OCTOBER JOURNAL

[mapleman3]

Holy Cow, it's Oct 2nd and no one started the Journal, well today I started to empty the oil tank thats in the lower section of the barn, so far got 50 gals out of it, can't be much more in it. hopefully I can move it to behind the sugarhouse sometime this week. also picked up stain to do the sugarhouse and chicken coop(barn red solid stain) the nights are getting colder and it will be time to go out next weekend and scout for more nice roadside sugars. I figure for this year I'll pick up maybe 50-70 more taps on roadside to put me just up to around 200 and also 100 on reds on pipeline behind the house, thats it for this year, won't tap the 100 at sis- in laws this year, maybe next year if I get Vac up there. last season it ran for crap there. so we may just be around 300 total this year(which is plenty 8O )

Well I got the new pump house set up in the woods. Started on making 500 new drop lines. Hope to finish up on the main line improvent across the colden grand canyons sunday. If he ever gets the cable lasher from work. They seam to be useing it when we want it.
14 more days till I stick that big buck with an arrow.

[themapleking]

Ya that post was me. **** crappy computer. Who makes a good computer I've had it with gateway :evil:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

I'm with you on bow hunting as it is 2 weeks from today down here. I owned a small business for years and have several different brands of computers and Dell is hands down better than any other reasonably priced brand on the market and there is no comparison.

Watch and you can get a nice desktop with free shipping for $ 499 and nice laptops for around $ 699. I have a really nice Dell laptop I got aprox 6 months ago that I am on now and I love it. One upgrade I would recommend would be pay the extra $ 79 and get XP Professional. It is a ton more stable than XP home and a lot less headache in the long run! :D :D

[Al]

Well it's a little crisp up here in Vt. We're having my wife's birthday party today so I skipped church to do the cooking. We'll be having a big pot of chilli, Jalapeno bread. pepper-pepperoni bread and alot of finger foods. See the theme! Wife has to have her chilli seperate. Boy would that be good in the sugar house early in the season. :D When they get back from church the oldest and I are going out bird hunting for a couple of hours before people arrive. :D This has nothing to do with sugaring but it's a great day so why not tell people. Wish you all were here to have some good chilli and a cold drink but since you can't I'll have one or two for you. :lol:
Take care

[syrupmaker]

Dang Al......That does sound good! That might be a heck of a meal for the early season in the sugar house, but i would hate to be next to you or Jim in the outhouse! :oops: YIKES!!! HEY HOW BOUT FIREING WITH METHANE? 8)

Rick

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dang Rick, that sure was funny! I am still laughing! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Haven't gotten much done so far this month. I have been doing a lot of thinking and designing a preheater and I have just about finalized a design that I am going to go with. I hope to build it Thurs evening so I can get it installed in my hood soon. I still have to cut out for my blower on my evaporator, install the arch front and lower it to the floor somehow. I hope to work on that some this Sat afternoon after squirrel hunting Sat morning. I am also hoping to spend a couple of hours Fri evening working on my tubing and finish it up as I have about 30 more taps to install and I picked up a couple of bags of 30P tubing at my dealers last weekend.

Only about 4 months till syrup starts down here and I can't wait. Good luck to all this fall as you get ready! :D :D

[themapleking]

Ok the cable lasher showed up this moning at 7:30. He had to sneak it from work and sneak back today. So the 2 canyon main lines are done, and reconnected everything back up today.
Next weekened I'll reclean the lines with Kevin's neat little tubing washer let you know how it works.

[mapleman3]

Yikes Al, lots O Gas there 8O :lol:
Well after all the soccer games and a service call I had to go out on, I finally got to Staining the Sugarhouse, used Bear Red Barn Solid Stain, goes on real nice and DANG the shack sure looks nice!! got the 2 sides that are seen from the street done, still have 2 sides left and then second coat and white trim around door and windows !! I guess the wife was right when she said to paint it.. Now I'll need a Desjardins SugarHouse sign !!!

[Al]

Yep lots of gas here. :lol: Glad I left out the beer or I would be sleeping in the sugar house. Can't call it a sugar schack any more. Way to nice. All my nephews and my boys want to sleep out there one night. Can you see me out in the sugar house at midnight with one seven year old and 3 three year olds when the owls start hooting? :D That won't be happening any time soon. Bet your sugar house looks nice. Can't wait for the pics. I wonder how high my stack should be for a 24x66. Had good draft last year so I must be alright. I'm about 3 ft. over the roof. Is there a rule of thumb here?
Have a great night and go Patriots!!!!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

The rule of thumb is 2 feet for every 1 foot of evaporator length. With your evaporator being 66", you would need 11' of stack. Sounds like you have more than that and that is good! :D

[steve J]

Well I hung tubeing for the first time this weekend and we mixed in a little deer hunting with work. No luck on the deer but my son had a nice bull moose walk across in front of his tree stand of course he did not have a camera with him.

Now all I need is to find some large containers to hold all the sap that the 42 taps will move along the 3 separate lines I installed any ideas out there? All my other trees are on buckets.

[Salmoneye]

Remember me? LOL

First thing I have done sugaring-wise in months...

http://www.gmavt.net/~ubavt/Sappin04/bulk02.JPG


http://www.gmavt.net/~ubavt/Sappin04/bulk01.JPG


300 gallon Girton D-300 Double Wall Bulk-Tank...Had to go get it a couple miles up the road...Guy used to keep 'spring water' in it for making beer...Speaking of which, the guy has some SERIOUS stainless left for making LOTS of beer...

Total cost for the bulk-tank... $0.00

I am such a scrounge...Try loading one of these on a 4' x 8' trailer alone...Can I bum a couple Aleve?...My back is killing me :wink:

I also got his 250 gallon pick-up bed poly tank...He wouldn't 'give' me that...I had to pay $50 for it LOL

[mapleman3]

Sweet tank for sure!! any compressor with it? what else does he have, you should post on the for sale if the guy wants to sell some of it that you don't want :wink:

[Salmoneye]

Hey Mapleman3,

I think that he wants the whole setup to go as a package to an amateur brewer...There is everything you need from wort cooking to stainless pressurizable tanks for aging...He was seriously into it for years and wants $500 for the lot...About the only thing that I think could be crossed over to sugaring is a big heavy-duty stainless 'urn' type thing that might make a good bulk heater/canner if you are going to can 20 gallons at a time LOL...

[forester1]

Good price on the tank. Nice tractor too.

[Dropflue]

Wow It's already October! I had big plans this summer of siding the sugarhouse with roughcut lumber and tearing the old roof off and replacing it with a metal roof. But the summer got away on me this year! So guess I'll work on the inside of the sugarhouse. I'm going to install a stainless steel sink and hotwater tank in the sugarhouse. I'm tired of washing pans and untensils in the house! I went to an auction this weekend that had used restaurant equipment, hoping to pickup a used commercial sink but no such luck. Hope to get photos of the sugarhouse and evaporator setup posted soon.

Dropflue

[Salmoneye]

Thanks Forester1,

I don't suppose that I should mention that I scrounged the tractor about 8 years ago for the same price as the bulk-tank, eh?...It is a 1948, Ford 8N and has saved me more time and money than I can think of...In fact, it has even made me money from brush-hogging jobs...

I looked at your pics in your Yahoo album...It is the kind of place that most of us only dream of...

[forester1]

Thanks Salmoneye,
Since those were taken I've installed the stack, head tank, and added a woodshed. I hope to borrow a digital camera and update the pics yet this fall.

[syrupmaker]

Salmoneye....Hey welcome back,good to see your still thinking about syrup.That free tank would look alot better in my yard though. The sore back will be well worth it even after loading it on a little ole trailer like that.0h i wish i could have watched. :P

[Brian]

I got my 4x12 arch last sat. the oil burner is a 701 carlin. the stack is stainless steel. I still need to buy some ceramic blanket to line the arch with. The first layer is going to be 8 pound 2300 deg. the second layer will be 8 pound 2600 deg. with a third layer of 2600 deg. in the first 4 to 5 ft. of the arch. I got the stack up through the roof last night, that took longer than I thought it would. My step-son and I put the flu pan on the arch. We used ratchet straps to lift it up then slid the straps a long the rafters to get it into place then let it down. After that we bought some cable winch like on boat trailers. We are going to hook them so one person can remove the pre-heater hood and or the flu pan.

[mapleman3]

Wow Brian thats going to be a screamer.. what rate will the oil be fireing at 12-15gph nozzel? lots of blanket your puting on, I'm still wondering how I'm going to do my 2x6, who gave you the info on how to line it? I'd love to here what he recommends for my 2x6 at only 3gph oil, I'm not sure how much blanket I should put in.

[Brian]

Jim,
She should make about 4 gallons an hour and she'll be shootin atleast 12 gallons of oil an hour. The fuel lines are half inch copper with one being a return line. The reccomendations for the ceramic blanket are suppose to be 2 layers of 2600 degree 8 pound density, with a third layer in the area of the gun, like the first 2 to 3 feet of a 2x6, these are the reccomendations of one of the salesmen from Leader, I called them 2 years ago when i was converting my 2 1/2 x 8 to oil, and thats what they had reccomended, so to make things a little cheaper I'm going to do my first layer 2300, I think it will do just fine. And Jim, one more thing, watch your stack temperature with a 3 gallon an hour, you may want to crank her up a little bit. I would try a 3 1/2 gallon an hour nozzle. I don't think you'll be disapointed. The stack temperature should run 500 to 600 degrees, and don't forget a barametric damper! Hope it helps, keep warm in Cancuun :)

[mapleman3]

Yep no problem on the settings, I have a complete digital combustion kit that I use for oil burners, it tells me everything I need to know for setting up, Stack temp,draft,O2,CO2,CO ambient temp and efficiency, all at the same time, so dialing in is a breeze, and as for undersizing, stack temp and smoke tells alot. I also have a smoke pump that gives me my smoke reading.. it's cool stuff when I can not only use it for work but use it for Maple is Great!! I'm really looking forward to oil and tweaking it to peak performance!!, as for the blanket, I will buy the 2300 on ebay for the 1st layer and go the 26 or 2700 for the second layer.. that should do the job hopefully. Thanks Brian :wink:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

No bigger than your evaporator is, you should be able to get by with 1 box of 2600 degree if you are putting 2 layers in it. 4 pieces 6' x 2' should more than do it and you could use the scrap pieces to line and layer in the bottom of the arch! :D

The rolls are normally 2' x 25'. :D

[mapleman3]

cool, I haven't seen the 2600 on ebay lately, sure would like to get a good price on a roll!!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[Michaelh054787]

Have a new Vacuum pump and releaser coming in a week...hope to have it hooked up before the first week of november....Will have around 500 taps on it.....should be close to 700 taps for next season...other than that all set....just a little bit of putting around....

[mapleman3]

buy oil yet mike? I have about 70 gals will have to buy about 205 to fill the tank.. prices are terrible!

[michaelh05478]

OIL IS CRAZY..I have about 375 gals from last year...may get 100 more, but its $1.78 a gal.......some sugar makers are going to wait till spring......it still beats wood................

[mapleman3]

Thats what I'm going to do, I have enough to get about 20 gals made so I will watch prices in Feb-March, I may end up biting the bullet, but I just bought oil for the house at 1.74... so.

Well Finished painting the sugarhouse today, sure is amazing what paint can do!!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Better buy the oil before too long. Normally oil is higher in at the end of Feb than it is now. Hopefully not, but it doesn't look good. Some of the fuel experts say it may hit 3 bucks a gallon for gas by spring. If this is the case, oil will be a lot higher too. Just think, 3 years ago Bruce Bascom paid $ .48 @ gallon for fuel oil. 8O

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday evening and finished up all my new lines for next year. I should be right at 425 taps which is by far the most I have ever had. After finishing lines, I spent four or five hours yesterday evening and another four to five hours today cutting out for and installing my airtight front.

I also cut out for my blower, but I haven't installed it until I set my arch down onto the floor.

Once I get my arch lowered, I will have to extend my stack a little and install my steam stack and I will be just about finished till season other than a quite a few minor items. :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kevin,

What are you using at work that burns that much fuel?? Bruce Bascom always buys his by the tractor trailer load which would help some and he always buys it around June I think. :)

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Most of the paper mills around here burn coal, it seems a lot more economical. :?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[Parker]

Kevin- A Pulp-Paper mill in unity????????? Sine me up, I am working in New Boston and shipping pulp to Shelburn, Rumney, and Berlin, a closer truck would be nice........What is the deal?????Parker

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[Al]

Well puttered around the sugar house today. Hung up my weather indicator and put some pictures in my personel album. Check it out and see how a poor man makes maple syrup. :lol:
Take care

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

Nice pics and a nice looking sugar house indeed. We are all proud of the great work you have done and everything you have learned in a such a short time. I would dare say your syrup next year will be the best in VT!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

[Al]

Thanks for the kind words. Have to get me some more shiney equipment next year to keep up with you and Jim. :D Weather here is great. Trees have peaked and I've put away the lawn mower. :lol:
Take care

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

Same here as the trees are peaking and leaves are starting to fall, but I may have to mow the grass at least 1 more time. It has been a warm fall and very condusive to things growing. :D

As far as the shiny stuff, it looks like to me you are holding your own. I have bought about everything that I plan to buy. It looks like I will have to buy a sugarhouse in the spring unfortunately, but that's the way it goes. :cry:

[mapleman3]

Great pics Al, soon you will be getting the shiny stuff all nice N sticky!! we are starting to get to crunch time, need to look at neighbors trees before the leaves are down. I will start building a roof over the oil tank, also over the sap tanks, and an addition on the chicken coop, more and more customers lately, looks like I'll need to get rid of some roosters and get more laying hens, maybe be up to 45 layers soon 8O

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Better get on the ball looking at trees before the leaves fall. None of the leaves have fallen down here but the maple trees and they have shed about all their leaves! :(

[mapleman3]

Well hoping I can get out there this weekend :oops: so many things going on at once, and next weekend I'll be up in the Adirondacks roughing it Camping with Rick Syrupmaker and a few other guys(**** it'll be cold Brrr) hope the bars stay warm at night :lol: :lol:

Oh and Thanks Brandon, I recvd my tubing tool yesterday :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Thanks a ton for letting me use and come next year, I will ship my 2 handed tool up to you to use whenever you decide to add more taps and lines! :D :D

Notice I didn't say if! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mapleman3]

Ok wise guy :wink: you know me too well huh? :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Got to work 3 or 4 hours today and I finished up my table. I had a 4x8 wooden table top out of plywood and I cut it down to 3x7 and put four 4x4 post legs under it and added the stainless cap on top. Needless to say, it is very sturdy and strong and looks really nice.

I also moved my feeding tank and had to do some cutting and repositioning of the frame. That thing is a beast to move. The tank weighs less than 100 lbs, but the base that holds it up is a beast. :lol: :lol: Due to moving my tank, I had to reposition my feeding line and length it significantly.

I bought a 2'x11' stainless sink that some had last year that was taken out of a school somewhere. I still have to mount it and I will probably have the water from the hood piping directly into it since I won't have any tap water running into it. I have tap water only a few feet away, but the building isn't insulated and it could freeze and bust to easily. I may in time install some type of system to have water at the sink whenever needed, but not this year.

Today was the first day of bow season, but the weather was so miserable with a ton of wind and rain. No way I wan'ted to hunt that bad, so I got in a few hours of work on the sugarhouse and equipment. :D

About 4 months from today until the taps hit the trees down here, so it won't be long! :D :D :D :D

[mapleman3]

Well sounds like things are going well... even if the weather was crappy and you had to stay "IN" the sugarhouse and get things done inside....and you know what the Old Sugarmakers say... a bad day of sugarin is better than a good day of work! so anything you can get done there is real good!, just watch your back on that heavy stuff

I can't wait to have hot water as you will, I have been thinking of doing a sink also.. would be nice to have a steady stream of hot H2O where ya need it most!!

keep at it Bud :wink:

[Al]

Did the same thing today. Moved my tank and had to run to town for copper fittings. Took the wife and she wanted to know why I got one extra of everything. I told her I didn't want to have to drive 24 miles tomorrow for a 45 degree fitting. She bought it!!! Boy do I wish I had been in Leader's when she said that. :lol: She's not that bad though. We had a date tonight and she suggested we go by Home Depot just in case I needed something. :lol: Not only did I have best looking woman there but she wanted me to buy something too!!! Can't beat that!!! Ended up busting the bank!!! $4.95 :lol:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

Way to go with the wife. Take her to Leader when you get her in the lovey duvy mood!

Can't wait to see the pics of your new setup inside the sugarhouse! :D

[syrupmaker]

Well i decided to take a walk back to the shack and see how things looked. Saddled up the bow and took a slow stroll back to find 1 of the main lines buried under a cherry tree that was struck sometime last week. 8O Luckily it was only part of the top so it was easy to drag off with little effert. Other than that things looked good, except for the other 4 cord in the pile that has to be stacked yet. :roll: Wandered over to the other side of the valley to check some prospective new tappers and this doe stood there looking at me. Proceded on like i never saw her and stepped off the trail only to have her trot up to see were i had gone. Not the biggest one in the woods, but hey no excuses for stupidity on her part. :D So i loaded her up and away we went. Looks like myself,Jim(mapleman) and the rest of the boys will eat real good at camp this weekend. Hope they like venision chille,steaks and sausage!!! Oh and a couple cold brews to help wash it all down. 8)

Rick

[mapleman3]

Congrats Rick!! Get her cut up, you only have a day before the trip!!! Looking forward to some tasty steaks and such!! I'll have to spice up the jambalya to keep the blood moving this weekend if it's cold up there!! Lets just hope the SOX finish off the Yankme's tonight HEHEHEHE!!! so we can watch them in the pubs

[syrupmaker]

Had her cut before i left for work,just have to grind the little bit of leftovers tonight when i get home.Steaks, sausage and chile is whipped in the freezer to load in tthe cooler in the AM and we'll be haulin hinder for the hills. Gee i hope the SOX fall off, i would hate to have to were a hat for a Boston team in a NY bar!!!!!! YIKES :oops:

[mapleman3]

I'll buy the hat for you too!!!!

[Al]

Well the Sox did it. :D You guys have a good time and stay out of trouble!
Sugar house ready to go. All done now but the hardest part. Waiting!!!!
Take care

[syrupmaker]

Al... or anybody else, if your just standing around waiting come on over to the big town of Stillwater in Herkimer County. We'll be at the end of Basket Factory road off of no. 4 rd (might be Stillwater rd) not sure. But the groceries will be aplenty.Stop over we got lots a room! there'snly 75,000 acres there.
8O
Rick

[Al]

Holy Cow, my father-in-law lives in Eagle Bay/Inlet. About 12 miles from Old Forge. May have to get the liberty card punched and head out tomorrow night. Stay with him on Friday night and meet up with you guys on Saturday.

[mapleman3]

Yehaw lookin forward to the trip out today! and to get to watch the SOX kick *** tomorow !! Al you should come, we'll have a blast. as well as anyone else. bring yer camper tent or whatever, and hey the campins free!!! just dress warm.

[ebourassa]

Well I just picked up my new 2x6 yesterday and finisher, boy is she shiny. The sugar house is almost done and next is putting up tubing in the new bush. :D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Congrats! I am sure it is a very exciting time.

Can't wait to see some pics. Send some to Mapleman and he can post them on his website for all to see! :D :D :D

[mapleman3]

All Hail King AL... talk about coming through in the clutch.. here we were sitting in camp Sat Morning,, getting warmed up by the fire(Rick, Myself , his Dad and Pete)after a very chilly night and who comes whipping in round the corner but Al!! and he brought his new heater... well after a day of good grub, beer, the Sox game at the Local... we fired it up in the camper and had a warm place to sleep!! it was a great weekend, quiet up there in the adirondacks.. great folks to be with fer sure... Rick and AL, I had a blast.. can't wait for the next one!!!

Come on traders.. we all need to get a bigger crowd going on these trips !!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You could sure count me in if I was closer, but 10 to 12 hours 1 way is a little too far. :cry: :cry:

[Al]

Yep a good time was had by all. That Pete man he'd talk your ear off. :D Food was great and the company was better. Not only that we solved all the world problems too. Thanks for everything guys. Even had a Genny on the floor of the truck when I got home. :D I'll proberly let it age a little before I pop the top. :lol:
Let's get together next summer. Have to set a date later on and find out how many can make it to Pumpkin Village, Fairfield,Vermont.
Take care.

[syrupmaker]

No doubt in my mind it was a great time!!!!!!!! :D As always tons of eats and cans,even had a chance to hang out under the pine tree for a spell. (don't ask, you had to be there for the experience.) :wink: It was great seeing Al and Jim, cruzin to watch the game and see deer literally inches from Al's truck. Gotta watch when Jim drives though, he Thinks Ford radios are kinda neet i guess. :P If ya ever go camping and it might get cold,keep Al in mind on your invite list. :idea: Heck there's nothing sweeter than waking up next to that man in the morning. Navy guy's , they no how to stay warm. :P

Rick

[mapleman3]

well I was trying to tune in the sox game while these guys were enjoying a few.. at least we saw some deer right?