Shopping list for around 200 tap and 2X6

[TRAILGUY]

What I still need and I am asking if any are bad choices as this is new to me.

1. 2 more 55 gal drums from blue seal feeds
2. 10 more 5 gal (x frosting containers) from hanafords
3. 2 more roll tubing when semi-rigid last time, thinking about tiring rigid this time.
4. try 100 5/16 seasonal spouts
5. set of hydrometers

[Bucket Head]

The 55gal. drums are for what? Collection points, gathering or sap storage? Will you be boiling daily or just on the weekends kind of thing? Your going to want a lot of storage capacity because those 200 taps are going to surprise you when they run good! No such thing as too much storage capacity. And some spare barrels would be a good idea too. We've had a couple crack over the years and lost that sap. Make sure the frosting buckets are cleaned very well. Make sure all residue is out or you'll have frosting flavored sap. I had the best luck with the pails that had the fruit/pie type filling in them. No greasy residue, cleaned up easily and had no odor from whatever was in them. Some barrels and pails retain the smell, and sometimes flavor, of whatever came in them originally.

Good luck this season!

Steve

[red maples]

don't forget
containers or bottles in all different sizes
grading kit
a hydrometer cup
draw off pail of some sort(I will use a pot)
filters
5 gallon epoxy lined can or plastic ones

thats all I can think of right now the list is on going you'll ALWAYS NEED something!!!

oh yeah bucket head has got a good point!!!! I hope I have enough I have about 350 gallons of storage in tanks + about 5-50 gallon white poly barrels. if I need them.
Oh yeah and like some guys have recommended swimmies or floaties for when the sap gets too deep!!!

[KenWP]

I doubled my storage capacity this year with 3- 45 gallon barrels. I would have gotton more but could not find any. If I have to I have one more 45 gallon barrel that has a open top that I can put a plastic line in and use for emergancy storage. No to find a draw off pail. I had a nice ss pail and it strangely disappeared when I was back west for a while working.

[Sugarmaker]

TrailGUY,
We have about twice that many taps (approx 500) and have:
- 30 units @ 30 + gallon (containers for sap at the trees) = 900 gallon+.
- 350 gallon tank for the truck.
- 250 gallon tank to dump into at SH. + 250 gallon tank as a spare.
- 350 gallon tank and 400 gallon tanks for storage as feed tanks.
We dont use it all, all the time, but we have had some 1000 gallon runs that fill up a lot of them.

On 200 taps figure that some day during the season you may get a 2 gallon per tap run. So at least 500 gallon minimum total sap storage.

Yea the list never seems to end. Those that can control the maple fever are few and far between.:)

Regards,
Chris

[red maples]

oh yes my fever is getting worse as the anticipation is getting worse as well!!!:evil:

[Gary R]

As Buckethead mentioned, there are a lot more questions than answers. My 2 cents is that you have crossed over into needing one or two 200-300 gal. tanks. You should have a couple of those big run days. Good luck!

[Dill]

If you need barrels the guy on rt4 in Northwood had a bunch of the olive barrels the other night. 15 a piece. They will all sell next month. In fact I need to buy a few more. Good collection points, and the tops are removable for ease of cleaning.

[KenWP]

When in D&G they had a sign up that SS sryup barrels would be in short supply this year again and to order early. Theron has them all. Neighbour has all his barrels ready to go for the season and man he must have a hundred of them stacked out behind.

[TRAILGUY]

I have already spent over $2000 in supply. I have 55 taps on tubing into my 175 gal feeder tank. 30 taps on tubing into a 55 gal. I plan 25 more into a 55 gal and another 20 into a 55 gal drum . Then i have a 65 gal horizontal tank on my John Deere to collect. These are all White plastic. I am planning another 50 on buckets. So counting buckets I am around 450 gal. As everyone says I may need another 100 gal for collection or storage. I am planning to buy a 12 volt rule bulge pump around 500 gph to transfer sap. Ihope to boil 3 days a week , more in good runs

What kind of barrels are the olive barrels?? Any trouble with smells?? They sound better then cutting tops and build covers that I am going to do now. For now 55 gal drums are the cheapest per gal storage may upgrade to bigger tanks next year if i grow. Need to see what kind of gph I can boil .

[Dill]

They are plastic barrels with screw off tops.
I prefer them mainly for the cleaning aspect. Guess I better grab my 3 for the year now. I haven't had a real problem with smell. They need to be rinsed and bleached. But then I like to leave the top off and let them air a while. Too cold to be cleaning barrels right now anyway.

http://www.aquabarrel.com/media/images/products/single_bung_barrel.png

[Sugarmaker]

Trailguy,
I believe Keith T. neighbor uses olive barrels. But could be mistaken. No smell in his.

Look at the RULE 2700 or in that size range. I know more money:( With one of these (2700's) it will take two minutes to unload a 55 gallon drum and that seems like forever when the saps flowing!

Chris

[KenWP]

I have one of those also. Cleaned up rather well. I found white plastic barrels that had lube for the cutting lines of a meat plant also. There is a place in town sells barrels but he wants a arm and a leg for them. $36 bucks for a used steel barrel people buy for burn barrels and such.

[TRAILGUY]

thanks bigger pump and trip to Northwood

[Stickey]

They are plastic barrels with screw off tops.
I prefer them mainly for the cleaning aspect. Guess I better grab my 3 for the year now. I haven't had a real problem with smell. They need to be rinsed and bleached. But then I like to leave the top off and let them air a while. Too cold to be cleaning barrels right now anyway.

http://www.aquabarrel.com/media/images/products/single_bung_barrel.png

Does he ever sell out? I was going to grab some barrels from him too, I guess I better get on it.

[Dill]

Ya its a hit or miss thing with the barrel guy. I'll swing over soon and check that way I get my barrels.

[Amber Gold]

Tractor Supply sells a 2-stroke water pump that weighs around 9 lbs. It was about $240 last year and pumps 37 gpm or ~2200 gph. I used it all last year and it worked great.

[Stickey]

Ya its a hit or miss thing with the barrel guy. I'll swing over soon and check that way I get my barrels.

Good to know, I wont procrastinate. Thanks

[red maples]

the other place you can get barrels if you don't mind driving a little is magnason farm (probably spelled that wrong) all are $20 he's got olive barrels and different types of white syrup barrels just make sure you get the ones that had sushi seasoning in them not the soda syrup once you rinse then out no odor no flavor transfer

he's on 125 in kingston there about 10-15 minutes past 101 and wally world on the left. big stack in the back behind the farm stand!!

[red maples]

Tractor Supply sells a 2-stroke water pump that weighs around 9 lbs. It was about $240 last year and pumps 37 gpm or ~2200 gph. I used it all last year and it worked great.

37 gallons a minute thats pretty good if I need one for other tanks I will get that one noice and fast!! . I got an electric 1 hp to fill my feed tank but its kinda slow only like 9 gpm but it does the job...was like $140 at lowes it has a stainless casing and primes easy.

[TRAILGUY]

picked up 3 55 gal drum today. be careful some were red hot chilly peppers and the same color.

[KenWP]

That would make a new kind of syrup. Everybody wants hot these days why not Maple. Wonder how hard it would be to was out.

[red maples]

I doubt that will cever come out once those oils are in there they are thei to stay...I would see if you can exchznge that one!!!