September journal

[Parker]

Wow-we are slacking on the sept. thread here people,,,,,,lets see,,I have put about 6 more peices of wood in the woodshed since the middel of august,,,I am getting a littel concerned,,,gonna have to give myself a talking to and get that shed full!!! What is everyone ealse doing?

[PATheron]

Guys- Parker is right. Weve just been kind of piddling around and spending time with our families, vacationing, camping, etc, etc. Well, PARTY TIME IS OVER MY FRIENDS!!!! SUGARING SEASON IS ALMOST HERE!!! CLEAN THE TANKS, STACK THE WOOD, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE MOTHER OF ALL YEARS. The trees look great down here with all the rain weve had and now the sun has come out and theve grown like crazy. Im seeing trees I thought were dying out that are all bushed out nice. I think we are going to have some good quality sweet sap this year. Gonna be a fun year. Ive got almost everything at my house on autopilot now. Gotta run electric down to the releaser across the road and that will be coming into the sugarhouse too. This year want to have everything coming into the shed and have more time to spend in the woods. One thing I did this year was clean all my tanks now and cover them good so I dont have to try to do it when its freezing cold out. Try to do things a little smarter every year. Theron

[red maples]

MY WOOD IS DONE:) :)

Now beginning the planning for the new main lines... going into the woods tomorrow and start marking trees so I can find the best routes for mains and laterals...(and look for deer trails and buck rubs and scrapes:emb: )I bought tubing and wire a few weeks ago...but still need order manifolds, lateral conection things to mount onto the wire, insulation for the arch doors... man I guess I should make a list huh!!!:o

[Jeff E]

YES SIR PATheron! The party is over!!!
I came to me today, as I have not even looked at the Trader for weeks. I got inspected this morning and got me thinking the season is just around the corner.

Wood is done and stacked, under cover. I pulled wire for another W/D line and another 3500' of mainline off it. Now its time to run the tubing, and laterals. Drops can come later. I was thinking getting the tubes done by the end of August was the plan. The plan failed. But I am living in the hope and glory that is promised by the month of Sept!!!

I also need to hunt a bit with the new VDD (wirehair pup). He's about 4 months old now, and ready to get after the WI, MN and Dakota birds!

[KenWP]

Started yesterday hauling wood in from the bush. Went slow yesterday as i was in school and she who must be obeyed had the tractor reved to high and then poped the belt off. Didn't help she never run the seat up closer so she could actually touch the pedals. I have no idea how anybody can run a engine that high and think at the same time.
Today went better and I got home early so we go a lot hauled in before dark. Should have a lot done by the weekend and then its a 3 day one as monday is a holiday.
I have to get working on my evaporator but my freind that had the tools had cancer surgery Friday so he's out of commision for a while. I might have to make do with the old evaporator for another year.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Hung 1500 feet of 1 1/2 mainline the last 2 afternoons on my new sugarbush. 200 acres of all healthy monster trees. Were last tapped in the 60's. So much work to do,and too much $ to spend. Finished up a 1800 tap bush 2 weeks ago, thought i was never going to finish that project. Well lets see what i can get done on this 4000+ tap bush before the season. And this is also my 1st year on vacuum. I need help......

[Dave Y]

I haven't been to a party all summer. I have been going to farmers markets all summer. If the sales continue the way they have been I will be out of syurp before christmas. I am currently up grading all aspects of my operation. I have added two more tanks, a1500 and another 1000.I took my 800 to the woods and put the 1500 at the sugarhouse. sold 4 tanks earlier in the summer.I am currently in the middle of a building project. Seems my attached sugarhouse was not big enough to acomadate my new evaporator. not only not long enough but it wasnt high enough either. so I added on. I went out and up. I will post pics when time allows. The rig is due here at the end of the month. Most of the fire wood is cut and split. and I may be adding vacuum. Im getting a pump. Just not sure if I will get it hooked up this year or not.
Gary R was by last night . It was good to see him. Theron if there was a party this summer that why I didnt make it. Sorry!

[Parker]

Dave Y-what did you get for a rig?

[PATheron]

Dave- The partys are all the get togethers my wife made me go to when I should have been stringin line. Theron

[Dave Y]

Parker,
I am getting a 4x14 force 5. That is some thing you sould think about buying.
Then you would not have to cut so much wood.

Theron I was just wandering cause I didnt get any invitation.

[Jeff E]

Randy, your killing me over here is WI.
"another 200 acres with monster trees"!!!!:)

Theron, did you figure out anything easier than draining pump lines each night to keep them open for the morning runs?

[ennismaple]

Parker,
I am getting a 4x14 force 5. That is some thing you sould think about buying.
Then you would not have to cut so much wood.

Theron I was just wandering cause I didnt get any invitation.

Dave - I'm in the same boat as you are. My old evaporator was a 5x16 so our 3.5x14 Force 5 will mean I actually have more space in the sugar camp. Unfortunately, the old crossers in the sugar camp are lower than 8' and the top of the steam hood for the Force 5 is 8' high so not only will it not fit I'd never be able to raise the hood if I did get it in! The new rafters are going in next week so the old crossers can be removed before the Force 5 shows up around Sept 15.

[Paddymountain]

Hey guys, I haven't been partying or vacationing all summer, I have been building a new coal bin so (she who must be obeyed) can buy coal for in it.
Athough after seeing the Sept Journal I did get revved up enough to haul
some more fill in to where I'm building a new sugar shack next spring after
syrup season. I don't have much wood cut, and I need to finish my evaporator: but I do have my bow pretty well shot in ready to go.

[PATheron]

Dave- Ill send you an invite next year if you want. We always seem to have a lot of get togethers. Your probly better off without it though. Jeff- My problem was with the pump line up from the tanker trailer and the lower sugar bush last year. I just couldnt seem to get it to drain perfectly. What I had to do is just wait and pump the sap once everything was thawed out and make sure it was pumping before stuff started freezing. One other thing I learned was to go over the road instead of through a sluice with the pump line. I do run sap through the sluece pipe to the releaser and it works real good with a second dry line with it but the pump line didnt seem to work so good. This year Ill have it automatically pump up to the sugarhouse once things thaw out with a sump pump. I also graded the line this year so it pitches all the way back to the pump so I THINK it will work pretty good. Always need to be thinkin. Theron

[dschultz]

Parker,
I am getting a 4x14 force 5. That is some thing you sould think about buying.
Then you would not have to cut so much wood.

Theron I was just wandering cause I didnt get any invitation.

Dave Y,How many gallons per hr is the 4x14 force 5 suppose to do?

[3rdgen.maple]

I watched a video on the force 5 and they were saying about 3 gallons a minute but they never said if it was a 3x12 or the 4x14. I think parker might have to set the releaser right on top of the flue pan. What an impressive evaporator. Claims are you only have to fire it every 45 to 60 minutes. Seems to me it might make some people rethink the oil fired ones when they buy new. I want one in a 3x8 but I don't think they make them smaller than a 3x12. Hopefully by 2011 they will offer one and be a little easier on the price.

[Dave Y]

The 4x14 ,I have been told should do 250-300 gph. mine comes with a preheater. 3rdgen, if you want a Force 5 you will have to buy at least a 3x12
as the principals that make it so efficient does not work in the smaller rigs. It is also my understanding that they are not made in a drop flue. But, I may be wrong. I do Know the are selling much better than Lapierre anticipated. They have around 85 ordered for this year already.

[maplwrks]

To my knowledge, Lapierre doesn't make a drop flue rig. All of the Small Bros machines were raised flue. Lapierre bought the company and just improved the products they had. I think you guys that bought the Force 5 rigs are going to really enjoy them. That would be the rig I would buy, if, I bumped my head and went away from OIL!!!!

[Parker]

250-300 per hour with a 4x14?,,,and fire it every 45 min???? WOW,,on a REAL GOOD BOIL (which does not happen that often),,,MARVIN will click off 300 an hour,,,,firing every 5 min.,,,that is quite a diffrance!!!!
Hopeing to get the hood yard crane by the sugarhouse today and start working up the pile,,,,crane batteries are on the charger and I have a full can of EITHER!!!

[Dave Y]

Enis,
I had to raise the roof on my building. It is all framed up and most of the sheeting is on. However some one turned me in to the township and they stopped consruction until I get a permit. I have to submmit plans and the works and I am not increasing my building size. Man I love buearacry!
Hopefully things will get ironed out

[3rdgen.maple]

Dave if you cannot get that building permit straightened out I will gladly help out another producer and just let you set it up at my place. Do you know why they cannot make the 3x8 in the force 5? Man that would be awesome if they could. I favor the drop flues as well just because of my holding tank height but that can be changed easy enough. Oh well some can dream can't they. I just want to slowly build up my operation as I get closer to retirement. I would love to take a trip down and see it run sometime, if Im thinking right you are in Pa correct?

[ennismaple]

I I had to guess I would say that the 3x12 is the smallest Force 5 rig because a shorter rig won't have time to burn all the gases and transfer the heat to the pans. The blowers would likely push all that heat up the stack. I'm sure they will figure out how to make it work sooner than later but for now they've made it easier by keeping the product offering small.

[Jeff E]

Dave- Ill send you an invite next year if you want. We always seem to have a lot of get togethers. Your probly better off without it though. Jeff- My problem was with the pump line up from the tanker trailer and the lower sugar bush last year. I just couldnt seem to get it to drain perfectly. What I had to do is just wait and pump the sap once everything was thawed out and make sure it was pumping before stuff started freezing. One other thing I learned was to go over the road instead of through a sluice with the pump line. I do run sap through the sluece pipe to the releaser and it works real good with a second dry line with it but the pump line didnt seem to work so good. This year Ill have it automatically pump up to the sugarhouse once things thaw out with a sump pump. I also graded the line this year so it pitches all the way back to the pump so I THINK it will work pretty good. Always need to be thinkin. Theron

Theeeron:

It is a similar set up to mine. I had trouble with the pump line freezing at the end of the days. There is a short window of time between the laterals freezing up and the mains and pump line freezing. Once my vac shuts off (set for when the laterals freeze) I have to hightail it to the pump house and drain my pump lines.
If I miss it and cant get them to drain I cant take the early sap the next morning untill my 1" pump lines open up.

My problem is that my releasers dump into a 100 gallon tank with a sump pump in them. and if the pump cant move the sap I had 1 of 2 things happen:
1. pressure build from the pump and a connection let loose. BIG MESS. Looked like a mini old faithful going off in the pump house. If nothing let loose, the pump would eventually overheat and shut itself off. The tank would flood the bottom of the releaser, so no vacuum, and overflow onto the floor. yup, another BIG MESS. Worse is lose of production.

At this point, it takes me about 20 minutes of running and 4 wheeling to get the lines drained, so I just let the evaporator slow down, get the wife or kid to make sure I dont overflow my syrup draw off tank.

I am considering adding a second pump line to use if you miss the drain time so I do not loose the early sap the next day.

[Sugarmaker]

Cheryl and I will be working the maple booth for the NWPA Association fund raiser tonight. The truck and tractor pulls will be going on in the background. The we will be preparing for the Albion fair where we are the official fair spectators.
Keeping busy mowing lawn and cutting some pallets.

Regards,
Chris

[PATheron]

Jeff- Sounds like you and I have pretty similar chores in the spring. Redundancy rules. I had enough problems with a remote releaser last year Ive actually considered running two of them and just valve it over in the morning on the way to work to the dry one and let the other one thaw. That releaser I will have power to this year so Im going to enclose it and throw a light bulb in it. That second pipe through the sluice pipe is a good trick though. Theron

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

:o OMG! I can't think of a single thing maple I did today.

[Russell Lampron]

It has been a while since the last time that I posted something here. I have been slowly but surely getting my wood for the outdoor furnace cut, split and stacked. The old 1930 doodlebug has been doing a fine job of twitching the logs and pulling the cordwood trailer between rain storms.

I won't be working on my tubing until the leaves are gone but have plans to add another 2 to 300 taps. I am replacing all of the drops in the oldest section of woods first though. I want to maximize the production of what I already have before I add more.

With all of the cold and rain that we have had this year the water is still running in the small streams that are usually dried up long before now. I hope the the trees got enough sun to make some sugar this summer. We only had 3 full days of sun in June.

[Dave Y]

Enis ,
you are correct about the force 5. 3rdgen the building permit will come hell or high water. I dont care if I have to sever it from the house. But thanks for the offer. I will let you know when the new rig is set up and I am doing a test boil .
you cna come down to Pa and watch.

[3rdgen.maple]

Dave thanks for the invite. Would love to see it if I find the time, hope the building comes together for you. Got the call from the state forester today about tapping the fishermans easement this fall. The verdict is nobody knows. Unfortunetly I opened a big can of beaurocratic worms. Guy says there is nothing in print that says yes or no. So it is gonna go through the chain of command and if it gets passed I have to fill out a bunch of paperwork. Bad news is that in the easement contract he noted that the landowner cannot block off any part of the area, and that he would consider tubing as such. Last little delima there is no motorized vehicles allowed on the easement at all. Does not matter that I own the land I cannot even drive a snowmobile on it.

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

I have 8 out of 10 cord split and stacked at the sugarhouse. Called a couple friends last Sat. for some help with wood, got a good stroke of business done. Ordered a new 14" stack cover, getting a bit too much rain down the stack. I've been trying to hammer out a plan with the power company to run power into my lower sugar woods since May. Seems like every time any progress is made there is another roadblock. There appears to finally be light at the end of the tunnel though, should have electricity in a matter of weeks!

I start working for Goodrich this month doing tubing installations for the winter, should be quite an education. Pretty sure there is a 15000 tap installation on the list.

[Parker]

Got the HOOD 2400K into poistion,,,swung arounf about 30? cord (big pile) another 20? cord to swing,,,,,Then its all cutting-splitting and Stacking,,,,will make it happen and be IN THE GAME MY FRIENDS,,,,,Gotta go to the fair with my girls this weekend......

[Russell Lampron]

I'm going to be working in the NHMPA sugarhouse at the Hopkinton Fair on Monday from 11 to 3. Parker if you are going to the fair on Monday stop by and say hi.

I'm on the hunt for some bulk syrup today. I am just about sold out. I made more syrup than ever before last season and sold out faster too. The bad economy didn't hurt my sales at all.

[Gary R]

Not too much maple going on for this backyarder. I parked the sugarshack out back the other day. I'm going to clean some tops up where I thinned around some sugars.

Dave, That's a bummer. Since PA went to International BOCA codes a few years ago, it's hard to get away with anything. They may require inspection of every phase of construction.

3rd Gen, Have you consultated an attorney? I'd think it's strange the surface landowner could not drive on the land. I'm looking forward to hearing how fall tapping goes!

[KenWP]

Well it's a nice day and ready for wood hauling after I go to the post office and library and if she who must be obeyed feels like it.
School has been busy and I can almost say a 4 word sentenace in French. I am the only english speaking person in class as the rest come from Columbia and speak spanish. I am learning that faster then french.
I really need to get going on other maple stuff other then wood but after thinking all day am tired of thinking for the day lately.

[maplecrest]

got maple on my mind but still haying!!! summer is here for a while.

[Farmboy]

got maple on my mind but still haying!!! summer is here for a while.

Ya same here. I still haven't cut second cutting off my field. I mite go get some slab wood later today.

[Amber Gold]

Started working on my extra wood for if all hell breaks loose next season. I'm getting some pine and poplar from a friend of mine, some standing dead, some not and should total about 3 chord. Do you guys think the green pine and poplar will be dry for this coming season? I'll have it cut/split/stacked/covered this week. How will the poplar burn...any better than the pine becuase it's a hardwood?

The VFD came in for my LR pump...I need it to convert from single phase to 3 phase. Should have it up and running some time this week to see how it works.

Like Russ, also out of syrup...again. Trying to find some in bulk so I can stock up my shelves.

[Farmboy]

I got some wood split today and still need to stack it.

[KenWP]

Well this week we made up for lost time. The yard is full of wood right now. Have to haul in a bunch more tomorrow and then maybe cut some more to stove lengths and we will be done. Had a good couple of days this weekend and it being a long weekend I have one more full day to put in.
After the woods done I can think of Maple projects again. Actually have enough in for the year but there's so much more cut and laying on the ground that I want to get into the yard.

[Gerryfamily5]

Made 42 lbs of maple cream today,that makes 84 this weekend, just 42 more to run through in the morning. Than bottle syrup, make a couple batches of candy,load it all,set up-going to be a busy week.Got to love fair season.But should end up with a little cash to get working in the woods soon.Also need to move an 800 gal bulk tank across town.Wow!I'm glad it's only September I need all the time I can get.

[Farmboy]

Today I stacked the wood I split yesterday and split some more. Starting Tuesday I will only have after school and in weekends caz school starts. That's going to stink sitting in school for 7 hours a day. I will probably be thinking about maple or tractors 5 of those hours. It will give me some time to plan my setup this year.

[KenWP]

You should be in your 50s and sit in school all day. My legs hurt so bad i can hardley walk and thats by 10 in the morning. That and I only get to do one subject. French all day everyday. Only 15 months left to go.

[3rdgen.maple]

Farmboy most guys in school are thinking about the girls not tractor's:D

[HobbitMannor]

It always amazes me that when it is in the 50 and we have to put on a sweatshirt this time of year its cold but come spring it is warm. Well we have one side of the sugar house shingled-to replace the mineral paper that has been on since day one, all of the split wood is in the wood shed, now it will be time to work on the lines-there is a lot to do there....

[Father & Son]

Hey MapleME,
I tried to respond to your PM but your folders are full.

Jim

[KenWP]

My yard is now a night mare of wood. Hauled for 2 and half days and she who has to be obeyed sort of closes her eyes as she walks past it. Of course she has to pile it and I have to split it but I learned the hard way last winter that it dosn't have to be split so small for the house and to save the real little stuff for sugaring. I thought I needed big wood for the evaporator and saved that back and then found out i was backward.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Things are progressing slowly but surely here in the North Country. Weather is more pleasant for working and the bugs are 90% gone. I have changed about 300 drop lines with another 700 to go. Using stubbies so I have the option of the valved adapters. Haven't decided if they will be used this year yet. Got most of the wire up for a new 450 tap bush and about half the tube. These are mostly hard maples in the 18 to 30 inch category. Area was once pastured so I have hopes of some high test sap. Got the new woodshed all framed and the roof boards on yesterday. Steel goes on today. I have quite a bit of wood cut and will now be able to get it here and under cover. Have to see how much I have once it is cut and split. I am still awaiting a bunch of new goodies I ordered back at the end of season...at least I don't have to pay for them until they arrive. Still looking for some more large stainless steel storage. Hoping for 3300 taps here at home and I think I will be buying sap from about 1200 more.

[vermaple]

My yard is now a night mare of wood. Hauled for 2 and half days and she who has to be obeyed sort of closes her eyes as she walks past it. Of course she has to pile it and I have to split it but I learned the hard way last winter that it dosn't have to be split so small for the house and to save the real little stuff for sugaring. I thought I needed big wood for the evaporator and saved that back and then found out i was backward.

Don't forget, the house wood has to be split small enough so the wife can feed the fire.

[dano2840]

went to put up the my tree stand and walked up threw the sugar woods and noticed a big maple came down and took out a main line, i dont have a clue how im going to get it out because its in the middle of the whole tubing system so tractors out of the question i gues ive got to block it and man handle each block down to the log road. not looking forward to that!

[red maples]

I had to do that with a huge pine tree that came down...busted my but on that one. I cut up and split in the woods and used the wheel barrow to bring it out it was on the other side of the swamp and it took many many many trips. Good work out didnt have to go to the gym on those days

I have 3 oaks that I have to go through the swamp to get to so I figures I wait until Early january when the swamp freezes and there is snow on the ground, cut them down and to length fill up the Jet Sled(just as long as it doesn't interupt ice fishing too much) and hook my husky up to it and help him drag out the sled. now that should keep us warm and hopefully tire him out, thats a tough task.

anyway took color coded fishing line that changes color every 10 yards, I bought it a line time ago and never used it finally found a use for it. out in the woods and ran it see where the new mainline will be set up. but I don't want to put in the wire just yet still want to make sure it is as efficient as it can be. I am sure once it is in I'll go hhmmm maybe I should have put it over there at little more...

Weather is getting cooler at night and beautiful during the day. 65-70 and breezy less bugs to contend with. perfect. although I wear shorts until christmas. everyone thinks I am nuts russian blood I guess!

[mountainvan]

I went up my big bush this morning, nothing down or chewed, just like I left it in May. Had a very good labor day weekend with sales. Farmers markets were packed and people stopped at the saphouse all weekend.

[3rdgen.maple]

Danno could you put some quick disconnect on your mainline so you can get in there and anytime in the future?
I gotta tell you guys I did absolutely nothing maple over the 3 day weekend. I know I know but hey we all need a break sometime. Worked with my birddog all weekend and I am very pleased with her progress. She got on 7 grouse in one short afternoon found them and went on point. She made me a proud master. For any of you guys who come up here for the big salmon fishing, They have arrived. Fly fished for them just below the trestle monday and they were everywhere. This is the biggest labor day run we have had in years. Also sat on the hill behind the house overlooking the river valley with a spotting scope and was able too see 2 nice bucks hanging out together eating apples. Man fall is the best time of the year! Well back to maple stuff tomorrow after work.

[red maples]

Some times you need a break. I am a big believer in push, push, got my list get R done! but my wife, big into the horoscore thing...Friday said "don't burn yourself out. take a break refresh take a short trip to clear you head. if you push too hard you will get nowhere." So I listened and we took the kids up to York's wild kingdom.ME on sunday. Then on Monday we took a ride up to Kittery trading post to the september fest. it was nice to get out and away from the home projects. refreshed and ready to go!!! Thanks horoscope.

now time to order some stuff and to go pick up a barrels for colection all about the $$$ this year hopefully I don't have spend too much next year but I am sure I will find something maybe a vac or something. Will install wire in the bush tomorrow.

I hope I make a $*&# ton of syrup this season to pay for at least some of this stuff.

Just made an appointment with my accountant to get business rolling!!! I really wish I knew more about the business end of it. but he will point me in the right direction. At least he better he's not cheap!!!!

[Parker]

there might be another 1100 taps to boil this spring,,,just down the road,,,,,,in my current configuration boiling all that sap would be tricky,,presently no wood in the shed---would not be able to shut the rig down all season,, not enough barrels,,,ect.
Moved the timbco to the job,trying get the feller buncher welded back together well enough to last a few days in the woods,,,,replace a bunch of loose track bolts,,,ect.....would like to lay down about 200 cords and leave it till the leaves fall off-suck the moisture out,,,,,
INTERSTING TIMES

[Farmboy]

Today I moved some junk out of where my sugar shack is going. Now many I can get going on it.

[Z/MAN]

Ordered a Phanuef 2x3 pan with a preheater last week. Now I will have to build an arch for it. Think I will build the arch for a larger pan in the future. I know it won't end here.:D

[Jeff E]

Its sounds like sugaring is alive and well. Lots of guys seeing all the trees and wanting desperately to tap them, despite the obvious that we are not prepared for it. **** the torpedos! Full Speed ahead!

I was in the Porcupine Mt (Michigan State park in the U.P.), this summer. It is 60,000 acres of old growth forest, primarily sugar maple and hemlock forest.
I kept seeing the tap potential and what would it take to work something out with the state if MI. The area is economically depressed, so I am sure they would let tap it if I hired people to run tubing and manage the woods, and the processing house.

Lets see, 100 taps per acre, that makes 6,000,000 taps. High Vac, so expect 3,000,000 gallons of syrup, at $33 per gal, makes roughly $100,000,000. If I hired 1 guy per 100 acres, that means 600 woods empoyees...how many RO vessels will I need?????

[maplecrest]

parker been a # of r/os on craigs list. amd i know of an older model like matts, r p . that i was told is still avalable. maybe cheap.

[Sugarmaker]

The end is in site! At least for wood cutting this year! Starting to drive the wife a little nuts that all I have been doing is cutting wood, since April.

As she would say "YOU HAVE A PROBLEM" that problem usually being syrup related.

I have begun early fabrication work on a crude sheet metal brake 5 foot opening, that could lead to other projects with stainless steel? Also just bought a Lincoln stick welder and a oxy/act torch outfit. That should allow me to really get in trouble!

Local Fairs are wrapping up. A trip to Columbus to see the grandson and family, and also a week of vacation to just play around is coming up too. Grandson Mike will be pulling garden tractors in two classes at the Albion Fair Next Tuesday.

Yes looking a new roadside maples as I cruise the back roads too. HUMM Maybe I do have a problem? NAaaaaaa!

Regards,
Chris

[Dave Y]

I finally got the go ahead from the building inspector to finish my attached sugar house. I wasn't too painful. so I am back on track but a week behind . the new rig is to arrive the end of the month. I could stand it a couple of weeks later.

[KenWP]

Well its Vendredi so the weekends coming up. Hopeing this is the last weekend of wood hauling. I already have more then enough for the next year plus piled in they yard and there is another 5 or more full cords in the woods piled up still. trying to get it all out this year as I cut it down last summer and it needs to be used up but she who has to be obeyed is tireing out on me now also. She piled all of the last 12 cords as I am in school all day now and I can't pile wood worth a darn also.
This school gets in the way of a lot of things as I need to get over to D&G someday and check them out also. At least they do maple all year long the other dealers only think of it in the spring.

[Dennis H.]

Ken what is Vendredi??

Are you talking some forgein lang!!!! Thats right you are up north.

DaveY its great to hear that you got the go ahead with your new sugarshack. You now got to remember that BIG BROTHER is always watching. I can understand about getting permits and having inspections for dewlings but sheds and out buildings? I think that is just plan stupid. I guess they just want to keep tabs on us so that they can sock us with more taxes!!

[Dave Y]

Dennis, thank you for your empathy. But I say screw big brother and all of his informants. I feel one can not live far enough off the dirt road. I often wonder why the heck did I ever move to town. Even if the arent many people living in it.

[red maples]

our building inspector is a personal friend of mine, so I usually don't have any problems the rule in our town is if it costs more than $1000 you need a permit!!!

So this year I put $3000+ into a Shed/sugar house had to get the permit and when I make it bigger next year I am sure it won't cost more than $1000!!!!!;)

got 750ft of mainline wire in today...that parts really not that fun!!! kicked my but a little that 9 gauge kicks your but and wraps around every branch stump stick what ever 1 little loop and you have to walk all the way back to find what its caught on. and you really have to go through some stuff you otherwise try to avoid in the woods, swamp, brush, what ever, but that length is in. only about another 500 ft to go. The slope is not measured yet but I have to get stronger hooks went to tighten itup and bent the hooks. add it to the list!!!

going to get some barrels...waiting for some more stuff from bascoms and the maple guys a few more little thngs...the "things to get for sugaring list " is finally getting smaller.

oh those in south eastern NH I know there's not to many on here that I know of, is there a place to get fire bricks around here. or do I have to make the trip to bacoms...I went to the one woodstove store in seabrook and almost fell over when the guy had split bricks for $4.00 each:o

[sapmaple]

This is my first post you guys are getting me excited to get going on my retubing project. Today finished taking down old tubing on east side of the woods tomorrow take down old main line then start thinning operation going to set-up more main lines this time for shorter laterals about 800 taps on this side of woods guess better get going before snow gets too deep:rolleyes:

[3rdgen.maple]

Guys do not feel bad I cannot even build a doghouse without a permit and yes I live in the country as well. Red Maples I got my firebrick from a concrete and gravel place. They had skids of the stuff and I paid 98 cents apeice for them. Look in the yellow pages.

[Al]

Well here in Pumpkin Village the wood shed is full and we have electric without extension cords. Been cleaning out the woods around the sugarhouse. The wife wants to know if I'm moving out? I told her only in March and April. The boys have enjoyed the loft in the sugarhouse and have had Dad out there several weekends sleeping on a wood floor. Need a bigger mattress. About 4 foot thick would be fine.
We're looking for a few aluminum buckets and may increase up to about 200.
Thats about all I want on my 2 x 5 1/2 Algiers evaporator. My sisters are all for increasing the number of buckets but about March they disappear and reappear the end of April.
We've made plenty of blackberry jam and the apple trees look good so it looks like a good year for apple sauce. Of course Maple still rules the roost here.
Take care and have a great fall!!

[KenWP]

Well it's the wekend and I am home and need to finish up hauling wood I hope. I have plenty this year and hopefully have a little to keep back for next year again. Then a guys not so puched when it comes to bad weather and such.
Found a good patch of blackberrys here also and made a batch of apple blackberry jam last night. We have lots of apples but the trees with the good ones are to high to pick. I have one apple tree has to be 59 feet tall as it was surrounded with cedars and just grew over them for light.
I needed some posts this week so it gave me a exscuse to thin around a couple more maples again. If I had a whole project I could get finished with the all the maples.

[red maples]

3rd gen, I did look in the phone book but no one around here has anything. maybe manchester, nh I think there is a big national chain out there they might have some!! still looking. I am cleaning some of the old brick that came with the evap they were only 2 years old and most are in good shape with a little cement on them that arecleaning up pretty good. but there are some cracked and broken ones and do you remember off the top of you head how many bricks you needed for your phaneuf, thats what I got how do you like it?

[brookledge]

I've got to get going on my electrical up grade and addition to make room for my RO. Won't be long before frost becomes a factor.
Seems like it was just hotter than heck and now the temps have been in the low 40s in the am for me
Good to hear from pumkin Village again
Keith

[Gerryfamily5]

Went to our annual craft show today and of course it had to rain,hard!:cry: But this is our eigth year already,and in comparing,today wasn't to bad.Altough it seems the tight economy has forced people to buy smaller items.Hoping for good weather and a better than average Sunday.

[Parker]

Got 3 cords cut up and piled,,ready to split,,,the BALL IS ROLLING!!!

[mountainvan]

Spent last week getting wood, pinched a nerve in my arm so no wood cutting this week. Sales were double at the farmer markets this past weekend over what I did last year. Maybe things are looking up.

[Clan Delaney]

I've been thinking real hard about getting some clapboard sheathing on the shack. We'll see how long it is before that thought turns to action.

[stoweski]

The new sugarshack is almost complete (cupola doors and fascia/soffit left to build). The 1/2 pint was moved into place this weekend and 2 cord of wood have been cut and split over the past couple of weeks.

Oh yea, and since it's my first year my father in-law and I went out this past weekend and marked 180 red & sugar maples, approximately 90 of each, all 10" or more in size.

Next is the cleaning of my 55 gallon drums and building a shelf in the shack to hold two of the drums for feeding the evaporator. Thank God I started early!

Any other advise for a sugarin' virgin?

Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

The new sugarshack is almost complete (cupola doors and fascia/soffit left to build). The 1/2 pint was moved into place this weekend and 2 cord of wood have been cut and split over the past couple of weeks.

Oh yea, and since it's my first year my father in-law and I went out this past weekend and marked 180 red & sugar maples, approximately 90 of each, all 10" or more in size.

Next is the cleaning of my 55 gallon drums and building a shelf in the shack to hold two of the drums for feeding the evaporator. Thank God I started early!

Any other advise for a sugarin' virgin?

Keith

Holy cow you plan on 180 trees with a half pint? Are you insane?:D I think you would have to boil atleast 50 hours a day for like 6 months. That is alot of trees for a half pint. You might want to think about a 2x6.

[KenWP]

If he has trees like mine the half pint should work. I did 150 taps with a 16x18 inch pan and only had to boil 20 hours a day to get it all boiled so a hlf pint should do it.

[3rdgen.maple]

I think you both are crazy then:)

[BarrelBoiler]

stoweski my advice is as in all things, moderation! the guys on here have all sorts of numbers of what to expect from taps and boil times etc. your half pint is designed to handle a certain amount of taps based on studies conducted by the manufactor. How much further you push that window will be based on your time availiblity. the best i got out of an unmodifyed 2x3 with a preheat pan wasa 6-8 gph so when i started with 64 gals i was looking at 8-10hrs to get to the kitchen to finish off( which could wait ) let alone what was gathered during the boil and the big run if and when it hit. if you have that many trees and some are on the smallish side you have a good chance to work a rotation in your bush and give some trees a season off.

jusst my humble opinion

[stoweski]

I guess I should explain...

We live on 10 acres... all woods with the exception of a bit of a clearing for the house. I wanted to at least mark all of the maples on the property to get an idea of what I had available. We used a GPS to mark their locations. I'll be importing them into Google Earth one of these days.
I only want to tap the sugars and even with that I am only going to tap those that are 12" or more. There is no way that I'm going to tap 180 trees, especially when only using buckets (ie. no kids). My guess is more like 50 taps for this season. Now does that sound more reasonable for a 1/2 pint? :)

And, if all goes well I'll probably be one of those next year looking for a 2x6 since the sugarshack is 14x20 and there is plenty of room for it. I may even run some lines depending on how well this year goes.

Keith

[KenWP]

I started out with 40 taps last spring and it took me at least a week to collect 40 gallons of sap so I kept increaseing the taps untill Easter showed up and wham I was getting 150 gallons of sap a day and of course I couldn't keep up. Then it warmed up and I was able to get it all boiled before it spoiled and made out okay. I am trying to update a evaporator to go to at least 9 gallons a hour which would of course cut my time by 2/3s. I work in big gallons by the way not little gallons.
I have been so tired from school that I don't get much done when I get home as thinking tires me out.

[3rdgen.maple]

Wow Stoweski you really had me worried I thought about sending a maple psychiatrist over your way:D. But on another note 180 trees with buckets is nothing. Well if you are not equiped for it maybe it might be. I will be running atleast 500 to 600 buckets this year. Yep guys on a 2x6 I never said I was not crazy. Thing is it handled 400 last year and I had too much time on my hands and wanted more. But I stop at the 600 mark with buckets and will tube the rest as years pass by me. My goal add 200 taps every year until I am to old, grey or bald to handle it anymore. I use the money to cover expenses and hoard the rest for future upgrades like another new evaporator in 2011. So guys if things go as planned there will be a nice shiny 2 year old 2x6 for sale at the end of next year but we will see. As far as 50 taps on the halfpint I think you are on the money and like Ken says it is easy to add more to find your sweetspot.

[Rhino]

Going to start re-doing our arch with new steel, brick and a over and behind the fire air injection manifold. We have 3 bear tags to fill so when our hunters are sitting in the stands, I will work in the sugar shack. I just have to reskin the arch where the fire is so that isnt to bad. our brick gave out last season and warped the stainless steel sides about 5 feet back. I will just leave that on and put the new stuff over it. Hopefully on Thursday I can start rebricking the sides. Got a ton of new fire brick from an auction a few years back so I might even overkill and put a double row. Will leave the top open so i can fabricate the manifold and nozzles into the arch hopefully next week.

[Clan Delaney]

Spent a decent $25 American dollars today on a fine, used circular saw. More than a year after selling my old one for $50, I finally have something to chop up my new supply of free pallets, and I'm still $25 up on the deal!

[KenWP]

Spent a decent $25 American dollars today on a fine, used circular saw. More than a year after selling my old one for $50, I finally have something to chop up my new supply of free pallets, and I'm still $25 up on the deal!

Now why would anybody sell his saw. I would be buying news ones to add to it. Course I never pay more then $6 bucks Canadian for one at a vente de Garage but I am cheap.

[red maples]

I use my stuff until it burns out...haven't burned out a saw yet but man I go through drills like nobody's business!!! Don't go for new until it sparks and smokes coming out. Using a dremel 2 weeks ago burned it out aweful stink through the house took 2-3 days to air it out...but went and got a new one.

tightened up the wire and set the slope took a little while to do said hmm one more crank and pop!!! I must of kinked it one spot $%^#$%^ . said URG #$%^#$%^ that s it for today... finished it up yesterday and put 700 ft main line not too bad exept 1 spot Somehow went over the wire about 250 ft in noitced it when I was putting on wire ties. so I really didn'y want to splice it so hey I will just pull it out to this spot and re pull it through...yeah right 1 hour later finally got right. but its in loose tied becasue it was too warm yesterday I 'll go in and retighten this weekend maybe.

Got inspected from building inspector yesterday all set ready to go!!! first time I ever actually built a building he said I see seasoned contractors that don't do stuff this good.:D so a little boost to the EGO there.

alright nice and cool out today 60 degrees here in seacost NH, Trees really starting turn colors. 4-5 months left!!!! (depending on when you tap your trees)

[Jeff E]

Maple virgin asked for any other advice---When you put your 2 55 gal drums up to feed the evaporator, think about how you are going to clean them out each time you run them empty. Clean tanks = good syrup.

The actual sugar production is coming to an end here in NW Wisconsin-the maples are turning, no more magic happening in the leaves making sugar.
I am doing 3500' of mainline and W/D line over the next couple of weeks. Waiting for the weather to turn. We have had days in the 80s this week. Tough on the old man and the bird dog too.

[dano2840]

well yesterday i was told by my girlfriends friend that my Girlfriend who i loved thought we would be better off as friends. i dont know what happened but when school started she just cut me off she stopped texting me and just like ignored me and would talk to me and i was told by one of my friends that was friends with her that we should be friends. i really liked this girl alot and she showed she really liked me and all the sudden she doesnt. i dont know why i gave it every thing i had and we never had a fight or any thing we were always happy to see eachother then school started and it was like WTF? then after i found that out i found out that my truck had 0% compression in one of the cylenders and thats why it wasnt idleing and so essentially the motors blown. which blows because i didnt beat on the thing what so ever. that things been nothing but a money pit since the day after i started driving in when the rear end sprung a leak while i was driving and locked right up. so yea I HAD A GREAT DAY YESTARDAY!! so now i dont have alot of money so i have to decide either have to buy a truck which means i wont have $ to sugar this year or not have my own vehicle and sugar. Y IS LIFE SUCH A BEECH AND A HALF?

[Jeff E]

Life is preparing you for being a big time maple syrup man. Someone who can take it on the chin, then get up get after it again.
By the way, the lassie is just trying to figure life out to. And her emotions sound like they are as predictable as the wind and weather in March.

Try not to sweat it, deal with what you have control over, like fixing a truck, or dumping it for something more reliable. Take it day by day, keep doing what you were made to do...mapleman!

[mapleack]

DanO, life is as you put it a "beech and half" to teach us lessons that make us stronger. Don't worry about the girlfriend, you're still in highschool. I know it hurts / makes you say WTF, but there are MANY MANY more girls / women out there. You're young! As for the truck, did you figure out why it's got low compression? It might be a cheap (fairly cheap) fix. All the above problems can be summed up by what one of my clients told me years ago. He said "if its got t*ts, tires or tracks, it's gonna cause you problems". So good luck, and I hope no one was offended by the preceding statement!

[PATheron]

Guys- Any of you remember who on here had the one year old 600 gph ro for sale? Seems like it was bought for a spare or something. Theron

[KenWP]

C'est La Vive as they say up here.
Weather is not to bad up here and have the yard full of wood. She who has to be obeyed says that's enough for her to stack this year.
Found out that I wasn't thinking to much and my syrup pan is buried behind 7 cords of wood and I mean 7x 128 squared so I might have to do some digging come March or figure out something else. DUH Of course it wasn't me who piled the wood butttttttttttttt.

[Dennis H.]

There you go talking that forgien language again Ken!:lol:

DanO don't sweat it, there will be another come along any time, anyway now just look at all the free time you will have for the truck and getting things ready for the coming season.

[KenWP]

DanO there is a cute 17 year old Columbian girl in my french class I can fix you up with. You better be pretty smart becasue she's no dummy beleive me. If I was 30 some years younger and smarter I could get in real trouble going to this school.
I have learnt french words i don't even know what they mean.

[3rdgen.maple]

dano2840, It has been almost 20 years since high school and I still don't know why they do some of the things they do. Give it a little time and Im sure you will find out why? One of my boys is mad in love with a girl that dumps him every few months and never has a reason but keeps coming back. I will never figure people out.
Get your wood in fix that truck and make some syrup. It will drive her crazy if she sees you happy everyday and she will be wondering why. Sounds like you got alot of friends here on the trader supporting you and hopefully that helps out a little on the happy meter.

[dano2840]

ya well i found out yestarday from a friend that she is interested in my best friend he has said nothing about it and a couple of my other friends knew that she was interested in him a couple weeks ago but they neglected to tell me. Good friends huh?

[Jeff E]

Those friends were in a pretty tough spot too.

Lock in on what 3rdgen said. Use the emotional energy to get something done. Back in the day I had my personal record bench press the day my girl friend of 2 yrs dumped me as she figure there were going to be better fish in the college sea. Man I was strong that day!!!

Cut wood, fix that sap hauler truck, get on with the good things...

[KenWP]

Starting to sound like a Sonny James recording. I can write a book on this stuff. That's why I am nuts enough to make maple syrup.
Weather's holding rather well and she who should be obeyed has all the wood in the yard piled now except the big chunks which I have to split so she can pile them. Will see if she wants me to haul more or not. Theres a good 5 cords out in the bush yet that I cut last fall. I might just continue thinning around maples instead and worry about the wood next summer.
Met a lady in school from Texas and asked her why the hell she is in Quebec. Her answer was L'amour. She is haveing as much fun as me being over 50 and haveing talked western our whole lives..
I kid you not I spent all afternoon learning what Canadain money was You would believe it. When I told him the names we use for 25 cent peices I don't think her believed me.

[maplecrest]

look at it this way danno. if you were married to her for 20 years and this went on and all your friends knew about it, and told you after the divorce. where would you be?

[Revi]

I have been gathering green wood for the year after next's syrup season. The thing I like about the evaporator is we can feed it practically anything.

Wood that I would never use at home ends up on the sugarhouse pile.

My only rules are almost no nails, no paint and no pressure treated.

There is a surprising amount of wood that meets my exacting criteria.

One time a friend brought over a chair that he thought would be great in the sugarhouse. It had a crack in the seat and pinched my butt. The next time he visited he asked about the chair. At that exact moment I was pushing the last piece of that chair into the evaporator.

[red maples]

We have all been there...I have been with the same woman for 19 years and married to her for 10. I will never figure her out WOW!!! sometimes she's the best and sometime's she a nutcase go figure I gave up trying to figure her out. Women will make you crazy if you try to figure them out. as for friends they come and go!!! most of mine that I used to hang out with some turned out to be real dumbasses, 1 got busted for drugs, like 5 of them got arrested for stealing car stereos out of repossesed cars STUPID!!!! 1 is in jail for blowing stuff up and shot a guy in the back with a .22 down in florida.

So anyway...now your back in school and the girls you haven't seen all summer are back in school too and you get to have the fun of trying some of those out for a test a drive;) so when your ready go for it man.

now lets get back to maple huh!!!

everyone all ready to go for the up and coming season!!!!!

[Parker]

Time To Get Serious!!!!! Tommrow Is Sugarwood Day!!! Got To Fill That Shed!!!

[vermaple]

Ken,

Why do Canadians call dollars Loonies?

[KenWP]

Because our $1 coin has the picture of a Loon on it and being a gold colour silver dosn't work anymore. So Loonie it became. The $2 coin then became a Toonie because of that. Out French teacher actually comes from France abd he had never heard the term. He can't read many newspapers becasue they all mention it as a Loonie from day one.

[vermaple]

Because our $1 coin has the picture of a Loon on it and being a gold colour silver dosn't work anymore. So Loonie it became. The $2 coin then became a Toonie because of that. Out French teacher actually comes from France abd he had never heard the term. He can't read many newspapers becasue they all mention it as a Loonie from day one.

Some people say it's because there's a picture of one one both sides. ;)

[Jeff E]

Hanging mainline this week. At a demo this spring it was demonstrated to stretch the tubling while installing. As warm as it is I am a bit concerned about the line shrinking on cold winter nights and pulling off of fittings.
Any thoughts on this?

[red maples]

you would definintly have more experience at this one than me but all that I have read about it is yes your right. but again no experience here. I am not really going to tighten my new lines until colder but still get every thing else ready!!

[ennismaple]

Hanging mainline this week. At a demo this spring it was demonstrated to stretch the tubling while installing. As warm as it is I am a bit concerned about the line shrinking on cold winter nights and pulling off of fittings.
Any thoughts on this?

I pull my mainlines pretty tight - even if I put it up in July. Never had a problem with it pulling off the fittings if the clamps are tight.

[Dennis H.]

Not much happening here, Finally got all the wood stacked and covered.

I picked up another Bender milk receiver, this one has a metal bottom with a side port and check valve.
I have to clean it up and it should be good to go.

Sunday I get to take a week off of everything, I am heading to the Grand Canyon in Arizona. We are going to hike from the North Rim to the South rim.
Can't wait!!:cool:

[KenWP]

Okay just how do you get across the river when you hike from the north rim to the south rim. Make sure you take warm cloths also. When I was there in July it snowed on the north rim. Was some chilly then. I wondered why anybody went there in the winter after that trip.

[brookledge]

Jeff E
You can wire tie the coupling together. After you put the hose clamps on both sides of the fitting you can then wrap wire on the back side of the hose clamp and across the coupling to the back side of the other clamp. That way it will be a stronger hold on the connection.
Keith

[Dennis H.]

KenW believe it or not but there is 2 suspension bridges at the bottom!! They are with in 1/2 mile of Phantom Ranch.
I am worried also about the temps. When I was out there on the 29th of April they got frost! I just checked and they are saying that on Monday night the north im is to get down to 38 degrees!
Now once we get into the canyon the temps will be alot better, only to get down to the high 50's low 60's.

Why go in winter?? Well there would be alot less people!! Other than that I am not sure why anyone would go in the winter.

[Parker]

Worked up sugarwood yesterday-got 9 cords+ cut and stacked,,,worked till 9pm and got about 5 or so split,,was able to stick the splitter under the woodshed roof and split some of it right inside,,,way less handeling,,,,hope to spend most of today splitting,,,might just work on it monday too,,,nice to be moving in the right direction!!!!!

[red maples]

not much work on sugarin' stuff last few days... trying to get the other summer projects done that I put off during the summer to work on sugarin' stuff and wood.

Went out bow hunting this morning saw 3 squirrels, many birds, chipmunks, and a grey fox. and one of those huge wood peckers with the red head, not woody, can't remember the name!! but no deer, but it was nice to be in the tree and watch the sun come up though!!!:) nice chill to the air.

Heading up to northern vermont to visit my sister in a few weeks, about 35min past stow. The notch I hope its open this year it was already closed last year when we went up because of early snow!!!

[Revi]

I got the woodshed filled up yesterday. I also dug my potatoes and weeded the asparagus.

It is a nice time of the year to work. Not hot nor cold, no bugs to speak of and the ground is dry. I was able to load wood on my DR Powerwagon and get it right up to the woodshed. Saved a lot of lugging!

I saw a few trees turning up at the woodlot.

Fall is coming, but it's a glorious late summer still.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Brad it is the Pileated woodpecker. They cause alot of havoc. Been limiting out on squirells every time i go to my new sugarbush, I hope i am putting a dent in them. Might have to hire some mercenaries to take care of this problem.

[3rdgen.maple]

Any of you guys get tired of cutting wood? I know I sure am. I got 8 in the sugarhouse and attached woodshed 9 in the basement for the house another 2 stacked outside the hatchway another 3 cut and split in the woods in a pile and I still need another 10 to be barely on the safe side for the winter. OLD it is getting OLD. Good news is grouse opens tomorrow the 20th and I taking my gsp and disapearing for the day just me the beretta and the dog, no tractor,chainsaw, axe or splitter tagging along. I am sure I will be looking at maples and thinking man I wish I could tap that one. Friday I leave for my annual black bear bowhunt and won't be back until late tuesday. And early season bow for whitetail opens the 27th so hope to capitalize on that while bear hunting as well. Hoping to tag out early this year cause it is gonna be a busy fall.

[Russell Lampron]

I don't have the wood in the woodshed yet but the pile in the field is looking pretty good. I have 14 cords cut split and stacked for the outdoor furnace and would like to think that I am close to the end of that project. I should be able to get another 3 cords out of the woods today to add to the 5 cords in the pile there. Then I'll start running it through the cordwood saw and filling the woodshed.

I want to have all of the wood done by the time that the leaves are off of the trees. Then I can start working on the tubing. It won't be long now. We got a good frost last night.

[Parker]

Got another 4 in the shed,,hope to stack it today,,,Gaining,,,,,

[KenWP]

[QUOTE=3rdgen.maple;82574]Any of you guys get tired of cutting wood? I know I sure am. I got 8 in the sugarhouse and attached woodshed 9 in the basement for the house another 2 stacked outside the hatchway another 3 cut and split in the woods in a pile and I still need another 10 to be barely on the safe side for the winter. OLD it is getting OLD. Good news is grouse opens tomorrow the 20th and I taking my gsp and disapearing for the day just me the beretta and the dog, no tractor,chainsaw, axe or splitter tagging along. I am sure I will be looking at maples and thinking man I wish I could tap that one. Friday I leave for my annual black bear bowhunt and won't be back until late tuesday. And early season bow for whitetail opens the 27th so hope to capitalize on that while bear hunting as well. Hoping to tag out early this year cause it is gonna be a busy fall.[/QUOTE

Where do you go bear hunting by the way and do you get many of them. I have a bear skin rug hanging around here some place.

[KenWP]

I have enough wood stored now for the year plus some. There is lots out in the bush cut up ready to go but have a shortage of places to put it at the moment.
I feel fall is ready to come on anytime now. I have to get working on my evaporator now that outside work is slowing down. I have trees starting to turn already also. Lots of deer hanging around in the corn feilds also. Wouldn't mind one in the freezer takeing up space but that won't happen this year again.

[3rdgen.maple]

Ken adirondack mountains and not many. I think sometimes I am to ethical and pass up alot of shots. Not from the fear of the bear getting me but from the fear of wounding an animal and not getting a timely recovery. I see alot of guys who have no care in the world and just throw lead and arrows like they have an unlimited supply. I cannot stand shotgun season in our southern tier. I hear people unload their guns on running deer and fill em full of holes and wonder why they never recoverd them not to mention how safe can that possibly be. Take your time have some respect for the animal and if you think the first shot is not gonna harvest the animal your after don't take it period. Sorry for the nonmaple post I just had to vent some of it out.

[red maples]

Chilly here this morning only 34 degrees. nice frost.

I am originally from new jersey, yeah, yeah which exit I know, up in the sticks in the north western corner, by PA, and, NY. We lived by a state park with land that you could hunt on... well prime place for city folk to come hunting. AH YEAH!!! my dad shot a deer on state land and ran down the bank fell a few time and stopped it wobbled and some guy shot it 3 times with OO buckshot. the guy said"oh yeah I downed it for ya." my dad ripped into him. we got it home skinned it out and the guy hit it in the front should the rib cage, and the hind quarter. basically at about 20 yards. had to throw away 1/2 the deer. what a waste.

They have a big problem with bears down there but too many protesters to have a bear season!!! when there's a problem bear they either shoot them or move them!!! but those same protesters have a problems with bears too.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Hanging mainline this week. At a demo this spring it was demonstrated to stretch the tubling while installing. As warm as it is I am a bit concerned about the line shrinking on cold winter nights and pulling off of fittings.
Any thoughts on this?

I normally hang all of my laterals and mainline while it is at the warmest and stretch is good and tight and unless something falls on it, it stays intact even when it gets below zero.

[KenWP]

I come from Alberta and we have what we call truck hunters. They drive all day up and down the roads and look for deer. Not one of them ever asks for permission to hunt land so they try and pick off a deer on the edges and then hope it drops close to the road and they load it up and drive away. One night two retards had me pinned down in a feild thinking I was a deer. They unfortunatly ran into me at close range finally. I have a temper that makes a lot of people cringe and these two were pretty surprised that I would take on two of them. I have been shot at hunting 4 times so far and lucked out pretty well.
Saw two nice bucks tonight out in the soybean field out back. First bucks I have seen with more then one point since I moved here. Walked up on a doe tonight eating a apple and she never noticed me till I was like 30 feet away.
Found a whole stand of boxelders tonight but it would be a uphill climb to tap them. Have to see what spring brings.

[Fred Henderson]

Last year I borrow 50 buckets and I think we have just one left in the sugar house. I have been at one auction and one other place and I have bought 300 very good buckets. I took 50 of my own out of service do to age and type. So my calulations says that I should have a 200 count surplus for next season. If we hang them all we will be pushing close to 700 taps.

[Russell Lampron]

Had a good day in the woods today. My son in law and I took a little time this morning to do some tractor shopping. He came home with an International 454 diesel tractor. It also came with a log lifting boom, choker chain and tire chains. We put it to work this afternoon and twitched out a few trees. My Model AA won't have to work as hard anymore but it won't be retired either.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I took 3 days vacation Wed thru Fri and managed to get some sugaring stuff done finally. Due to working an extreme amount of hours this summer, I hadn't had time to do hardly anything since I finished up the 8 cords of wood back in the middle of May. I added 86 more taps and ran wire for about 1,000 feet of mainline. Figured the lines that had 45 taps on them were pretty much maxed out and adding more taps in some of these areas might be a little much. I ordered 4 rolls of the 1/2" 30p mainline back in the spring which it was $ 61.20 for 400' rolls and have to get up to the dealer to pick it up. Also moved some lines and made some changes along with some other things. I have 2 more days vacation coming up in about 3 weeks and hope to get the mainline by then and finish up everything then in time for several weeks of bow season. Brother and I are planning to go to Illinois for about 10 days to bowhunt around the first of Nov.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Still making some slow and steady progress. My wife helped me get about 900 more feet of plastic in the air yesterday. Still have to stretch it and wire tie it but it is unrolled and above the initial snow line at least. I figure there is about 2000 more feet to put up of mainlines. Then an 1800 ft air line and pump line combo (2 separate lines over the same route) and 6000 feet of pump line in another location. I should make a list so I don't forget anything but I'm afraid if I do it will be too daunting. Have the woodshed about 1/4 full...hauling in a bit every time we go back to the woods. Have wood orders for another 4 truckloads to find somewhere. Our own house wood has been on an as needed basis (we heat the hot water with it so use some all the time). The wife keeps wanting me to turn the heat on but I am trying to prolong the time until that starts..... Had frost on the past 2 nights but not quite that cold this morning. Work weather has been great and the bugs are about nil. Colors coming on fast. 160 days 'til sugarin':)

[dano2840]

well went up yesterday to finish putting slab wood siding on my buddy alex's new sugar house things were going great until he went to cut a knot off a piece of wood with my saw (which i had just sharpened) and slipped and the bar went below the botom of the log chaps and above his shoe right above his ankle and cut all the way to the bone, he cut 3 of his tendons and has to go for surgery on weds. i told him one way or another sugaring will send you to the hospital at least once and he went before he even built his sugar house! hes loaded up on drugs right now but hes alright thank god

[Maplewalnut]

Man, I hate chainsaws more and more. I know there a necessary evil but they are in my mind the most dangerous equipment used in the woods. I preach safety to my kids anytime their in the woods and secretly hope they never pick up a saw in their life.

Dano, glad your friend will be alright. Keep focused out there. If its not a saw, its ridng a quad to get back where your going, operating farm equipment, crossing a creek or climbing a tree stand during hunting season in the dark.... not to mention firearms. Activities in the woods need your utmost respect.

[jdj]

You don't have to tell me anything about chainsaws or working in the woods. I'm still trying to recover from a accident that happened in June. I had a tree fall on my leg, resulting in over fifty fractures. I'm starting to hobble around a bit but I still have a long road ahead of me.

Danno- I hope your friend makes a speedy recovery. I know what he's going through.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Maplewalnut Dont forget to mention hitting a house with a snowmobile.:o

Well its the last day of summer and it snowed today......... good old Colorado

[Fred Henderson]

I have always said that if a chainsaw can cut you it will. Hope your friend has a speedy recovery. He and his family are in my thoughts and prayers.

[MartinP]

Neighbor did that last year but across his thigh, chain saws take a wide chunk out. He turned ok but now wears chaps and goes a lot slower.
Best wishes to your friend.

[Revi]

I am getting a little tired of cutting wood, but I think I'm done for this year.

We have about 3 cords in the sugarhouse of the crappiest wood you can burn, a cord at home to heat the house and a couple of cords waiting for next sugar season.

I am also building a bonfire for the football team, and that's a couple of cords that I've dragged to the site as well. Kids helped me with half of it.

That's all I want to do with firewood for a while. I too hate chainsaws, but see them as a neccesary evil. I always wear the chaps, helmet, boots and gloves because anything could happen.

[Farmboy]

My dad has to go pickup three cords of oak that has been cut up and seasoned for two years it sitting next to someones driveway all I need to do is split it. It's a win win he gets paid for hauling wood and I get more sugar wood.

[3rdgen.maple]

Danno2840 you have had a couple rough weeks. Like everyone said keep focused when you are working, hope your friend has a fast recovery.
Revi please inform me how I could heat my home with one cord of wood. I pretty much burn 25 years of your wood in one winter. But I do feel your pain I am tired of wood myself. Dumb thing is when it is all over and the wood i cut for the year I start to miss it a little. Guys we are a sick group of people most people do everything they can to get out of working and we all long for it. Vacation coming up friday am. It feels as far away as next sugar season though.

[Parker]

Messed up schedual today,,, no way to make it work at the woodlot,,,,so we are going to cut and stack MORE SUGARWOOD!!!!! THE SHED MUST BE FULL!! I have ALMOST 20 cords stacked inside,,,another 2 all split outside,,,about 7 chunked up 4 foot,,,,and 15 to be cut and split,,,,,probaly 5 cords of slabs to be cut up as well,,,,dont want to be short on wood this year,,,,,possibility of a lot more taps this spring,,,,,,

[Amber Gold]

Parker, how much would can you get cut/split/stacked per day?

I got the rest of my wood to the house over the weekend and it's all cut, and all but 3 chord is split. Once I get some pallets it'll all be stacked...15 chord total...nothing compared to Parker's daunting 50 chord.

I friend from work is going to bring the level, grade rod, and measuring wheel over. We're going to make sure all my existing mainlines have 2% min...I had sags last year and was getting surging into my releaser. Also going to look at the feasibility of putting in a big sap ladder where my releaser/tank is now and bringing sap up to the sugar house. Will also look at what a pump line to the SH would look like. I'll get it all graded out with flagging then make a decision what I'll do this winter. Ultimate decision will be on cost and how much of a PITA it'd be to take down the 300' of mainline if it's 10-15' in the air.

Now that wood's pretty much done I can clean my woods up and start running some more mainline and tubing.

[Rhino]

I also got injured in the woods 2 weeks ago, rookie mistake. had a ash tree hung up, so i yanked it down with the tractor, didnt know it was spring loaded when i cut the trunk half way up from the butt end. it was a large tree, around 12 inches half way up where i was makeing that first cut. When the saw went through, it came back like a giant baseball bat and caught my ankle. saw went flying and i went limping up and down the logging trail trying to walk it off. (swearing all the way). I had a soft brace at home so i nursed it for the last 2 weeks. pain and swelling are almost gone. Bit of worse news. a fellow syrup maker, friend, and his 4 yr. old son were on a 4 wheeler last Thursday evening and were hit by a car. The dad (Danny) was released today with a slight head injury, but his son (Sam) is still in critical condition. Please keep them in your prayers. Thanks......Ryan

[3rdgen.maple]

Rhino a tree like that is called a widowmaker for a reason be careful. Your friends are in our prayers as well. I think we all get panicky this time of year and tend to go a little to fast. My daughter got a chuckle out of me when she said " Dad how much wood could a mapleholic chuck if a mapleholic could chuck wood?" Driving home last night I went past an accident where a kid rode a 4 wheeler across a road and got hit by a car. Scarey stuff.

[Parker]

Amber- all depends on alot of vareabels,,,,yesterday we did 15,,cut and stacked,,but I am useing a big yard crane (hood 24000) and a man on the ground with a husky 394 (big saw),,,when I had the slasher for the yard crane running I could turn trees into 2 cords of 4 foot wood loaded into the back of my truck in 35 minutes,,,splitting is the slow part,,,I am trying to split alot smaller this year,,had big chunks mixed in in the past,,and they dont burn as fast or as hard as I like.....
gonna try to be just splitting either friday or monday,,,want to get the shed stuffed and 10 up in the barn befor the end of the month,,(tall order)

[HobbitMannor]

Not much happening in the sugaring dept up here on the hill. A lot of spare time has been spent visiting a family member in the hospital-not sure if they will be sugaring in the spring. Need to get the crew together and head into the woods to work on the lines!

[KenWP]

Rain finally here. Was actually dry here if that's possible. If we get some really bad weather gives me a exscuse to work in the shop instead of outside. I didn't know school was so taxing on a persons mind. I have to give credit to the 3 garcons on here that sugar and go to school they are better men then me anyday to handle it. I spent last night watching tv and peeling horesradish and found that hard enough.

[dano2840]

well mom wanted me to stay home yesterday because ive been "out every day for the past 2 weeks" and she said she hadnt really seen me and wanted to see me. so she gets home doesnt hardley asks how my day was and that was it, i gotta go pick up your sister she says and boom shes gone. So uh why exactly couldnt i go out and help my friend with his sugar house???? but any way i took that home time and cleaned up the wood shed and got it ready to start taking fire wood for the house. and i cleaned up the sugar house and mowed the lawn which looks nice because ive striped it in the same direction for 3 weeks in a row so my old gravely walk behind actually looked like it cut like today's zero turns. the stripes are nice and bright and she looks good oh and i also took that "home time" yesterday and took 2 sets of stereo speakers i had and played around with wiring and put suround sound in my sugar house!!! and man is it AWESOME!!!! you can hear the radio clearly when your in my house. which is about 50ft away but still its pretty loud and the speakers i got for free have pretty good sound quality. i still have a big speaker about 4ft high and 2 wide that i didnt have enough speaker wire to hook up. gunna hook that up before the end of the week. also stacked a little fire wood for next year. it was cut late winter and was green and water logged i just threw it in a pile and i was surpised yesterday because it was dry just being in a pile. i thought you had to stack it to get it dry but i guess not.

[red maples]

Finished insulating arch yesterday and today fixing up a few little things in the sugar house put in an outlet so I can "plug it in " when I need to. maybe next year I will run some electricty to it, so I don't have run an extention cord to it.

I have a cold yeah bo hoo! but man I am tired tried to take a nap but can't sleep just kinda taking easy and just watch some Spongbob with my little wood hauler.

Going out to get some bricks tomorrow and start the brick puzzle. looks like fun:rolleyes:

Man its hot today all this cool weather lately and its like 82 degrees and humid sweating bullets working with arch board now thats just bad!!!!

[Farmboy]

Yesterday I got a load of pallets from my granpa win my 5X8 trailer and my cub cadet. Today I started to dice them up. How do you guys use to dice up the pallets?

[Sugarmaker]

pallet cutting: carefully and methodically:) I have 9 cord of them ready for 2010 season.
I built a crude holding station from a couple of saw horses with a base between them and a leaning post, Then I chain saw the thin boards off and cut the stringers at least in two pieces. I try to compress them as much as possible or they will take up 4 times the space in the wood shed.

Regards,
Chris

[brookledge]

Usually when I burn palletts it is at the end of the season when I know I'm not going to have enough wood to make it through the season. I don't need to store them like Chris does so I only rip down through the middle of the slats, staying away from the parts where nails are. Then depending on the size of them I might have to cut the stringer in half.
I use a chain saw with a short bar that way if I do hit a nail it doesn't take long to sharpen.
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

I use to cut up pallets for the evaporator and I don't think there is an easy way. Just be careful however you do it Farmboy.

I am leaving in the morning to go on the annual opening day bowhunting trip. I know you all are gonna miss me until Tuesday:rolleyes: Man this is a great time of year. Hope all have fun on the NY mapletour, at the auction, fishing, hunting, cutting wood, anything maple related.

[Jim Schumacher]

Is anyone going to tap this fall? I don't plan to myself, the idea intrigues me though.

[3rdgen.maple]

Jim I am planning on a fall tap here. I have a few hurdles to get over first. The trees I plan on tapping are in a flooded area in the spring along the river. The river has a state easement on it where 75 percent of the trees are. I am currently still waiting for the green light from the state forester. Talked with him several times and Im waiting for the paper work in the mail. Getting a little to close for comfort. When I get back from hunting I am gonna look into another section of my woods that have never been tapped and get a tap count and start cutting in a tractor path. Time is gonna be a killer.

[Jim Schumacher]

Thanks 3rdgen. Keep me posted on your fall tap. Good luck on that hunting trip!

[3rdgen.maple]

Thanks Jim. Im out of here talk to you guys next week.

[Parker]

Well, I am getting faster,,only took 2.5 hours to get the track back on the Timbco today,,,,tough when they roll off on the inside and you have rock gaurds,,,,,,,,Cut up some more sugarwood this evening,,,,BIG pile to split down there,,,,went inside after dark and was able to TURN ON THE LIGHTS,,,,cant beat elec. down there,,,,tooka row of brick out of Marvin on the top of the ramp where Ill be adding the OVERFIREAIR,,,,still gotta get the blower outside, duct that under the arch.......GOTTA MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!

[Farmboy]

Today I cut up some pallets I ended up using a sazal with a short wood blade. It worked great. Now I need to get another load. That won't be till Sunday caz I'm baling hay tommorow.

[Amber Gold]

Parker, if you can process that fast...you want to make a trip over here? You'd be done in day.

I've been working on my 15 chord for a few months now and not quite done. Doing something different next year so I'm not burning so much. The first 6-9 chord wasn't so bad, now it's getting old. Either that or find a better way to process it.

[Farmboy]

Today I stacked up a bunch of cut up pallets. Man are they harder to stack than reaguler wood but easier for me to procces now that I figured out a good way to cut them up. I will probaby go get another load of them tonight

[KenWP]

Found a whole barn full of maple equipment today that has sat for a while. There are big SS half tanks and all kind of neat crap in there. Now to figure out how to make use of it if I can make a good enough deal with this fellow.
I put up 15 real cords of wood this year also and have a couple more I want to get in if my helper gets over here onryness. if not it can sit till spring.
We had out first froast last night and she who want's to be obeyed commented that somebody could start to sugar with this kind of weather.

[Revi]

I am not up for fall tapping, but people who do it have made some syrup.

I think fall color is the thing to harvest this season.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Went to the auction yesterday in Lacona. Lots of "stuff", much of it outdated went over the block. Prices were quite high, certainly not a buyers dream. I just shook my head (and not at the auctioneer) as items went higher than catalog prices. Highlight was definitely meeting Tucker Mountain and Bryan Ryther. Always nice to put a face with the names and personalities on here.

[Fred Henderson]

I have found over the years that an auction buyer really has to know his prices. I know what it cost me to go to lake George and buy buckets. The last auction I went to and bought buckets they were cheap I thought.

[tuckermtn]

yes was good to connect with Doug, Brian, and Mike at the auction yesterday. Stuff was going for retail or higher - probably one of the cooler things was looking at the older Grimm and Leader catalogs- some from the mid 80's-

as the bucket washer I was interested in went for more than $400.00, its time to get to work on making my own. I think sugarmaker chris has a set-up with the drive motor from a bulk tank- I think I'll try that route...

still need to get some wood undercover...and find an RO...and 400 more taps...and....

[KenWP]

I have to yet go to a auction in Quebec but I wonder what prices would be like here compared to other auctions. I know Garage sales here have low prices and high prices and the high prices seem to have more then one sale trying to unload things which seems like a waste of time.
In Alberta where I come from you could go to some auctions and buy all the tools for next to nothing as the Auctioneer wanted to get to the machinery and really work on that and others it took all day to sell the small stuff and buyers actually left before they got to the big stuff and you could get better deals then. I have seen more pipe wrenches go for more then the store price its not even funny.

[red maples]

went out for a walk to mark trees to cut down in the spring had to get out there before the leaves fall. good cold snap here on friday night. fired up the woodstove a little to take out the chill.

Since I started using thewoodstove I have cut oil used to 2 tanks a year. the new windows helped a ton too. When we first moved in to our house the woodstove was not useable missing tomany parts. and the windows were cheap 30 years alluminum, most of them broken with duct tap on them. we must of went through a tank per month that first year. spent about $500 on glass, blower, door handle and other little parts and peices. And made the mistake of calling a company to clean the chimney because I didn't have the poles or brush yet. $175.00 for 25 minutes of work!! what a rip off!! second year better but learning curve with the wood stove. I grew up with one. my dad still uses it. but it takes a little practice to get it right. then we got new siding and windows WOW what difference, best money we ever spent on the house. went from about 5-7 tanks of oil a year to 2.

now this year I want to go down to 1.5 tanks of oil is my goal. We need it for hot water and use the boiler on really cold nights and to remove the chill once in a while. we are going to run this boiler into the ground the oil guys recommended we get a new one 5 years ago still running good and is still over 80% eff.

[Brian Ryther]

The auction was interesting. Some highlights for me were meeting Doug Mike and Eric. One guy got away with a barrell of grade C syrup for $300. Things happen to fast for me. If I had thought about it I would have driven the price up a few hundred more. There were too many of us there that knew what items were worth so it was difficult to make good purchases. I only went away with a box of 1/2 gal jugs. I figure what I saved on the jugs paid for my gass.
I only have room for four truck loads of wood left in my barns. So far I have brought home 78 truck loads. That sould cover me for the season. Other then the wood I havn't done any work in the woods. I have been to busy with the move and setting up my welding business. After This week Is over I plan on dedicating at least one week day to the woods and most of the weekends.
BR

[Parker]

Brian-how much wood in a truckload?

[Dennis H.]

It is now time for me to get my act together and start finishing up stuff that I need to complete for the coming season.

I took a week off to do some hiking at the Grand Canyon with my brother and several friends, what a trip.

I will need to run the tubing for the trees here at the house, make the hood/preheater, firebrick grates, and, oh crap there is way to many things that I have to do!!

[Brian Ryther]

Parker, since I am a New Yorker, a truck load is a face cord. (apron 1/3 full cord)

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

Spent all weekend in the woods with the excavator. Got a lot of ditching done on the roads. They have filled in quite a bit over the last 15 years. Finished burying my underground vacuum and sap transfer line to the sugarhouse. Finally have all the wood at the sugarhouse, just a lot of stacking left to do. Tubing is all installed in the lower woods, 3000 down, 3000 to go. Moved the pump house into the lower woods with a new 500 gal open top stainless tank in it.

[KenWP]

Back to school today again. Can't beleive it's almost October already. Time to get my butt in gear with a few things before winter hits and I walk around saying man I wish I did that before the ground froze.
They sell wood here as cords and lucky me I found out before I ordered any that they are face cords as I would have been upset as a I had thought a cord was 128 square feet which they call a solid around here.

[Sugarmaker]

Tuckermtn,
I had a bucket washer! The guy that bought most of the buckets got the bucket washer too!
I used stainless round bottom milk house double sink for the tubs, added self standing legs, a slow rotating motor from a bulk tank agitator and a Leader bucket brush. Some fabrication items including a shaft and a bearing to go through the end of the sinks. This washers worked well for many years.
I may have some pictures on the web site?

good luck!
Chris

[3rdgen.maple]

Well all , my hunting trip was a big flop. Mother nature really hates me sometimes. Lots of wind,rain and hail for 5 days straight. We payed a little extra for the camp to have lots of firewood for the fire pit and some for the woodstove. Well we got there and there was no wood for the stove let alone the firepit. I went there to get away from this wood cutting crap. Luckilly I brought the chainsaw to be safe. Got done cutting up a supply of wood and went to light the grill and there was no propane left. We ended up cooking over the campfire in the rain the whole time we were there. Been going to the same place for almost 10 years and am very disapointed with the owner. It sure made the rum and coke disapear in a hurry. So out of 5 days I got 2 hours of hunting in before it rained again. I managed to hike back in the mountains for an hour straight to get to my favorite hunting spot. Got there all set up and I looked to my left and there in the middle of nowhere was an old gallon maple syrup jug. I could not believe it I was miles from the nearest house. I think someone was trying to tell me something. Then down came the hail. Glad to be home and by the looks of things on the trader I got alot of reading to do. Hope everyones weekend was better than mine.

[Fred Henderson]

Well I was in Placid at the NYS maple tour. I was on a woods walk with no rain gear and down it came. Everyone met at the horse show grounds each more for breakfast. It was also cold and sometimes it rained so hard that the tin roof leaked. I did meet two of our members. "Buckethead" being one of them. A very nice man, quiet and well spoken. I saw big multi million dollar operation(9K taps) and very small ones 300 taps. Tuesday there was just to many road miles on the tour bus so I drove my truck to save a 2 hour return ride to Placid. I cut out just after lunch and made it home around 3:30 PM. The new check valve for you tubing guys is going to be a great inprovement. Me, I am so small that I will stick with buckets. I learned a little and met some great people.
BTW 3rdGen.maple I thought you said you were going to be there.
I just need to say congradulations to the young man that received the youngest sugarmaker of the year award. A fine job well done. I sat right next to your Dad and sure was some proud of you.

[3rdgen.maple]

Fred, dont recall ever saying I was going I was curious about the maple tour and asked a question or two and gave some insight on the area but never said I was gonna be there. I have an annual hunting trip the last weekend of september. I wish I could of went though cause it sounded like more fun than the crap I went through. We will meet up one of these days.

[Sugarmaker]

Just got back from the neighbors looking at his pan that he had built. I think it is about 30 wide x 4 feet long flat pan with two dividers. The price was right! He has a little more work to do to get ready for syrup season.:)
Who is the welder out there? I need some insight on whether I might be able to weld stainless with a stick welder. Keith has some very thick material pans and needs some modifications and fittings added. I just picked up some stainless rod (E308-16 Lincoln AC-DC) and was wondering if someone could share some knowledge about welding stainless with a 225 AMP Lincoln welder. This pan material looks to be almost 1/8 thick! Not sure how well it will boil and comments on that subject are welcome also. But it sure is bullet proof:)
He has another pan that he wants to make into a front pan and it needs "chopped and channeled". That's the one I was going to practice on.
Regards,
Chris

[Fred Henderson]

Take your SS rod and try it on a piece of scrap. I have welded SS in the past with stick rod but it was not food garde.

[Sugarmaker]

Fred,
Yes that was my plan too. I have no idea if this rod is suitable for welding this material , so some scraps would help see if it worked.

Regards,
Chris

[caseyssugarshack93]

Fred, I Was there at the tour i think me and my dad were sitting next to you when we ate,

[mountainvan]

Bottled 20 gals of syrup today and finished my saphouse driveway. I moved 32,000 lbs of gravel by hand. Back is a bit sore, but it is nice to have a decent driveway. New ro tower is coming soon, more taps to add, and more markets to supply. Good thing I enjoy maple sugaring!

[sapman]

Hey, Nate!
I just got back tonight from the tour, and it doesn't look like anyone else mentioned it yet, so congratulations on Young Sugarmaker of the Year! You certainly deserve it! Wish I could have said hi, but didn't get a chance.

All the best!
Tim

[Gary R]

Chris,

I watched a guy weld some 304 with stick about a month ago. Looked easy for him;) . No long beads, just welding some brackets together. Let us know how you make out.

[Acer]

Saw on Chronicle last night some fella making syrup from reds in a swamp.
Had boards down so he wouldn't sink up to his neck.
Full speed ahead.

Think he was in Bridgewater mass.

Can't believe they really get the weather down there with the ocean so close, but seemed he was having a go at it.


D

[3rdgen.maple]

Acer I got a buddy who lives in the vineyard year round and the way he tells it they definately get the weather to produce syrup.

[dano2840]

i need a skidder, or atleast a winch to go on the tractor and i need a new saw 372 XP and i would tweek out with excitement, i need a new truck, theres alota stuff i need so exactly how do you guys get all this stuff? im having trouble making enough money to buy it all....... hmmmmm

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Dan,
I am 59 years old and have worked HARD all my life. I can still make a long list of things I want. Some of them would make my life easier and more pleasant, some would just be fun. What you need are family friends and health. Most everything else you can get along with out. For that list of things you want...prioritize them. Do you really need the truck or can you borrow a vehicle when you absolutely have to? I know having your own is very convenient but is it absolutely necessary? Does your old chainsaw work? Maybe a tune up will keep it going a while longer. The 3pt winch I have for my tractor sure is handy but most of the time, unless I'm really cutting a lot of wood, I just use a couple of chains and skid with the horses or the tractor. Choose to buy the things that will give you the most return for what you invest in them. When I bought my farm, It took me 35 years to dig myself out of debt and that was by getting by with what I had, making do and only buying what was really going to make me money. I lived without health insurance and never bought a new car. I paid cash for whatever vehicle I owned and then drove it until it was dead. I got my clothes from the salvation Army and was never afraid of hand-me downs. Many people will live in debt forever because then they have "things". Don't make that mistake. Earn your money, make your choices among your wants and then pay cash. Sorry for the bit of a rant and lecture.
Doug

[Father & Son]

Doug,
Great advice to live by. The average credit card debt in the United States is $8329 per household whether you have a credit card or not. Following your advice would certainly simplify alot of peoples lives.
Jim

[Revi]

I agree Doug. We have never had any credit cards, and buy our cars cash. We never had a car that cost more than a thousand up until recently.

I drive a small pickup that's paid for and use it every day.

[Dave Y]

Dan,
I agree with Doug. I am very close his age. the things I have, I have worked for all my life. what I have isnt much. When I was growing up I had very little. My father couldnt drive be cause of a health condition and could only work odd jobs, but worked every day! We didnt have a car and walked every where we went. Having things are not as important as having your health,your family and friends. You must be patient and try not to be big time before you are ready for the big time. I admire your desire to do well and willingness to work,but everthing in its time. when it is time you will have what you need to be what you want to be. learn to live with what you have till you can afford something differnt.

[Jim Brown]

Words of wisdom from thoses of us who have had enough birthdays!

Jim :)

[Fred Henderson]

Most of America lives way beyond their income. Credit card companys have made it that way. When you buy something pay for it don't use plastic and if you do use plastic pay it off each month. Find a CC that does not have a monthly charge. They are out there you just have to look until you find one. CC are great for not having to carry large sums of cash with you. My first p/u truck I drove for 12 years and I rebuilt the body once. The next one I drove for 14 years and did one body rebuild. Now I am able to have a new one. I built my wife and I a new home fifteen years ago and when I drove the last nail it was paid for. I cut and help saw all the lumber to build it. If the rest of us can do it so can you.

[maplecrest]

dan i started out right where you are now. i had a used saw and sold firewood. bought a new saw. and a used pickup truck. did what ever i could with that truck to make it pay for itself. then i started buying tubing one roll at a time. and every year added more taps. and as i added and made more syrup, built a new sugar house, added a steamaway, then an r/o. new vac pumps.ect. at 16 you can set goals for yourself. by 20 you could be doing something totally different.

[Fred Henderson]

Dan; No one starts at the top and works their way down. Its and up hill battle and we all made it and you will to. Make yourself a plan and then work the plan. Good luck.

[red maples]

DON"T CHARGE EVERYTHING!!!! My wife and I started with nothing. I was driving an old rusted out '69 chevy nova, black and green primer baby Plywood floors and soap around the gas pipe so the gas wouldn't leak out, I worked 40 -50 hours a week and still went to college full time. my wife was going to medical school and we rented this dump of an apt. because it was the cheapest we could find 675 a month and we had to fix itup to get that price. We lived off of my wifes school loans and credit cards. that was 20 years ago...(wow really thatt long) anyway. you buy things along the way, one person's trash is another's treasure. it wasn't until 4 years ago we paid off my school loans then the following year finally got out from under the credit cards...thats gone...this year we finally paid off the medical school loans which were $135,000.00, and paid off my truck. but it was a ton of work to get where we are now and took many hours of study, and long weekends, 70-90 hour work weeks, missed family events you name it. now all we have left for debt is mortgage and home equity loan...man your still in highschool right!!!! dude live it up you have plenty of time to work and get stuff. I worked through high school around sports and parties and stuff. I use stuff until it doesn't run anymore!!! fix stuff myself, I put up 2 retaining walls save about $4000 there, put on a deck saved $5000 there, Built my shed /sugarhouse saved $5000 there buying used evaporator, saved $2000 the list goes on and on.

stuff doesn't come easy!!! sorry I just ranted on and on too.

[caseyssugarshack93]

Thanks, Sapman, I had no idea i was going to get an award, It was all a suprize to me, Everone knew about it exept me lol,

Thanks Again,



Nate

[Revi]

It's great to know that almost everybody here thinks alike. Why take out loans for things you don't need? Real estate and student loans are the only things I have ever borrowed money for.

If it's a business expense and it looks like it will pay for itself that may make sense too.

[red maples]

Wow that cool nate!! way to go. keep up the good work.

[peacemaker]

so after many nights of laying awake i have decided to bring the sugarhouse to the 2 car garage at the house so i have been remodeling it for a week or so and today i finally hung the sheet rock in the evap room and got my third coat of mud on it this evening ...

[3rdgen.maple]

Wow is everybody on here building sugarhouses? That is pretty cool guys.
Nate congrats
Dan I got a big wish list as well. What is wrong with your current chainsaw? I have the 372 xp and It is the saw I grab the least, it is big and heavy and I just drop big trees with it. I love the 455 rancher I have and I use it 95% of the time. A winch would be nice but logging chains work and are cheap in comparison. Just keep your head up and things will work out.

[red maples]

I wanted the rancher but settled for the poulan but went with the 20 inch bar. didn't want to spend that much money just got the 19.95 extended warranty. My old saw seized up there was something broken in it for the past year but it was getting time for a new one anyway. I got an extra 6-7 cords (128cu/ft) out of it. then she died. some day I will take it apart and see if I can fix it, and use it or sell it. I don't need a skidder heck I cut it in the woods and wheel barrow it out. Man I don't use a log splitter either...don't need one use axe and maul and I am fine good work out that way.

Sorry about the rant on the other thread Danno.

I talk about this all the time with my wife..I call it the American Dream!!!

We Work to buy stuff to make our life easier, but its not good enough so we work more and buy more stuff to make our life easier so we have more time to do what we want. but its not good enough so we work more to buy more stuff to make our life easier and before you know it you have all this stuff and no time to use it or play with it because your working all the time to pay for it. So where is the enjoymnet in that. I might be the crazy one but I like to split wood by hand...

I have this friend that goes to my gym and he has a $125,000 mercedes, 2 top of the line Quads, 1 Track racing motorcyle, 1 dirt track motor cycle, a ford bronoco that he had someone else restore and lift and what ever. but you know he uses that stuff once a year and the occational weekend, why because he works about 90 hours a week!!! this way he can pay for his toys but anyway!!!

sorry getting carried away again!!!!

back to maple.

I put up a 55 gallon white poly barrel to drain into the float box. easy to unhook, putin an extra valve to clean it out. and its easy to remove just used a racheting strap and a few hooks to hold it down and a little transfer pump to fill it. ran an over flow out of it just in case:emb: just need a few more fitting and it should be ready to go.

Waitng for fire chief to inspect this thing so I can start bricking the arch. don't want to get it done then he says well you need to do this....!!! got bricks from a masonary supply warehouse $1.45 for full bricks. not bad!!!

OK back to the list...next!!!!

[red maples]

wow that was a lot of typing!!! didn't know I had that much to say!!!

[dano2840]

ive got 2 saws a 61 huskey which has next to no power, iwas told shes got 2500 hours on it and ive put probably 150 since i bought it 2 years ago and ive got a 268xp which is my main saw and it does pretty good the oiler doesnt like to work some times which gets agrivating and some times you shut it down for a couple min go to start it again and she dont. you have to wait 10 min and try again and she usually starts, where ive got a bunch of trees down it is impossable to skid them out w/ out a winch if you saw the terrain you would know why i borrowed one and started but i gota go drive the tractor about 30 min to go get it again cut my pipe go over to the side of the woods winch it to the top of this bank go out threw sugar woods get on road drive to where i clollect sap and winch logs over the bank to the bottom and haul them home
and ive got to split and process all of it before snow flies and theres about 20 cord there just got alot to do and no time to do it

[dano2840]

not to mention i use a maul to split with i dont have a splitter, on the + side i found the holy grail of slab wood if i just burned slabs theres enough there to run my sugar house for 20 years
the pile is about 150 ft long by 60 wide about 8ft tall in front and 25 in back (its on a bank) and i can take as much as i want free but there again i need a truck to haul it

[Revi]

I think the most useful tool is the pickup truck. It doesn't have to be fancy, but you'll use it every day. You should start to look around and see if there is one that you can get cheaply, because you might be a pickup guy.

A lot of people around here drive a pickup but never have anything in it.

You will know if you are a pickup person if every car you have turns into a pickup anyway. Is there sawdust and leaves in the back of your car all the time? Chain oil? Grease? Do you have a pair of gloves in the back in case you have to haul something? You might be a pickup man...

[danno]

[QUOTE=red maples;83089]I wanted the rancher but settled for the poulan but went with the 20 inch bar.

Brad - I've got the rancher and a poulan wild thing. I'd put the wild thing up against the rancher any day. That wild thing can cut and is half the weight. Only thing I don't like about the wild thing is the recoil. Get a little ice or snow in there and it's toast. Think I've replaced the sprocket twice already.

[red maples]

Thats the one I just killed the wild thing with 18" bar. nice saw. I went with next size up. I forget the size but with 20 inch bar. and less recoil runs smooth but the spring in the handle could be a little stiffer. got it for $200 at Lowe's. I haven't used it that much yet beacuse I was almost finished with wood for this year when I got it. But when the swamp freezes over and I can get the wood across it. The then I will fire it up I left the trees standing They are dead but they dry better when still standing. I didn't want cut them yet it my deer hunting spot so I didn't want to disturb it until after the season was over. then I'll go back there with my jet sled and husky "Timber" (he'll pull just about anything great with the kids in the sled but wears me out running with them or he gets going to fast and the sled spills over)and see if we can't put that stuf with smow on the ground!!!

Movin' over to the oct journal!!