes the height of the support exactly 4”.

I do have a 4” high concrete ridge at the back of the firebox for the rear of the grate to sit on, and this “stand” will support the rest of it.

One advantage of it, is it certainly will allow for airflow.

I now know it will be at least Monday before I get my pan and base stack.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0abt1PWRc8VU0oj9ewkZnEV9Q

https://share.icloud.com/photos/090vbdEiiVdCN_ipXaZXMj4sA

22801

22802

[Swingpure]

I took the metal pieces to the welder and he welded it all up as I waited. The light was failing, but I tried the grate “stand” in the fire box and then added the new grate. I was very pleased.

In the first picture, it is an overhead look at the firebox, showing the stand and the concrete shelf at the back of the firebox.

The second picture shows the grate in place, fitting perfectly how I wanted.

The third picture shows the 4” opening below the grate. The width of the opening is not what it will be when it is operating, it is narrow for winter storage mode.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a5pILnOHEP46iTxfxLGDnIFw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0969xm7euwZL9HiGgGKdjUmvQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a6tz52iOIp7PgkgNSmhUJpWQ

22803

22804

22805

[Pdiamond]

One thing you might be able to do with the roof jack and pipe is get it started, make sure it is in the right direction, in the house where it is warm and pliable. Get it close to where it needs to go on the pipe that way you won't have to fight with it outside. As for as the base portion that should bend into place and screw down pretty well. Come summer you can always caulk around it.

[Swingpure]

One thing you might be able to do with the roof jack and pipe is get it started, make sure it is in the right direction, in the house where it is warm and pliable. Get it close to where it needs to go on the pipe that way you won't have to fight with it outside. As for as the base portion that should bend into place and screw down pretty well. Come summer you can always caulk around it.

What I thought I would do is to put the double wall pipe on the single wall pipe, then climb up on the roof and mark the roof line and slope with a felt pen on the double wall pipe.

I then would go into the house or heated garage and slide the boot Jack just above the line that I drew. I would then climb back on the roof, add butyl tape to the edges of the boot, lower the double wall pipe with the roof Jack on it, down onto the single wall pipe, then screw the boot jack to the metal roof and add caulking to the outer edges of the boot jack.

[berkshires]

I took the metal pieces to the welder and he welded it all up as I waited. The light was failing, but I tried the grate “stand” in the fire box and then added the new grate. I was very pleased.

In the first picture, it is an overhead look at the firebox, showing the stand and the concrete shelf at the back of the firebox.

The second picture shows the grate in place, fitting perfectly how I wanted.

The third picture shows the 4” opening below the grate. The width of the opening is not what it will be when it is operating, it is narrow for winter storage mode.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a5pILnOHEP46iTxfxLGDnIFw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0969xm7euwZL9HiGgGKdjUmvQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a6tz52iOIp7PgkgNSmhUJpWQ

22803

22804

22805

This looks great! Or should I say grate? ;)

GO

[Swingpure]

I have had some taps in since Christmas and made some syrup at that time. Since then there was one day where some sap unexpectedly ran. In the 5 gallon pails barely a bottom full, but in the collection barrel perhaps a gallon. It immediately froze and has remained that way. This coming week, there looks to be a flow day and maybe a couple other slight flow days.

My guess is that the frozen sap at the bottom of the pails and barrel would still be good having been frozen. Is that a good assumption?

[aamyotte]

I have had some taps in since Christmas and made some syrup at that time. Since then there was one day where some sap unexpectedly ran. In the 5 gallon pails barely a bottom full, but in the collection barrel perhaps a gallon. It immediately froze and has remained that way. This coming week, there looks to be a flow day and maybe a couple other slight flow days.

My guess is that the frozen sap at the bottom of the pails and barrel would still be good having been frozen. Is that a good assumption?
That frozen sap should be good. I've seen on this forum where some producers freeze excess sap and boil it later on.

[Swingpure]

Well today my silicone roof jack was delivered from Amazon. I also shoveled off almost 2 feet of snow off of the sugar shelter in preparation for when I install the basestack and stove pipe through the roof.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a9k_bx9CH9_4CUtyqd669U8w

My pan may have been welded this afternoon, it was supposed to be done if all went well, but I have not heard either way. I really hope that sometime next week I get the pan, float box and basestack and basestack base. Time is getting closer.

22824

[Brien]

Thats taking a while for that pan to be fabricated. I remember when you ordered it a long time ago. Is it because you were just so low on the list, that he is getting to it now. Or he was waiting for material to build it?
Sounds like you will get it just in time.

[Swingpure]

Thats taking a while for that pan to be fabricated. I remember when you ordered it a long time ago. Is it because you were just so low on the list, that he is getting to it now. Or he was waiting for material to build it?
Sounds like you will get it just in time.

I heard from the pan maker this afternoon and the pan was finished yesterday and the base stack, base stack base, float box and pan cover will all be finished tomorrow and I will pick them up at 4 pm on Monday. Colour me happy! I will have a few weeks to get it all rigged up before I go all in on tapping.

I am not great on roofs, but I will find a way to do it, I just need a day when it is not snowing to get up there, metal roofs are very slippery when they are wet.

My butyl tape to go around the edges of the roof Jack should arrive tomorrow and I will pick up some clear roofing sealant that is good to be applied down to -15° C, so I should get a good seal on the flashing.

There actually may be some minimal sap flow this coming week on the my early taps. I will be interested, particularly on Tuesday to see how they are all flowing.

[Swingpure]

Feeling good about getting my pan and stuff on Monday, I went out in a snowstorm and walked the lines by my house and my immediate neighbour’s. I wore snowshoes and the snow was deep. I was debating walking the lines twice, but there is 50 cms (20”’) of snow in the forecast for the next two weeks, so I will do it again closer to tapping time.

I have to admit now knowing when I am going to get the pan, float box, basestack, basestack base and pan cover, has changed my mindset. The uncertainty of not knowing was starting to weigh on me.

We are a few weeks away from tapping here yet, but I will be ready when the time comes.

[Pdiamond]

Those roof jacks ar pretty sweet aren't they, Gary.

[Swingpure]

Those roof jacks ar pretty sweet aren't they, Gary.

Yes it is going to fit well over the ribs of the metal roof. I was able to get it for $135.

Once I get the base stack base and base stack, and stand them up, I will see where the double wall pipe will line up and I will make a support for it. I will then lower the double wall pipe into position and make a mark on it showing the roof line and as mentioned before I then remove it, slide the roof jack down onto the double wall pipe to almost the line, then lower both and connect the double,wall pipe to the base stack, secure it to the supports, then add my butyl tape to the perimeter of the roof Jack under the metal strips, push the roof Jack all the way down to the roof and secure it with metal roofing screws, then add the roof sealant.

Other than putting the pan in place with the float box, I will be ready to boil.

[Swingpure]

Today was +1° and the sap was running a little in my early taps. 3 of the next four days will be possible sap flow days, with Tuesday maybe being the best day.

We are still 3/4 weeks away from the sap really flowing and installing the majority of the taps. I may get enough sap to make a litre or so of syrup this week.

We snowshoed the lines on the steep hill today. The narrow tracks are getting a solid base, but constantly have to be trekked with snow or blowing snow almost each day.

My butyl tape arrived today from Amazon. Tomorrow prior to heading out to pick up my pan, I will stop and get the roof sealant. I am very excited to head out tomorrow to get the pan. It is 6’30” drive there and back in good conditions. I have a lot of questions for the pan maker when I get there about the pan and especially the float box.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/083C4IhCUS59qa67WbtM2FnzA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/07d_bFH1Pwv2eXMpSRrTytgFg

22830

[Swingpure]

It was a 6.5 hour return trip, but I picked up my 2x4 divided pan, float box, pan cover, base stack, base stack plate and 2 foot section of stainless 8” stove pipe today. It all looks great.

The base stack plate will have to be welded onto my existing metal rectangle frame that the pan sits on. It might take a few days for my welder to get to it and I can’t really do a lot with setting up the base stack until it is done, but I can do a few things.

To reverse the flow in this pan, you reverse the positions of the draw off valve and the float box. I wasn’t really set up that way, but I have time to make it so that I can.

I am very happy and in a few days or a week, I will be all set up to go. The second last picture is a photoshop of the base plate at the end of the metal frame. I will get the welder to run a bead across the entire width of the base plate, then weld two small plates at the ends over both pieces for extra strength.

22834

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0411y9G7Z6XuQaYqkn5ZH5xAQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c7R8DXMM190dFxrWemO_aTFg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0cbDDqH8HxBUiJezbyuXlwquQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/077ZJArj47DFlgWgun-FlNk7A

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b2VQqjHa-MsmOauMR2QHlNrg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/004rU4u7dm9u4ExMEiePV1-Hw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03coqftEU0L5JbJdW9PDDpjIg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/08dtzSIbNepxCfBpD6ei2WY2A

[Z/MAN]

Pan looks like it was worth the wait. Can't wait to see steam rising from it!

[MajorWoodchuck]

Looking good Gary. Won't your first boil be fun. Your moving pretty fast for a second year sapper. Looks like you moved up from this being a hobby to an obsession. I realized that this year when I plunked down $800 for a filter press.

[Trends]

Equipment looks very well made, trusts it serves you well for many many years.
Stay safe on the roof work and get some help even if they only do the fetching on the ground.
Looking forward to see pic's of the whole sugar pavilion making steam.
Best of luck.

[berkshires]

Looks great! Is it normal that a base stack doesn't have a flange to use to attach it? I don't have a base stack, just curious.

One thought - if there's a way to attach your base stack to the arch with screws or something, I wonder if that might be better, so you can re-use it if you wind up buying an evaporator next season or the one after. That stack will last forever, and it would be a shame to have to chop it up to move it to a new arch.

GO

[Swingpure]

Pan looks like it was worth the wait. Can't wait to see steam rising from it!

Thanks, I can’t wait to see it all set up and working as well. I will have a big smile when the steam starts rising.


Looking good Gary. Won't your first boil be fun. Your moving pretty fast for a second year sapper. Looks like you moved up from this being a hobby to an obsession. I realized that this year when I plunked down $800 for a filter press.

When I started thinking about tapping two summers ago, it was going to be 16 taps, with an unknown way of boiling, but my personality trait of wanting to do the best I can, with a dash of obsessiveness has got me here. Hopefully I will be content with what I have now.


Equipment looks very well made, trusts it serves you well for many many years.
Stay safe on the roof work and get some help even if they only do the fetching on the ground.
Looking forward to see pic's of the whole sugar pavilion making steam.
Best of luck.

Thanks I have a buddy up for a couple of days, I am hoping we can get the hole cut in the roof while he is up, although today is a wash with driving snow, freezing rain, and rain. It is supposed to get to +4 C / 40 F so I should get some sap running in my early taps. It is more likely this sap will be boiled on a turkey fryer though. Thanks for the good luck wishes.





Looks great! Is it normal that a base stack doesn't have a flange to use to attach it? I don't have a base stack, just curious.

One thought - if there's a way to attach your base stack to the arch with screws or something, I wonder if that might be better, so you can re-use it if you wind up buying an evaporator next season or the one after. That stack will last forever, and it would be a shame to have to chop it up to move it to a new arch.

GO

Thanks! I do have a base stack plate with a flange for the base stack, it may not have been obvious in the earlier pictures. I was working on it this morning as I had to cut and ground a portion of it to fit the inside width of the evaporator.

The basestack and pan will fit my pan makers evaporators, if money magically appeared to allow me to buy a professional evaporator.

22840

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03eoJtpcJJ4kVEpO9cVteZ3jw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ddkzaLD06HrvmEh4vW3x_Rnw

[Swingpure]

Speaking yesterday with my pan maker, he suggested I start with 3” sap depth until I get comfortable with the divided pan and learn how quickly things can happen when they do.

I also asked about the draw off and I said I was going to trickle the syrup out. He told me that is a good method when you have a really large evaporator, but for the 2x4 pan he made for me, he said you want to open the valve and let it flow out. He also said, that let’s say 220° was my target temperature, that once I open the valve, the temperature may rise to 221°, but the instant it starts to drop, close the valve.

He also said if the sugar sand builds up, that the pan could burn between the bottom of the pan and the sugar sand, so not to let the sugar sand build up.

The way this pan is designed to reverse the flow was different than I thought. In this case, you switch the float box with the outlet valve. Right now my feed tank is on a raised stand that I screwed into place. I have three options. Get a longer RVk hose and string it over the pan to reach the other side, build a second raised stand on the other side, or unscrew the existing raised stand and just move it each time, but there may not be a good spot for it. First world problems, I will figure it out.

Now in simply flipping the float box and valve around, you have your gradient in the wrong place, so I see draining some of the sweet into pails and then pour it back in, in reverse order on the opposite side, to try and reestablish the gradient.

[Swingpure]

The weather improved a little bit, so my buddy and I were able to cut a hole in the roof today in the correct place and got a number of other things ready.

My neighbour was kind enough to weld the base stack base to the pan frame this evening. He is not a professional welder like my usual guy, but he did a good job and it is solid and should resist twisting.

Tomorrow we should be able to finish the base stack and stack and roof jack and then basically I will then be ready to boil.

Last year I had five test boils using water with the steam pans and last year’s version of my cinder block evaporator. I am debating have a test boil with this one and the new pan, but for some reason I am a little apprehensive doing it with the new pan.

I look forward tomorrow having a picture of the evaporator with the base stack and the new pan, however temporary the new pan will be there.

[Pdiamond]

It's okay, it only gets better as the years go by and you spend just a little more money. But remember, "it's only a hobby, honey really it'll be fun. Just think of all the syrup we can make."

[Pdiamond]

Gary, I highly recommend you do a test boil with water. You are not only testing the pan, but you will be testing the arch, stack and everything else. Making sure you have no leaks in your connections for your head tank to the float box and that the float box is functioning.

[aamyotte]

I vote for a test boil too. Better to iron out the kinks with water then with sap.

[Swingpure]

Sold, I will do a test boil next week when the weather warms up again and I can run my hose to add water to the pan and head tank.

The next two days will be above zero, but tomorrow is work day on the base stack and Thursday we have a ton of rain coming.

Next week will have four days above freezing, it would be nice to boil some of that in the new pan, but I will not go all in on my taps until I see what the weather will be from Feb 20/25.

Today we were above zero, but little sap ran. Tomorrow Saptapapps predicts a better flow. Next week more flow is expected. I am keenly aware that I am now 6 weeks since I tapped my early taps and there is a chance they are starting to close. I really won’t know until I tap my other lines and compare the flows.

[Z/MAN]

I also vote for a test boil with water, and run it for a couple of hours. You have a lot to learn and the test boil will teach you a lot. And make sure you have an "Oh ****" bucket filled and ready. (Just in case). I am not afraid to admit I have needed mine more than once.

[Swingpure]

Today we got the basestack and stack all hooked up and I placed the new pan on the evaporator. I am happy how it will worked out and it sure looks different from last year’s cinder block evaporator.

https://youtu.be/aOxWVi6rPJk

https://youtu.be/L4oaXi4_D0c

[Swingpure]

The base stack, with the double wall pipe section and top pipe all went on basically as planned. I am sure glad my buddy, who is okay with being on roofs and has a lot of skill was with me, and we overcame any challenges.

The high temp silicone roof jack worked well. Thanks Pdiamond for recommending it. I am glad I watched you tube videos on how to install it and I had butyl tape for the edges, special roofing clear caulking, and the sheet metal screws for securing it tightly down. The roof jack was a tight fit and my buddy had to work hard to slide it down, in temperatures right around freezing.

The hardest thing was to get the double wall pipe onto the 8” base stack, but we got it.

We are going to have a lot of rain tomorrow, so we will see how good of a job we did.

I do not have a rain cap for the pipe as per the advice of my pan maker, but I did put a 5 gallon pail on it while it sits idle.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/09fpgMwthi7mHzHIusIcVgFZg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03bCfhERp7ipuKTRoO9Gmvj3A

https://share.icloud.com/photos/05au0ZQLDnHtDRVqB-uxTEimg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b8LfEv9I8Y_EuEf1XL_HrQ7w

22848

[Pdiamond]

Beautiful job on the videos Gary. Gotta love Canadian Tire.

[Swingpure]

I put the divided pan in place today. It is always interesting setting it up for the first time and discovering challenges. The clamps that are used to attached the drawoff pipe and float box, actually fit slightly below the base of the pan. It actually slightly raised the front of the pan and did not make it level. I had planned on having ceramic blanket strips under the pan, so I added the strips and that was more than enough for the clamps not to touch and the pan is now level.

I also discovered the back of the float box was a little further away than expected, so the rv hose I had purchased for that task was now a little short.

I also found that the drawoff valve did not extend past the concrete blocks.

I was going to do a test boil today, but especially because, I did not have the proper length feed hose, I will do it next week when the weather warms again. I am ordering a longer hose and a 6” piece of stainless pipe with 3/4” NPT.

22847

https://share.icloud.com/photos/016iLZYXKNPqoHOn37XeB16tw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/044EQ3ofK7Nug9wO0sP2EgPaw

[Z/MAN]

Gary, that sure is an impressive setup you have there. You are going to really enjoy making some great syrup on that rig! It has been enjoyable riding along with you on your adventure. We all get bitten by this Maple Bug and get crazy involved with it but you are infected like nobody I have ever seen. I hope you have a great season and I look forward to seeing where you go from here, I know you will keep improving. (PS, how are you explaining this way over budget disease to your wife?)

[Andy VT]

Gary, I must say I was starting to panic about you getting your pan and stack in time! Whew!
We would have all cried over you missing your season after all this prep.
Can't wait to see it run!

[Swingpure]

Gary, that sure is an impressive setup you have there. You are going to really enjoy making some great syrup on that rig! It has been enjoyable riding along with you on your adventure. We all get bitten by this Maple Bug and get crazy involved with it but you are infected like nobody I have ever seen. I hope you have a great season and I look forward to seeing where you go from here, I know you will keep improving. (PS, how are you explaining this way over budget disease to your wife?)

Thanks!

My wife is mostly looking the other way, sort of don’t ask, don’t tell sort of arrangement, but puppy dog eyes helps. I don’t think I will be able justify a really large investment like a professional evaporator. I am pretty well done with major investments. I will have to get really good with what I have. Lots to learn with this divided pan.

I think there are advantage with all pans, including steam pans right through to flue pans. But I am understanding more and more, the key whether you have 10 taps or 1000 taps, is how many gallons can you boil in an hour.

[bigschuss]

Gary, I must say I was starting to panic about you getting your pan and stack in time! Whew!
We would have all cried over you missing your season after all this prep.
Can't wait to see it run!

Same...I was starting to feel bad it wouldn't show up.

Great job Gary. Nice set up. Glad everything is coming together in the nick of time.

[Swingpure]

Same...I was starting to feel bad it wouldn't show up.

Great job Gary. Nice set up. Glad everything is coming together in the nick of time.



Gary, I must say I was starting to panic about you getting your pan and stack in time! Whew!
We would have all cried over you missing your season after all this prep.
Can't wait to see it run!

Thanks

I have to admit I was getting concerned as well, but the pan maker had promised I would get it in time and he did live up to the promise, although it was closer timing than I originally hoped. I had not sold my steam pans yet and had not discarded the concrete block I made with the 6” stove pipe embedded in it, so if push had come to shove, I would have reconfigure my evaporator and I would have had to buy some 6” stove pipe as I had already sold the pipe I had used last year.

If the heavy rain forecasted today ends early enough this afternoon, I will try a test boil and will take a video of it. I went to town early today and purchased the stainless steel pipe extension for the draw off and I have ordered the right length hose, but it will not arrived until tomorrow, so I will just use a longer hose that I have.

[Swingpure]

Although today’s weather was disappointing in a number of ways, there is always something to be thankful for. The roof jack seal around the new stack pipe did not leak at all, so I guess we did a good job.

I am especially thankful for my buddy who came up for a couple of days to help me, prior to him leaving for Mexico and he did a lot of the work, with me being his grunt. It would have been very difficult for me to get the double wall pipe onto the base stack by myself. It was not a perfect match and it took two of us to get it to fit properly. He was also the guy on the roof and did all of the work on the roof. He certainly earned a few litres of maple syrup. We help each other all of the time with projects and I was very grateful for his help with this one.

The proper length hose for the feed tank will arrive tomorrow via Amazon. I may boil to a concentrate what little sap I have collected over the last couple of days. It will not take long.

I look forward to the test boil hopefully on Sunday, and if successful, then it will be waiting for 2/3 weeks to start tapping. I will tap on March 1st, if not a little before.

Sugar Moon is March 7.

[Swingpure]

Today after going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, weighing the pros and cons, I decided to start tapping. I am not sure if it was the right decision. I have the feeling in my gut that it is a risky decision.

My logical side of me said to wait until March like every other year, tried and true advice and the smart thing to do. Another side of me saw the 7 days of flow in the next 10 days.

Ultimately two things came to mind, this winter has been different than most other winters since 2012. Winter came late and has not been severe. The ice on our lake is poor and is much thinner than normal. We have had several warm spells, including one that allowed me to tap during the Christmas break and I doubt that has happen in Northern Ontario too often. There is no guarantee that’s the Spring will an easy one or an early one, but being a different winter there is a chance that March will be a very good month. There is also a chance Spring could warm up quickly and the start of April could be too warm to tap.

The second thing if I am wrong, no one dies and if I end up with less sap, I will still have a lot of potential sap to make syrup, hence the advantage of tapping a lot of trees.

There is no doubt there is a side of me that thinks I made a wrong decision. Hopefully the old sayings “Fortune favours the bold” and “the early bird gets the worm” apply. There are other sayings that are not so supportive.

I had 40 taps that I tapped during the Christmas break. I am not sure how well they will flow going forward. I certainly have not remotely come close to the 400 gallons of sap they theoretically could have produced. Hopefully there is more sap to flow out of them.

Today I tapped 57 taps right close to my house. Tomorrow and possibly Sunday morning, I will tap the remaining 74 taps on the steep hill. I am still open to someone saying you are crazy and hold off on the 74 taps on the steep hill and save them until March.

There is no expectation for sap flow until Sunday.

On Sunday I will do my test boil with water and maybe Monday or Tuesday I will be boiling sap.

I still have that feeling in my gut when I have made a decision I am not 100% sure of.

22860

https://share.icloud.com/photos/095UVPRYZKC0LwF6cxKUqNVjQ


Other weather forecasters have a more optimistic forecast.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f9j7rT7B6_zrsVZe4FpceNrw

[Swingpure]

This morning at 6 am, walking from the washroom to the bedroom, to go back to sleep, I all of a sudden said to myself, “it is the middle of February, are you crazy”? In that lucid moment I decided not to tap the 74 taps on the steep hill as planned today. Almost immediately the instinctive bad feeling in my gut went away.

The two good things about the decision, is that the 57 taps I did yesterday, plus the 40 older taps, should give me enough sap, to break me into my new setup, without overwhelming me. None of them last year lines produced any daily high volumes, so although there is a potential 97 taps, I think I will be lucky to get 50 gallons from them on a good day. (Last year was a poor year for flow, so maybe I will be surprised.)

The second good thing is I hedge my bets and the 74 taps on the steep hill, which I expect will be my best producers, won’t be tapped until ideal conditions, and I should still get a good amount of sap from just them, to make it a good season. When they come on line, I will be more experienced.

Now to focus on the test boil with water on Sunday, and who knows I might be boiling sap come Monday or Tuesday.

I am not sure if this falls under the category of another whiplash post.

[Swingpure]

I am still feeling great about not tapping the 74 taps on the steep hill.

The one good thing is I am always interested in learning, and this year I will have taps from Christmas, taps from February and taps likely from March the usual time. I will learn how tapping at each of the times affects sap volumes and it will guide me in the future. I am sure they are lessons already learned, but they will be valuable to me all the same.

Today I am boiling the sap I got from the Christmas taps. There was only about 5 gallons to boil, but I did not want it to go bad.

I also did tap 6 trees in my yard. Now all of the trees around my house that I had planned on tapping are tapped. Last season these trees produced very poorly and I am not sure why. We will see how they will do this year. These 6 trees are mostly tapped for any visitors to see and check out as opposed to truly adding sap volumes. Anything they will add, is bonus.

I updated my sap spreadsheet so that it is ready for this coming week.

I am excited about tomorrow’s test boil and some sap should also run tomorrow.

[Swingpure]

While I was boiling the sap on the induction stoves, I had two friends and their two family members drop by. I gave them a tour and they were very interested in everything. They hung around for about 45 minutes. In the end I gave them one of my five last bottles of syrup from last year, so they can taste it tomorrow morning at breakfast. One of the people is interested in buying some from me.

It’s funny most of my friends around here I have heard the stories about making maple syrup many times and their eyes roll when someone new asks a question about maple syrup when they are around. It is sort of like on the Big Bang Theory, when someone asks Sheldon a question and the three guys all moan, because they know a lengthy response is coming.

[Andy VT]

Don't worry about the whiplash, just keep doing you. It occurred to me there could be a possibility you could edit your posts thus far into a book on maple sugaring adventures. Whether doing some early taps is a good idea or not, I'm not sure, but I do feel sure that if you do tap early, saving some for later as a hedge is a good idea.

[Swingpure]

I did my test boil today and I am just waiting for everything to cool down now.

A lot of good things happened, a lot of things went right, a few easily fixable things to fix. But I had three issues, one is just inconvenient, one should be fixable and the last one is pretty concerning.

It took me about a half hour from starting the fire until I had a decent boil. When it did boil I had a good boil the full length of three of the channels, which I was pleased with. I now know I need at least 10 gallons of sap in my feed tank when I decide to shut down. The whole setup was virtually smoke free until I added air. The exhaust from the stack was virtually clear.

Now for the three things.

The inconvenient : The upper frame of the entrance to my firebox hangs down a little too much and I have to put the wood in at an upper angle to fill it to the top. I can either fix it or live with it.

The fixable: the two couplers going from the float box to the pan both leaked. I suspect I did not fit the gaskets perfectly and I will have to make sure they are perfect next time.

The pretty concerning. The metal frame that the pan sits on started warping in the front right corner. The frame has a lip that goes down 3” into the fire box that helps hold the firebricks in place and is also welded to my base stack plate.

I do not know how to fix this yet. If it stays where it is I could live with it although not ideal, but if it warps more, which it likely will, it could be a deal breaker.

I typed all this without my glasses on my phone, so sorry if there are errors.

Oh one other thing, when I add air it is like there is not enough exit room for the air to leave the evaporator and smoke and flames want to come out the front:

https://youtu.be/97ZB6Cg_8e8

Edit, now that the firebox has cooled down, the metal frame has come back down.

[aamyotte]

Would there be a way to put insulation down the front face of the angle so it's heat exposure is reduced and keep it from warping?

[Swingpure]

Would there be a way to put insulation down the front face of the angle so it's heat exposure is reduced and keep it from warping?

I could try that, do you think a ceramic blanket hanging over the edge an inch or so past the metal, would work?

Funny that the metal came right back in place after it cooled down.

[Swingpure]

I was also considering welding more steel on the frame, outside of the pan to try and strengthen it. In the red box area in the attached picture.

22865

https://share.icloud.com/photos/073Zn5ST1riL63qbzpn0gRWbw

[Pdiamond]

If you still want to use the blower and the metal warps again, seal that gap with some insulation. That should help mitigate the smoke coming out the front,

[aamyotte]

I could try that, do you think a ceramic blanket hanging over the edge an inch or so past the metal, would work?

Funny that the metal came right back in place after it cooled down.
That could work. It all depends on how much heat it took for the steel to warp. Time to expirement.

[Swingpure]

I have ordered a ceramic blanket, it should arrive Tuesday. I will see if I can tuck it under the bracket between the bracket and the fire brick and then up and around the top.

I reconnected the couplers on the float box, there was one gasket obviously out of place. Hopefully both now with be sap tight.

My plastic head tank stores fluid in the legs and I was a little worried about it all coming out, but I did some rednecking snd it work great, it drained all of the water out.

I think my boil rate was 11 gal per hour, maybe a hair better.

I really liked how little smoke the whole setup had. Almost none, big difference from last year.

I mentioned before I liked how it boiled hard the whole length of the channels, last year with my five steam pans, it was hard to get the last two pans to boil.

[nhdog]

what is the purpose of the steel plate a round under the pan ? why not remove steel plate and just place your insulation on the cinder block. it will provide a seal just as well as if the pan was setting on the steel plate. now the problem has been removed.

[Swingpure]

what is the purpose of the steel plate a round under the pan ? why not remove steel plate and just place your insulation on the cinder block. it will provide a seal just as well as if the pan was setting on the steel plate. now the problem has been removed.

I originally added the steel plate for two reasons, one to give support across the ends of the pans, and two to help hold the top of the firebricks, hence using angle iron.

As things turned out when my base stack plate was made, it was made differently than I expected and he built it so that it had to be welded to the metal frame, which I did. This now limits options and some of the angle iron will have to remain.

The other thing that surprised me that instead of having a threaded pipe coming out of the pans for the float box and draw off valve, he uses “collars”, which I had never heard off. The collars can work great if you attach them correctly however the bottom of the collar is lower than the pan, so the pan has to be raised. Raised even more than the 1/4” plate and the 2” thick ceramic blanket strip that the pan sat on provided enough space, so that the collar did not touch the concrete blocks.

I had hoped I had a little space between the iron and the fire bricks, so I could snug the ceramic blanket under it, but I designed it to be tight snd it was. Tomorrow I get the ceramic blanket, but I am not optimistic that it will hang in such a fashion to provide protection. If the ceramic blanket is delivered in time, I will do another test boil tomorrow.

Last test, one side of the frame near the door started to rise. I think ironically the other end did not rise because I had a leak at the couplers and I think that kept the bar from getting too hot.

If the insulation blanket does not work, the only thing I can think of is to cut the angle iron back to the ramp area. I cannot remove it all as it is attached to the base stack plate. I will still need to add an iron bar on top of the blocks to act as a spacer to protect the couplers.

If during tomorrows boil test, the iron does start to warp, obviously it a serious problem that has to be resolved. Cutting it and removing it is a big step. The main implication will be that nothing will be holding the top firebricks in place and loading firewood could displace them. I may have to find a way for the top bar to press down on them somehow.

I never ever thought that the strong 1/4” angle iron would warp with only being down two inches in the firebox, but I am learning that any steel in the firebox is a problem.

I have to say this has been a bit of a downer as it jeopardizes my season, but I will find a way to make it work. The good thing is I have time to find solutions as our real season is two or three weeks away.

I don’t know if it is too late to use masonry cement to try and hold the fire bricks in place. There are no gaps currently between the firebricks and mam not sure if it is warm enough for it properly set.

First things first, will see how we do on the boil test tomorrow or Wednesday.

[Swingpure]

I was standing over my evaporator trying to come up with a solution for several minutes.

I said to myself, Gary you worked for the Railway in the Engineering department and you know steel expands with the heat. On the railway we solved the problem by making sure the rail was laid at a certain temperature and we would anchor the rail. None of those solutions applied here, but the thought of the iron angle iron was warping because of expansion and it had to go somewhere, gave me an idea.

I am thinking why don’t I cut the four foot length into three or four sections and allow for an expansion gap between them. My brain says that should work. A 12 or 18” section of angle iron will not warp and lift the pan, and it will still hold the firebricks in:

I have a neighbour coming over who works with metal and he may have other ideas, or he may give me feedback on my proposed solution.

[Pdiamond]

Gary you can build a small fire to cure to refractory cement. Just enough to get it warm. By the way Gary, today I got 50 taps in on bags. Tomorrow i will put the new spiles on the drops I have on a short run out front - 8 taps.

[Swingpure]

The second boil test was a total success for the evaporator, although I get a strike against me.

The fix of curtting then metal frame allowing for 1/2 expansion joints worked perfectly. The leaks in the collar were all fixed.

It takes about 30 minutes to come to a boil, but today all four channels were boiling briskly, the full length of the channels except for the very start where the water comes in from the float box.

My strike was I knocked over my concrete door and it fell just the right way and broke. There was still a big enough piece to do the test. No biggie other than finding a patio stone this time of year locally.

I am all ready for sap now, but despite another perfect day for a lot of flow, it is still just dripping steadily. The Christmas lines are still perfirming the same or better than the other lines. Once again I typed this without my glasses so sorry for any glaring errors. I also have video, but I will send that tomorrow, when my data limit starts new again.

22878

22879

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b1rDqhlYI4cTa9oaMWI0ls6A

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0982gwV6XLoJtef8KhTDxN9XA

[aamyotte]

That's looking great. You're all set now just have to wait for the sap to flow.
I walked the woods Sunday and flagged 2 more trees to tap and 6 other on another neighbor's property. Just have to get the ok to tap those.

[Swingpure]

I was really pleased with today’s boil. In making all of the changes I was hoping to achieve a few things.

Make a sugar shelter that would protect the evaporator, but allow the steam to escape.
Make changes to the evaporator to reduce or eliminate the smoke problem.
Make changes to the evaporator to improve how it boils.
Make changes to improve and streamline the boiling process.

The steam had no problem escaping the shelter. The current structure has a much taller peaked roof.

Both the first test and this test, the evaporator was 99.5% smoke free it was a game changer from last year where I had to wear a mask and you could not see me when I entered the shelter. I credit that with having one pan sitting on ceramic blanket strips.

Last year I had trouble getting the fourth steam pan to boil and the fifth pan never boiled unless I’m put a lid on it, and this year the boil goes right from the front to the back of the pan. I credit that to the base stack. Of note, I am getting that boil with the liquid depth at 2.75”. That is what the pan builder set for me, being a rookie with a divided pan. Come boil time I will reduce that to 2.25” for the first draw off then reduce it to 2” for the next few drawoffs and after that we will see if I get braver.

The feed tank with the divided pan is pretty slick. A lot easier than my process last year. Lots of things to learn, but that is the fun of it.

I resolved all of the problems from the last boil except better access to the firebox. I did not want to cut the piece I needed to, because if it broke, I might be in a jam replacing it. I want to make the new piece before doing anything with the old piece.

I have at least two weeks before I will be boiling sap. I am trying to think of how to redo the entire front of the evaporator.

The sap is still running at 8:30 pm. I have 18 gallons collected and will have over 20 gallons tomorrow morning. I may use a turkey fryer and my induction stove to boil it tomorrow. I have a lot to learn what makes sap flow. I have had a number of perfect weather days and some sap has flowed but the amount of sap that has flowed per tap is almost embarrassing. The only thing I can think of is it is still winter here and the trees need to thaw more.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03evqswtcYonrDiRVSN2zst_g

[Swingpure]

It is 12:20 am or 0020 hrs, the sap is still running as the temperature will not go below freezing tonight. I understand the process of freezing temperatures recharging the tree, I am just curious how long the sap will flow after a recharge. It was -8°C /17.6F this morning and the sap started to run around noon. It is still running over 12 hours later, I wonder if it will still be running when I wake up?


Edit: 5 AM, the lines are still running, although slowed. The Christmas line is easily out performing the others.

I drained the barrels around 6 pm last evening, but despite running since then, there is not a lot of volume. Perhaps the reason for the low volumes the last number of days is because not all of the trees have started to flow yet, so despite having lots of taps, only a small number of them are producing at the moment.

It’s funny though, and I talked about that different setups had different advantages, last year’s steam pan setup, I would be boiling today because 20 / 30 gallons of sap would be a nice boil and I would not worry about the cold front coming in a couple of days. With the divided pan, I am not going to boil for an hour, then shut down, then have the sap sit in the pan for 8+ days of freezing weather. This is not a complaint about the divided pan, just an observation, that other methods have their advantages.

Now back to bed!

Edit: 9 am - 5.5 gallons collected from 53 taps going into barrel one and 4.25 gallons collected from 28 taps in barrel 2. The lines are still dripping.

[berkshires]

What temperature is it getting up to during the day where you are?

GO

[Swingpure]

What temperature is it getting up to during the day where you are?

GO

It has been getting to between 41° and 46° F and dropping to 20° F. Perfect temperatures. Last night it did not drop below zero, but the sap is still flowing right now at 12:30 pm, maybe flowing the best it has been, and that is from yesterday’s morning freeze, so it has been flowing for 24 hours straight with no signs of slowing. It is 42° right now.

One local thought that come March and the real melt, there is more ground water for the roots to absorb to increase the flows.

It will turn to below freezing temperatures tonight, stay freezing for a couple days, warm up a couple days, then be well below freezing between Feb 21 and into March.

On the bonus side I collected 26 gallons at Christmas and another 35 gallons and counting since. Last year I did not collect any until mid March. So I am currently 60+ gallons and counting ahead of last year.

The recent sap had 2% sugar.

[Swingpure]

With the 2 weeks plus before I likely start boiling, I thought I take advantage of the time to improve the front facade of my evaporator and leave the door open (pun intended) for a future metal door.

As per the picture, I would like to change out concrete pieces with 1/2” thick steel. Really only the top part that goes across the fire box would see any real heat. New pieces as per the red squares in the picture and they would be welded together I would just use concrete blocks to keep the metal tight to the cinder blocks.

Do you see any concerns with doing that?

Eventually down the road I would add a metal door, but likely would still go with the concrete door for this year.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/097e2JGDXQj-qm0UsqxMjyFTg

22885

[berkshires]

It has been getting to between 41° and 46° F and dropping to 20° F. Perfect temperatures.

Yes that is perfect temps. That said, there are other things that can decrease the flow from good to bad or even zero in my experience:
- Nearly all the time in a 24 hour period below freezing, with just a short spike above. Even if it gets all the way to the 40s, it's just not enough time to thaw much of a big block of very frozen wood.
- Heavy snow/ice around the base of the tree. My understanding is that this creates a "collar" of frozen sap inside the base of the trunk that limits flow up and down the tree.
- Intense cold. When it drops down to low teens or single digits, it can take days of warmth before any significant melting goes on in the tree.
- Colder areas, or areas with less sun. I have a northeast-facing area of my sugar-bush that runs better later in the season, and doesn't run as well when it's cold.

By the way, if the two runs are really identical, and one is running way better than the other, I would look for leaks or blockages in the one that's not running well, especially since the one running more poorly is new.

Cheers,

GO

[Brien]

It is 12:20 am or 0020 hrs, the sap is still running as the temperature will not go below freezing tonight. I understand the process of freezing temperatures recharging the tree, I am just curious how long the sap will flow after a recharge. It was -8°C /17.6F this morning and the sap started to run around noon. It is still running over 12 hours later, I wonder if it will still be running when I wake up?


Edit: 5 AM, the lines are still running, although slowed. The Christmas line is easily out performing the others.

I drained the barrels around 6 pm last evening, but despite running since then, there is not a lot of volume. Perhaps the reason for the low volumes the last number of days is because not all of the trees have started to flow yet, so despite having lots of taps, only a small number of them are producing at the moment.

It’s funny though, and I talked about that different setups had different advantages, last year’s steam pan setup, I would be boiling today because 20 / 30 gallons of sap would be a nice boil and I would not worry about the cold front coming in a couple of days. With the divided pan, I am not going to boil for an hour, then shut down, then have the sap sit in the pan for 8+ days of freezing weather. This is not a complaint about the divided pan, just an observation, that other methods have their advantages.

Now back to bed!

Edit: 9 am - 5.5 gallons collected from 53 taps going into barrel one and 4.25 gallons collected from 28 taps in barrel 2. The lines are still dripping.

This year I'm going to wait to have enough sap to do a full batch in my pan. I basically need 100gallons of sap to end up with 1.5in of near syrup in my pan. That way when I take it home to finish off it's a minimum boil on the turkey deeper fryer. Last year I got to anxious and boiled down to make 3litres. Way to much boiling at home and cleanup for me for that little amount.

[Swingpure]

This year I'm going to wait to have enough sap to do a full batch in my pan. I basically need 100gallons of sap to end up with 1.5in of near syrup in my pan. That way when I take it home to finish off it's a minimum boil on the turkey deeper fryer. Last year I got to anxious and boiled down to make 3litres. Way to much boiling at home and cleanup for me for that little amount.

I had that experience last year with my steam pans when I boiled smaller volumes of sap and then having to take the pan off early because the levels were getting low near the end of the boil and having to spend quite awhile finishing.

I collected another 7 gallons and I am up to about 40 gallons on hand right now. The lines were still flowing at 6 pm, 30 hrs after they started flowing.

I am going to let the 40 gallons freeze and will thaw them just prior to starting in March. I will pull out some initial ice from the pails in the morning to help them get a little more concentrated. I might get a little more flow Sunday and Monday, then things will freeze solid until March. Once I get 20 to 40 fresh gallons in March, I will start my boil.

Edit: Sap still running at 8:20 pm. (32’20”)

Edit: sap finally slowing, but still dripping but the temperature is now nearing freezing, collected another 5 gallons between barrels and pails, 34 hours continuous running.

[Swingpure]

With the 2 weeks plus before I likely start boiling, I thought I take advantage of the time to improve the front facade of my evaporator and leave the door open (pun intended) for a future metal door.

As per the picture, I would like to change out concrete pieces with 1/2” thick steel. Really only the top part that goes across the fire box would see any real heat. New pieces as per the red squares in the picture and they would be welded together I would just use concrete blocks to keep the metal tight to the cinder blocks.

Do you see any concerns with doing that?

Eventually down the road I would add a metal door, but likely would still go with the concrete door for this year.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/097e2JGDXQj-qm0UsqxMjyFTg

22885

I ordered my metal to renew the front facade. It was not in stock, so I have to wait a week Friday for it to arrive and I am already lining up the welder. The new face will give me much better access to the firebox and will be more solid.

[Swingpure]

I was fortunate with the recent mild spell, it melted the snow in the area where the local hardware store, stored its patio stones. I was able to pick up the 1’x2’ patio stone I needed. I got a spare just in case I am clumsy again. It took about 15 minutes to measure and drill the holes for the two homemade handles. The door actually works a lot better than it looks.

In 8 days, my welder will start making my new front facade. It should make everything look and work better.

Today I also removed some ice from the pails that are storing my sap, it will turn colder tonight and the sap should freeze a lot more. I expect some more sap to run in two or three days before another extended freeze. When the time comes to start boiling, I may have 50+ gallons of sap to start.

The cold spell right now will extend from Feb 21 to March 2nd and counting. I am not sure how long the effects of this polar vortex will last into March.

22887

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0bewC7M8EZENuQvEa6H5Mmu0A

[Swingpure]

It was +3.4 C/ 38°F today. The sap flowed a little and still is, but never fast.

We snowshoed the trails along the lines on the steep hill, that I have not tapped yet. It is amazing after high winds, on how the paths can disappear from the blowing snow. The one benefit this year is we have taken up snowshoeing as a winter activity and after walking the lines, we have made several trails in the coniferous woods on the other side of the hill we tap. The moose in that area are following our snowshoe trails, almost like game trails and are leaving deep hoof marks in the trail.

I get the metal for my front evaporator facade on Friday. No rush as cold weather keeps getting extended, as each new day appears on the 14 day forecast. We had taken the ice hut off the lake expecting the maple season to start, but I think we will be putting it back on the lake to fill up the time for the next two weeks or more. There are three trees we have to take down as well, so there is always something to do.

[Pdiamond]

How has the ice fishing been this season?

[Swingpure]

How has the ice fishing been this season?

Our lake is a pretty good summer fishing lake, but a tough ice fishing lake. It has been as good as most years, which is you are happy to be out enjoying the day and occasionally you get a fish, a pike or a lake trout.

[Pdiamond]

Sounds good to me. I collected 75 gallons of 3% sap from my 50 bags yesterday and I got 30 gallons of 2.5% today. I tapped in my one little 3/16 line with 8 taps on it and I would say when I checked the barrel tonight it had about 20 gallons in it. I almost have enough to start the evaporator. Of course, now we are supposed to get a big cold front for several days.

[Swingpure]

Sounds good to me. I collected 75 gallons of 3% sap from my 50 bags yesterday and I got 30 gallons of 2.5% today. I tapped in my one little 3/16 line with 8 taps on it and I would say when I checked the barrel tonight it had about 20 gallons in it. I almost have enough to start the evaporator. Of course, now we are supposed to get a big cold front for several days.

Wow, good flows. Congrats. That is exciting

I have to admit I learnt my lesson. Despite having mild temperatures the trees in our area just do not flow as well in February as late March and April. In future years I will not tap until March. My volumes per tap were so low. Fortunately I have 75 taps still to tap and hopefully the 100 other ones will still flow somewhat in March.

I am really excited to see what the taps do on the steep hill. Right now we have two weeks of below freezing temperatures to come with lots of snow to fall.

Watching news in Toronto they have grass and people were out on sandy beaches. We are two hours north and a world apart as far as the weather. I was ice fishing today and we bring the ice hut back out tomorrow.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06fTgw-xASfhxXvyNBlWP4mkw

[Swingpure]

Back sometime in the fall of 2022 I changed my profile pick to have a moon in the maple leaf. I had noticed that the Sugar Moon was on March 7 in 2023 and having tapped last year on March 6, I thought March 7 would be an excellent.day to envision tapping in 2023.

This winter has been so strange, with what seems to be an ironic ending. All winter long in our location we had one stretch of consecutive days below freezing of 7 days, all of the rest were four days or less. We had an abnormal number of days above freezing, which on two occasions encouraged me to tap some of my trees. The first time was good decision as it created family memories, the second in hindsight was a mistake.

Now as we approach the time of year where we hope for warming and possibly normal tapping, we are forecasted to have 15 days and counting of below freezing temperatures with a fair amount of snow. Having winter this time of year is normal, just seemed unusual for this unusual winter.

As some posters on this forum seasons are ending, our start to the season is weeks away, which is also normal. I am totally patient to wait for the start of our season whenever that will be.

As mentioned on another post it was a mistake to tap here in February, as the trees do not flow here as well, that time of year. I think a stranger reason not to tap early is it extends the season. Last year from the start of boiling to the end of boiling it was four weeks, I did it all without any help and I was tired and done at the end of it and it occupied all of my days during that time period. After my test boils the past couple weeks, it reminded me of that and there is no need to artificially extend the season for me as a hobbyist.

I am looking forward to getting the metal for the front facade. The good thing about the warm spells we had, is it allowed me two test boils to discover and resolve some of the issues with the new evaporator setup and also gave me confidence that the new pan and setup, boils well.

I still have lots to learn, the draw offs, dealing with sugar sand build up and I still not have tried my new transfer pumps and a few other things, not the least of it might be the RO.

In the attached picture on the right is last March’s actual temperatures and on the left, the current 14 day forecast.

22907

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f45Lpwyp89BAMGfOsFz3sgIg

[Someclown]

Watching news in Toronto they have grass and people were out on sandy beaches. We are two hours north and a world apart as far as the weather. I was ice fishing today and we bring the ice hut back out tomorrow.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06fTgw-xASfhxXvyNBlWP4mkw

And now they're dealing with a typical February snowstorm and more to come before spring is here

[Swingpure]

I picked up the steel for the front facade of my evaporator today, but unfortunately, their saw was broken and they could not cut the metal to the correct lengths, so where I had hoped to take the pieces to the welder and wait while he welded them, the welder has to now cut them and I likely will not get it back until early next week. I sure hope the new metal facade works. I won’t be throwing away the old concrete pieces until I see that it does.

I had been looking at 14 days of temperature below freezing and hoped that the forecast would change. Be careful what you wish for as a few days will now go a hair over freezing. Not enough to allow me to tap the final taps, but bad, as the clock will tick on my existing taps, without much benefit. Hopefully the long range forecast will change some more.

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[MajorWoodchuck]

I'm in the same boat as you Gary, only I didn't get any early sap runs yet. My cold woods still had 4" of snow on the trails but the tree bottoms were exposed. I tapped 70 trees last weekend and most taps started dripping immediately. The weather turned colder on Monday and 12" of snow on Wednesday and no 40 degree days in the forecast. Looks like it might repeat last year where first boil is at the end of March. After watching forecasts eagerly the last few springs I have come to the conclusion that they can predict to some accuracy 3 days out...but more than 5 days out it is a total guess. Seen it so many times that I had planned to go up or not the following weekend and by the time Thursday comes around it has changed 10 degrees F which is a huge swing in sap runs. After making the 3 hour trip to dry buckets last year 4 weeks in a row I am trying to patient and watch the 3 day forecast.

[Swingpure]

The long range forecast has changed again, this time less positive and the start of the season delayed further.

DMF, from Warren, MA, posted this on another thread and I am starting to embrace it: “ All I do is look at my weather app, hope they are 10% accurate and wait and see. People ask me all the time, "how will your season be this year?". It's farming. Doesn't matter if your version of farming is planting crops, making hay or tapping trees. Mother Nature determines how well your season will be!”

Next year I will look more out the window, than at long range forecasts and I will try and do that for the remainder of the spring.

There will be 10 of us ice fishing together today and may be joined by others, time to get back to enjoying winter, instead of trying to make spring arrive earlier.

I do look forward to the door being made. I will paint it black with heat resistant paint and paint the other metal frame components.

The sap I boiled to a concentrate and that has been sitting in a pot in a fridge for awhile now, I wonder how long that will last for?

It will also be curious the taps that I tapped Christmas week how will they flow 11 weeks after they have been first tapped?

[aamyotte]

The long range in my area seems to show that I won't be tapping before March 15th again this year. In 2021 I was done by April 6th.

[Someclown]

Your setup is really looking good Swingpure, hope it all work well for you
No rush here, looks like another normal year of tapping
Tap mid to late March and end mid to late April.
Winter started late and was warmer than average and I predict it will end late, we just started getting our typical February snow storms.
Frost is not deep as this is the first time I have seen my sump pump running in February in 28 years of ownership
Good luck

[bigschuss]

This is exactly why I don't chase warm spells. Yes, you might get a nice early run. But ON AVERAGE, it's better just to be patient and tap based on historical averages...for hobbyists.

Haven't tapped a single tree yet. It's been snowing for 3 days. We've got a decent storm coming in Tuesday which hopefully will drop 12" or so and make my trails to the sugarbush passable with my snowmobile. Other smaller storms possible later in the week. I'll get out and tap next weekend, which has been my average 1st day of tapping for the past 20 years or so.

It'll be here Gary. And when the sap finally starts to flow you'll have so much of it you'll need a break and wish you could a day off and go ice fishing with your buddies on the lake!

[LMP Maple]

I agree to a point......I tapped earlier than normal this year and I am better than half way to my season goal. If I waited until my 'normal' time I would be at zero. We are in a week freeze up at this point in S.NH and I would not be tapping until later than my standard time if I had waited. It is nice to have 12 gallons canned and in the fridge. If the season ended tomorrow I would be ok. I think chasing warm spells in January is too early and is too stressful for me unless you have a reason to tap ie. grandkids coming I cant see any reason I would tap in January. I like the thinking of Peter Greg in one of the Maple news articles he now shoots for groundhogs day to be tapped. That's about where I am at now which is early but its my new target. The best thing about a hobby operation is its generally feasible to tap in a day or twos time so you can be selective. I certainly wont chase a two day run in February but anything over that I would go for it. I like to be done by mid march anyway if I can as my work picks up.

[Swingpure]

Before the start of the season I said I would tap a few days ahead of expected flow. I essentially boil outside and use a garden hose connected to an outside tap for my water for cleaning, hence I like to boil on days above freezing. I need to see the light at the end of the tunnel, where there are consecutive days of above freezing weather, to plan to boil.

5 and possibly 6 days of the next 8 days could have flow, but following those days are 5 days of well below freezing temperatures. There is no light at the end of the tunnel yet. If day 14 had shown as above freezing, I might have been tempted to finish tapping in the near future.

Last night we had some Northern Lights in the area. We missed the dramatic colours that others saw, we did see the glow, that was behind our ice hut. If maple season has not started on March 7th, when we have the full Sugar Moon, I will fish well into the early morning hours in the moonlight.

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https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ee1KbR2jDSXeXndnIFQd6UNA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c8lWPsQAcT-XVukeugEI5aww

What we missed:
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0da44Xr_KG_DsZY-oaOQbtZHA

[berkshires]

This is exactly why I don't chase warm spells. Yes, you might get a nice early run. But ON AVERAGE, it's better just to be patient and tap based on historical averages...for hobbyists.

Depends on when the warm spell is. If it's a month before the historical average, forget about it. If it's two weeks early, and you're ready to go, and you can tap on a dime because you're just a hobbyist without thousands of taps - go for it. Last year I didn't (the warm spell was one week before my average tap date), and I lost a little production because I didn't tap early. This year I did tap 15 days before the historical best tapping date, and I was rewarded with the biggest runs I've ever had.

GO

[bigschuss]

Depends on when the warm spell is. If it's a month before the historical average, forget about it. If it's two weeks early, and you're ready to go, and you can tap on a dime because you're just a hobbyist without thousands of taps - go for it. Last year I didn't (the warm spell was one week before my average tap date), and I lost a little production because I didn't tap early. This year I did tap 15 days before the historical best tapping date, and I was rewarded with the biggest runs I've ever had.

GO

Oh yeah...no doubt. I agree. I would never tap in December or January. February is a different story. However, in the 20 years I have been sugaring, I have only tapped once in February. My historical average for 1st tapping is the first weekend in March and I am rarely tempted to stray from that.

Friends of mine tapped 2 weeks ago during that mild spell we had and they got a very nice run and made syrup. I almost tapped 2 weeks ago, but the extended forecast began changing and all high temps. were predicted to be not quite as high and not last quite as long so at the last minute I decided not to.

[Swingpure]

For those with a divided pan, who block off the channel openings over night, could you show me a picture of what you use to block the openings?

Thanks.

[Pdiamond]

I know you are concerned about the gradient left in your pan when you are done for the night. When I had my divided pan I would add an additional 2 inches of sap to the pan once the firebox was down to coals. The next day when I began the boil, or when I had more sap, it really did not take long for the pan gradient to re-establish itself in all the channels as it was when I left. It amazes me how the sugar does that.

[Rodmeister]

Hello Gary, over here in Haliburton (about same latitude as yourself) still quite cold. About 2 feet of snow and I have yet to walk the lines this year. Calling for warmer temps tomorrow so I will be heading up the hill. Looks to be at least two weeks off for tapping.
Some Clown makes interesting observations:

Tap mid to late March and end mid to late April.
Winter started late and was warmer than average and I predict it will end late, we just started getting our typical February snow storms.
Frost is not deep as this is the first time I have seen my sump pump running in February in 28 years of ownership

The issue of not a deep frost makes one wonder if the roots will respond earlier and send the sap upwards earlier. This is only my third year of production, not much history to draw on (no pun intended) so we shall see.

[Bgreisch]

I know you are concerned about the gradient left in your pan when you are done for the night. When I had my divided pan I would add an additional 2 inches of sap to the pan once the firebox was down to coals. The next day when I began the boil, or when I had more sap, it really did not take long for the pan gradient to re-establish itself in all the channels as it was when I left. It amazes me how the sugar does that.

I would second this, I have a divided pan and do not worry about the gradient after boiling it reestablishes pretty quick as I have had a draw off within 30minutes of firing up.

Bryan

[Swingpure]

Thanks, that is reassuring. I look forward to my first boil of sap on the divided pan, but that looks to be still 2+ weeks away. There will be lots to learn. I think because my sap level will be 2” or a hair higher for the first number of draw offs, I hope that will keep me away from some of the problems.

Last year I had 14 boils on my steam pans and I learnt something each time.

There will be 98% less smoke this year and the sap will boil for less time, so I will be interested in what flavour and colour it will have. Last year there was a bit of a Smokey flavour and all of it was amber, which liked.

The welder should have the metal welded by tomorrow, but other than snowshoeing along the lines and shoveling off the shelter decks, there will not be too much to do maple wise. More ice fishing time.

[DRoseum]

Here are the plugs I made
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[Pdiamond]

You'll still make a darker syrup rarely did I ever come close to golden syrup, although I did produce a nice light amber one year. We ooh and ahh'd, and dumped it back in the pan.

[Swingpure]

You'll still make a darker syrup rarely did I ever come close to golden syrup, although I did produce a nice light amber one year. We ooh and ahh'd, and dumped it back in the pan.

Lol,

I actually made one bottle of golden at Christmas on the induction stove, I don’t know how. As mentioned before amber is my preference.

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https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e7wQR85hIBZjykzqlpzXCtuQ

[Swingpure]

Mother Nature is playing with my head now the forecast in the next week has changed. 4 of the next 6 days including today the sap could flow. Some days are 6C° /10F° warmer than they showed earlier on the long range forecast.

The only problem is the last week of the two week long range forecast is below freezing. Which means I might be able to collect this sap, but I would not start boiling it, and would have to let it freeze. I have zero confidence that the second week will stay freezing.

Today will be +3 / 37°.

[Swingpure]

My plan for the day was to snowshoe the lines to further compact the trail before the next snowfall and ice fish in the afternoon.

After seeing the forecast change, I started thinking about tapping the final 70+ taps. I had not made up my mind, but I started to get my two collection barrels and short lines to go to from the main lines to the barrels The whole time I kept saying to myself Stop, stop, but I didn’t.

I still had not made up my mind as I set up the barrels and connected the lines to the barrels. I shovelled snow around the barrels to help keep them in place in case of strong winds.

It was beautiful out. It felt very Spring like, so I stopped saying stop and started tapping. It did not take long. The trails I had compacted, supported my weight. If you stepped off the trails you went into anywhere from knee to crotch deep of snow.

It did not take long to do the 70+ taps. I had no bad feeling in my gut and I am happy with my decision.

My rationale for tapping was, it was now March and that falls within my tapping parameters, there are a number of flow days coming and at the worst, I have the capacity to store the sap, and I just do not believe the second week of the two week forecast. Also it will give me an opportunity to check out my transfer pump, wiring and hose setup prior to the really big flows.

When I tapped, no sap came out of the holes and nothing was running down the lines. When I got back home, 2 minutes away, I checked my existing lines and they were just beginning to drip. I had a quick breakfast and got ready for ice fishing. I checked my existing lines and they were barely starting to flow. I swung around to check out the newly tapped lines and as I arrived they started to flow. I really think they will be big producers.

Whether I decide to do my first boil or not in a few days, I will make that decision then.

I feel excited and if my decision to tap was wrong, no one dies.

Now for a flag to pop on the tip up, as I type this in the ice hut. I will check on the lines again later today.

[Swingpure]

Here are the plugs I made
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22961

Thank you, my holes are more irregular shaped, but you have me thinking.

Thanks again.

[Swingpure]

Today the sap was not flowing like crazy, but I took videos of how it was flowing to show the bubbles. Some of the bubbles looked different than before, but they are what they are. Today reached +4°C/39°F. The sap is still flowing. I will be checking for leaks this Sunday. I was happy that the new lines tapped today were flowing and I think they will produce a lot of sap.

The first two videos are of the lines I tapped today. On the third video, the first two lines shown were tapped on February10th, the third line shown was tapped on December 27th. Notice how well it is still flowing.

Line 3 on the Steep Hill Collection area. 29 taps
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b3TLPWXFWPmXgbhTYUdLNCQQ

Line 2 first shown (21 taps), Line 1 second shown (23 taps) from the steep hill collection area
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0fbUY44QTJRPhZrEfZCSGhf7w


The first line shown, Line 2 of the garage collection area has 10 taps, the second line shown Line 1 (19 taps) and the third one shown, line 3 (tapped in December) (14 taps). Not much was happening with line 1 while I was taping, but more sap was on the way.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/098XEwHPGvPI5LFcWWoS6jq2A



On the fourth video the bottom line 13 taps, and the top line 11 taps, were tapped on Feb 10. They feed into the driveway collection area.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/09fha8L-5fBJ4wHu3PBO7rfhA

[Pdiamond]

Gary, I would say you are in business.

[Swingpure]

Gary, I would say you are in business.

I might boil Sunday and Monday, just to boil the sap and then draw off the sweet and let it freeze until temperatures rise above freezing again. I will make that call on Friday. Who knows if I get enough sap on Sunday, I might have a draw off or two on Monday.

I will need the welder to finish the front facade of the evaporator. I thought I would have it by now.

[aamyotte]

The temperatures are getting tempting in my area too, but a little too cold right now. I will be doing a test boil with water on the new pan on Saturday. Hoping to tap next weekend.

[Swingpure]

I will get the welded front facade tomorrow. Today I moved the frozen sap into the heated garage to thaw. The goal is to have my first boil on Sunday. I hope to have 80 gallons to start boiling and hopefully collect another 20+ gallons to finish boiling Monday.

[Swingpure]

I got the metal pieces I had welded, back today, but I got them later than I had hoped. I did my planned adjustments for a perfect fit and I then spray painted them, but did not have time to get my pan back on the evaporator and also no time to pre build tomorrows fire.

The 1/2” thick steel front facade fits as hoped and I will show pics tomorrow. Hopefully it does not do any weird warping stuff. It is robust enough that I do not think that will happen.

I should start boiling between 10 and 11 am tomorrow and I have about 80 gallons of sap to play with. I will boil until about 5 pm to allow myself some time to collect the sap for the next day.

(My December 27th tapped lines are still flowing well as compared to the other lines.)

[Swingpure]

Today I boiled sap for the first time on my new evaporator setup and on the new divided pan. It went excellent.

First things first and I will do this on three posts.

The first post is on my new metal front facade and metal frame. The door fit perfectly looked so much better than the old set up and most importantly worked very well. The concrete door fit well against it.

The metal frame that supports the pan and holds the top edge of the fire bricks worked well. After cutting it into three sections, there was no warping. I added a bracket to the middle sections so they do not fall forward.

I was very happy. The concrete door works well, I just grab it and slide it to the side and start loading the wood. The new front facade gives me better access to the firebox.

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https://share.icloud.com/photos/068N-LnMTli_MwZIwAEsdDOTg

[Swingpure]

Part two of today’s boil.

The evaporator worked excellent.

Zero smoke from it. It is so different from last year where I had to wear a mask. That is huge for me.

The evaporator was humming in fact it was red hot, and boiled at 13 gallons per hour. I think for a 2x4 pan, on a cinder block evaporator, that is pretty excellent. The channel where the raw sap entered was not boiling, but the other three were vigorously boiling from front to back.

I put to boil 110 gallons today.

The basestack got red hot.

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https://share.icloud.com/photos/082SJUslQbhJmNZ5Rpt9Vvb9A

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f8MSTJtgG2c0Nu3Ofe2wN3bA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/032vCkpEz-RYwgsscy5LQ3EmA

[Swingpure]

Part three, as amazing as things went, there are a few things to work on.

I have to move the pan a 1/4” to the right, I discovered after I started boiling it was barely hanging onto the right edge. That is an easy fix.

My stack last year never remotely got that hot, not even close. When my pan and base stack maker made the base for the base stack he made it different than i expected and the base stack is too close to the pan. I will try and move it a 1/4” more away from the stack, but I am not sure if that will be enough. The pan actually got a little discolored and it burnt some of the sap. I may see if I can weld a small extension piece to the base stack to try and move the pan a little further away from the stack, maybe a half inch more away from it.

I put to boil 110 gallons of sap and you could obviously see the gradient and I thought for sure I would have a draw off, but the thermometer never moved from the water boiling temperature. The weather is turning cold and I will not have another boil for awhile. I had my wife watch the evaporator while I collected today’s sap, so there will be not much sap to start a boil tomorrow, so I will not have a second boil.

I drew off two large potfuls of the densest sap. I may try finishing them. The rest I am draining of into pails, keeping their order and I will let them freeze and will use them to start the next boil, whenever that may be.

The stack was so hot it melted the tarp behind it, which I never expected.

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[TapTapTap]

Holy cow! Your rig shouldn't be running that hot!

[DRoseum]

Yeah that looks crazy hot. Can you put some of the high temp insulation blanket between the stack and your pan? If you can, move it back and put insulation between them.

[Z/MAN]

I agree with the high temp blanket insulation.

[Swingpure]

Yeah that looks crazy hot. Can you put some of the high temp insulation blanket between the stack and your pan? If you can, move it back and put insulation between them.

I have some of that insulation, I will do that next time I boil.
As far as running that hot, is that a bad thing or a good thing. Is a good thing that the cinderblock evaporator can get that hot, or a bad thing that it should not?

[DRoseum]

You don't want your base stack that hot. That's all wasted heat. I believe ideal stqck temperature range is 800 F - 1100 F for forced draft (blower). You are probably well above that.

How hard was your pan boiling with your base that hot?

[Swingpure]

You don't want your base stack that hot. That's all wasted heat. I believe ideal stqck temperature range is 800 F - 1100 F for forced draft (blower). You are probably well above that.

How hard was your pan boiling with your base that hot?

Vigorously boiling.

I think I know what is going on, it did it last year with my steam pans. All of a sudden the fire takes off and you can hear it roar and the flames are racing across the ramp.

My firebox is two logs deep and I fill it to the bottom of the pan. It is also likely that some of the back row is on the slanted ramp. I think it may take off like that when I put too much wood in it.

[bigschuss]

I put to boil 110 gallons of sap and you could obviously see the gradient and I thought for sure I would have a draw off, but the thermometer never moved from the water boiling temperature.

That was all raw sap you were boiling, correct? Gary, on my 2x4 my pan doesn't even get sweet until I boil 150 gallons or so. Then, for every 40 gallons of sap I boil I can draw off a gallon of near-syrup. At 110 gallons of sap boiled I think you were still about 80 gallons of sap away from having your first draw off.

Looking good though! Glad it's all coming together.

[Swingpure]

That was all raw sap you were boiling, correct? Gary, on my 2x4 my pan doesn't even get sweet until I boil 150 gallons or so. Then, for every 40 gallons of sap I boil I can draw off a gallon of near-syrup. At 110 gallons of sap boiled I think you were still about 80 gallons of sap away from having your first draw off.

Looking good though! Glad it's all coming together.

Thanks, that is helpful, and yes it was all raw sap.

I won’t likely have another boil for a week or two depending obviously on the weather. I drew off all of the sap from the pans. I put the first two draw offs in stainless steel pots for possible boiling into syrup, but now I think I will save it with the other sweet and just return it to the pan in the correct order, giving myself the chance to draw syrup sooner the next time I boil.

I was really pleased with the 13 gallons per hour boil rate. (I know that is slow for the professional rigs). Next time I will be more careful with how much wood I will put in it. It will still be to the top of the pan, but I will not push as much back into the firebox, to prevent the super heating of the stack.

[Swingpure]

Last year with my steam pans, which I cleaned after almost every boil, I sometimes saw a brown plaque on the pan that I assumed was nitre and I would use the white vinegar to clean it.

With this boil at the end, there was a some groupings of sediment in the channels, which I had not seen before with the steam pans. Is that also sugar sand?

(Poor picture as I took it last night holding a flashlight. The sediment was in all four channels)

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