Ordered my new evaporator

[ennismaple]

We've taken a BIG step forward and have ordered our new evaporator - a 3.5'x14' Lapierre Force 5 with pre-heater!!! This thing will push through over 240 USG per hour and should use a fraction of the wood that our old clunker would eat up. It will pay for itself in fuel savings alone over a reasonable timeframe.

I've been told that the orders for this evaporator have been strong and delivery should be in October. In the meantime I've got some improvements to make to the sugar camp to make room for it.

Anyone interested in buying a 5x16 that's made close to 20,000 gallons of syrup in its lifetime?

<insert happy dance here>

[KenWP]

That mean we can all bring out sap over to your place and you can quickly boil it away for us. Custom Evaporation works for me.

[VtSugarhouse]

I went to the open house in St-Luger Quebec last Sunday and they had 3 evaporators boiling and there was a 3.5 x 12 and a 5 x 16 Force Five. What a impressive sight that was. The wood consumption is absoultly astounding.
I believe we are purchasing a Force Five also. I do not want to use an RO so my choices are the steam-away, piggy back and the steam hood which was on the Force Five at the demonstration.
The highest gallons of evaporation comes with the steam-away. That is the route which I am going. Also this is going green. It burns cleaner than an oil fired evaporator.

I am sold on this unit

[Amber Gold]

Keep us posted on how it performs.

I was talking with Chris (Maple Guys) and he's buying a 3x12 Force 5 this summer.

[ennismaple]

I'm gonna have so much time on my hands I won't know what to do with myself. I'll probably do something stupid like add more taps until I'm back to 10 hour boiling days again!!!

[sapman]

Congratulations on your new evaporator! That sounds like a sweet machine! What length flue pan are you getting?

Tim

[markY]

We just ordered today A 3 X 10 intensofire, also ordered a 5HP sihi vacuum pump, and a 600 gallon springtech RO and lots of other equipment. I have our site cleared and we are about to build a new sugarhouse to go with the 2000 taps we have now.

[caseyssugarshack93]

woah you really went all out, pump evap sugarhouse and taps, and RO

[markY]

there is no looking back now. we are excited for all this to come togeather

[caseyssugarshack93]

is it ur first time sugaring, or just getting all new equip?

[markY]

I do have 2000 taps and I have been selling my sap to a neighbor for the last 15 years, along with helping them make syrup. I am kind of new, but not really.I have lots of experience from there in making the syrup. It was just time to go on our own. I am looking to grow to 3,000 to 3,500 taps on my own land and have also secured a lease on another sugarbush with maybe 750 taps. I will also buy sap from another guy too when he gets all set up.

[Sugarmaker]

Wow the Force 5 is getting a lot of attention. The pictures that some one posted on here were very good shots. Any comments on how it might work for smaller operations and small runs? At this time with 500 taps I have collected 150-200 gallon and boiled it in that day. With the long run times and low wood consumption how much sap would you need minimum to crank up a say 3 x 10 Force 5 unit? Also what is the typical boiling rate of a 3 x 10 Force 5? DaveY you can P.M. me.

Regards,
Chris

[Dave Y]

Chris,
Unfortunately Lapierre has decided not to produce a 3x10 force5 model. They have found that a rig that small doesn't work. The smallest they will be making is a 3x12. I have found that with my 3x12 i need 500 gal to start. How ever a 3x12 force 5 can do 250 gph. Soooo if you wanted to boil 3 hrs then I would have a minimum of 750 or more. In that time span you would need to fire only 4 or 5 times at the most. This Arch works best with a mix of green and dry wood.
I was told however you could store your wood out side and still get theses high temps and boiling rates.

If you decide to up grade let me know I will get you set up :)

Dave

[ennismaple]

Dave Y - I'm not sure where you've gotten your numbers from but my Lapierre rep has quoted me about 245 GPH for my 3.5x14. I'm hopeful that those numbers are conservative but that's what I'm budgeting for. That works out to 5 GPH per square foot.

[KenWP]

Ennis remember they work with mini gallons in the states. So his figures could be right. I had trouble boiling this year untill I figured that my 3 gallons per hour was like 4 US gallons so I didn't feel so bad.

[ennismaple]

Ennis remember they work with mini gallons in the states. So his figures could be right. I had trouble boiling this year untill I figured that my 3 gallons per hour was like 4 US gallons so I didn't feel so bad.

Thanks - but I already took that into account. My dealer quoted me 202 imperial gallons per hour which equals about 243 USG.

[Dave Y]

Enis,
My numbers came from lapierre, in Swanton.