Pdiamond's request

[ebliese]

Pdiamond was interested in seeing a few pictures of my sugarshack. I thought to post them here so he, and others, can see. The shack is a lean-to addition to a pole barn. We converted the addition into a sugar shack a few years ago. The floor was raised to be (almost) level with the main part of the barn. It's 16 foot wide by 30-something foot long. Nowhere near the beauty of other sugar shacks like Wood Butcher's (although his is definitely a house, not a shack). The south side of the shack is mainly occupied by an 8 foot by 8 foot kid play pen.

We are running a slightly different setup this year in that the sap is hauled via trailer and we can't bring it directly into the shack but we are making it work.

https://www.icloud.com/photos/#028N8ANKvQjMXgjAzFLuwz5ig

[Pdiamond]

Nice set-up. You have lots of room to work around you evaporator, which makes it really easy. I noticed you don't have the blower option on your arch. I have the blower on mine and man does it kick some tail. Also uses lots of wood, but that's okay I have a whole woods full. I have the raised flue 2 x 4 evaporator, but I don't have one of the newer arches with the sight glass. Thanks for sharing the photos they were awesome!

[ebliese]

Thanks! It's nice to get someone else's opinion and see I'm doing something right. Especially with our setbacks this season.

How do you like your raised flue pan set from Smoky Lake? I don't know if a pan upgrade is in our future, but if it was, that would be the way to go. Either that or the drop flue set.

[Pdiamond]

I love the raised flue pan. I can get 50gph or better if I really fire it hard. It just amazes me what that little evaporator will do. I personally don't care for the drop flue pans it's just me. If you have watched the Smoky Lake video, I have the exact set-up in that video. I ended up buying the 50-gallon raised feed tank to go with the evaporator. I think my next big purchase will be the stack probe - a little pricey, but it may help me regulate the wood loading better than I do. Since I am retired, I don't worry about how fast I get it done since I have all day. The nice thing about buying from them is they work with a good leasing company, and you can get the equipment you want and make a monthly payment if you don't have the full amount to buy the equipment.

[VT_K9]

Nice setup and plenty of room to work or....expand.

Mike

[ebliese]

Thanks Mike! Don't mention expanding, though. There is the possibility....