dilemma!

[twobears1224]

ok,heres the deal.i plan on tapping this coming spring.i,ve been involved in sugaring my whole life but i want my own setup.
i have a few trees of my own (30/40 taps) but i,de like atleast 2000 taps.i,de do 5000 if i can.
my dilemma is the size of my sugarhouse.. :rolleyes: i either plan on building a fuel oil tank arch and tap a few hundred for a couple years and grow from there and/or redo a king 4 foot wide arch i just bought and tap 2000 and grow from there.i,am thinking of redoing it as a 4x12 (all depends on what i can find for used pans)
now,should i just build a sugarhouse big enough for a 4x12 or start with one big enough for the fuel tank arch?? :D i have my own sawmill so lumber isn,t a issue.
how big would you guys build a sugarhouse for a 4x12?? ooo,i plan on building my own ro when,i go bigger. ;)

delbert

[KenWP]

Build one big enough so that you never have to rebuild for years to come. No such thing as to much space.

[PerryW]

I started with a 12' x 16' building for my 2x6 and then added a 6X10 shed roof off the front to fit my 3x10'.

I always figured I could fit a 4x12 in my sugarhouse, since the 3x10 fits nicely and I could live with 6 inches less room on each side; BUT a 14' wide (minimum) would be better for more room on the sides.

(click on thumbnail to see pic)

[halfast tapper]

Gotta also remember room for enough storage. If you get 5000 taps, you can make 2,000 gallons of syrup. Need enough room for 30 to 50 drums. Also if you get an ro you need a heated room to put that into. Ours is a 30x44 sugarhouse with a 5x16 oil fired rig. We are adding on again this year for more drum storage and canning room. Try to look way down the road, it's easier to build it big enough now than later, especially since you have your own sawmill.

[KenWP]

Man Perry you still have snow. Here in the wilds of Quebec even we have our gardens coming up.
I figure if you build it big enough you can always sleep there when your missis gets tired of Maple Season which happens about 3 weeks after you tap a tree and are still complaining about not enough sap.

[Mac]

twobears 1224,
Build your last sugar house..... first. That's coming from a guy who is converting a tractor/wood shed into a sugar house!
If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

[caseyssugarshack93]

well this is what id do build the sugarhouse big annough, then if u really have the time for 2000 taps then go for it and if u want start out with a few hundrend and work ur way up ( like me) then thats alwasy good but if u got the land for 2000 then go for it

[twobears1224]

i,ve done alot of thinking in the last 24 hours.i also went to my dads sugarhouse and looked it over.i think 16x20 will do me for now.i think i can put a 4x12 in there if need be and it,ll be workable.when,i go with the ro i,ll build a room on the side of the 16x20...how big will that need to be??
as far as barrel storage i have places to store alot of them if need be.i also have a good way to move them around.
CASEY:i have alot of time..thats why i,am thinking about going big with sugaring.i drive a school bus and work for myself.i drive alot now but really i only have to drive alittle..plus,we have a week off in feb,a week off in mid april and a few short weeks in between.i coulddrive from 6:30am till 8:15am then work on sugaring stuff until 1pm or so.then be back at it by 4:15pm.
i could cut my wood in the summer when i,am not driving at all.
the biggest thing is coming up with alot of money to get started.theres alot of untapped trees close by here.but setting everything will be spendy.i,ll have to start out however i can and build from there.
once school is out i,ll start knocking on land owners doors and try to get some trees.

delbert

[ziggy]

you will be sorry with a 16 x 20 a 4 x 12 evaporator and a RO. my sugar house was 17 x 21 with a 3 x 10 evaporator and I added 12 x 12 addition when I put in my RO and now I wish I had more room.

[KenWP]

24x30 works as its like a two car garage with room for a work shop in the front.Aren't you glad we can spend your money so well.

[caseyssugarshack93]

r u going to run a tubing system Twobears, and for addions i have a 2x6 and i added on 2 times and im adding on again this summer hopfuly if i can and its going t obe 16x24 and but im going to put tanks inside thats why im going so big on the other only 14x16 addion im hoping to have all the r/o tanks inside atleast the conentrate one and feed one and a feed tank, then anough from for barrels, all i can say you want to go big anough if ur going to run a 4x12 u want to have anough room,

[twobears1224]

this summer i plan on building a 28x40 workshop.i have the slab and the roofing for it now and i started sawing the lumber for it.so,as far as a workshop and barrel storage i can do it there.
where i,am building the sugarhouse i don,t have much spare room to work with.so,i kinda have to live with a smaller sugar house and thats why i,am getting advice from you guys.when,i get sick of smashing into something in a way to tiny sugarhouse i can blame it on you guys..lol :lol:

delbert

PS:ken i,am used to other people spending my money.. so,have at it!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have a 24 x 48 sugarhouse with a 8x24 woodshed on the end and a 2x8 evaporator sitting in the middle of the sugarhouse and the sugarhouse isn't too big.

[maple flats]

I have a 16x24 sugarhouse for my 3x8 evap and it is too small. I am planning to add an addition of 14x20 for some much needed extra room. I also have my own sawmill.

[Clan Delaney]

Everyone's already saying it, but what the heck... built it bigger than you need. If you're already willing to put the time and/or money into it now, it's cheaper to build for the future. And hey, even if your operation never gets bigger, you're never gonna end up grouching about how you don't always clip your knee on the edge of the arch when trying to get around it, because you've got so much room! :)

[twobears1224]

ok,i,am building a 50x150 sugarhouse is that big enough?? :lol:

delbert

[3rdgen.maple]

If that is centimeters no if that is feet no. Go bigger man go bigger.