Greetings

[buckandlindahein]

Geetings:
Not only are we new to this site, we are both new to posting on the web as well. We have 152 acres in Northern Wisconsin, which is about 2 hours away from our home and started getting involved in this whole insanity two years ago, which by the way, we love. We tapped about 20 -25 trees, could only collect on weekends, and produced about 3 gallons. We boil the sap over a turkey fryer. Last year, we tapped about 40 trees, used 2 tuerkey fryers, and produced about 8 gallons. because we can only tend to this on weekends, we lost a great deal of sap last year as bags overfilled and burst or pulled off the trees. Since there is usually a couple of feet of snow on the ground at that time, I'm thinking we can maybe run the sap into 5 gallon pails from 2 to 3 trees per pail. The snow should keep it cold enough to prevent spoilage...i hope... and eliminate the sap loss due to overfilled bags and wind blown bags. My questions for those of you in the know are " what kind of taps do I need to use if I'm attachig to tubing instead of bags, the siez of the tubing to use?" and can someone please explain to me how evaporators work? Does the sap just sort of move through the pans as the specific gravity rises or do you push it through and finish somewhere else?
Thank you from a newbie who makes pretty darn good syrup...if not very much.
Buck

[The Birdman]

Buck first off welcome to the fourm ton of info on here. As far as 5 gallon bucket there great for 2-3 tap, if you can collect daily. 1 tap may run 2-3 gallon per day. Why no use 50 gallon drums per 5 taps.

[gator330]

First of all welcome to the trader. Second of all free up more time and do more then just weekends!!! IF you can't we'll forgive you and do what you can.

You want 5/16 tapes that attach to 5/16 tube run a line of tube from tree to tree to a large tank. Attach a drop (tape length of tube and a T) to the tube that is tree to tree. Keep it tight and running down hill to a tank or lots of tanksl. Large enough to hold a weeks worth of sap. Good storage is a gallon of sap a day per tap so if you have forty taps and go five days you need 200 gallons of tank. We don't wast sap, so catch it all Be hard to cook down 200 gallons on two turkey fryers in just two or three days. So get an evaporator way to much to learn about them in one post. Jump around search and learn it's all here.

[buckandlindahein]

thank you. I will. I love this site.

[gator330]

BY the way HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE? That can determine the kind of advise we give you. The cheap way the mid-way or the high end good stuff that will get you there fast. Sounds like a drug dealer, we all know maple syrup is are addiction!!!

[buckandlindahein]

Thank you Birdman. Nice to feel welcome.

[gator330]

The cost of a small evaporator is about that of the propane you will buy cooking down a lot on two fryers. You got to get away from the fryers!!! I did that for two long myself. If you can, skip the beginners size evaporator!!! I'v been stuck on one of them for two long. If your going to do this year to year and i'm shure you will. Get a 2x6!!!!!

[buckandlindahein]

equity, lots, cash on hand, not so much. I guess I'd rather walk than run at first. At this point, this is a novelty for me...but darn, it's fun and I'm a little competitive...want to do twice as much every year as the previous.

[gator330]

Skip the walk!!!! Sap dosn't walk, IT RUNS, and when it runs so will you have too!!! IF your going for twice as much that means four fryers. You'll go through your eguity in propan. Your going to want a 2x6 and you remember I said so!!!!

[buckandlindahein]

Gator:
thank you for your input. You are right, and I know that. I can aford an evaporator....I just don't know how they work. And until I do, I can't make an inteligent decision on what size, tpee, and if it's worth it. Right now, it's a game for me...making more than I did last year.

[gator330]

Don't worry to much about how they work, very simple sap go's in one end pushs its way though by density. By the time it gets to the draw off and boils a bit there, it comes out syrup. Your just there to feed it sap and wood and watch the temp of the syrup and draw it off. It will work so nice you will love it. A hydromiter to mesure the brix of your syrup, a cup and a skimmer and a few other little tools and your in heaven making syrup. I have a small evaporator, worked way to hard making 20 gallons last year lots of long nights boiling. If you can't get wood a fuel oil arch is the way to go. When your done hit the switch, with wood you may have to really flood the pan to allow for cool down. You'll find it all under the evaporator threads. If your going to get one up and running this year you have your work cut out for you but it can be done. You make 16 gallons on a fryer this year and you'll be ready for 32 next year. Because you'll have a evaportaor for shure. ;)

[buckandlindahein]

Gator:Now you've laid down a challenge. I'm shooting for 20 this year, 40 next year...with an evaporator. Wood's not a problem. I have more laying on the ground than i could ever burn in a lifetime, let alone the ones that should come down due to splits, abnormalities, etc. Seriously, thank you for your help. And I will do 20 this year.
Buck

[gator330]

Let us know how your doing along the way! Glad I could help spend your money, time and sway your good judgment. Need a quick answer your in the right place, There are a lot of real maple syrup guys and gals on here that will help. Welcome to the addiction!!!!

[Hop Kiln Road]

Buck, my fellow traveler, I suspect you don't understand the gravity of Gator's comments if you think you have more wood lying on the ground than you could use in a lifetime. Do you remember the stories of the Klondikers burning the furniture and upper decks of their steamships to reach the Yukon? Sound a little over the edge? Yet late in the season and it has just snowed and the sap is running, hard, and topping last year is in plain sight: oh, you won't hesitate to tear the siding off the sugarhouse... Welcome aboard. Regards, Bruce

[buckandlindahein]

thank you Bruce: We do have rough hewn cedar siding.....
Buck

[The Birdman]

cedar siding get hot quick

[Haynes Forest Products]

buck this spring when we are in the heat of the battle give me a call and take a quick trip up to DOOR COUNTY about 65 miles to Jacksonport will get you over to 3 operations and you can still get home with time to boil.

[3rdgen.maple]

Welcome aboard Buck I gotta say that you are one brave guy going for 20 on turkey fryers. You might want to rent a premo pan from Haynes Forest Products to get you through this year until you decide on what setup you are looking to get. ;)

[KenWP]

I don't know what propane is down there but it's over $20 bucks a tank here. We can't take them in to get filled here only a exchange policey where you get a full tank for your empty tank and pocket book. I couldn't figure out what all the propane tanks all over were about until I tried to get one filled and found out they don't fill your own tank.

[On the ledge]

I am in the same boat as Buck was going to go to 20 to 30 taps , will probably stay close to 20 and use propane because funds don't allow
anything more. Have to put on an inlaw apartment for my mother in law. There goes my evaporator, but she has always been good to us over the years so you have to do what you have to do. You got to take care of family first no real regrets

[3rdgen.maple]

Family sure does come first and is very respectable. I just wonder if you can charge her a little rent, you know enough to cover the expense of an evaporator:D