New "sugar shack"

[muddyfootprints]

Well I have been bitten, and after reading on this site for a couple of months it just confirms that my symptoms are real...

Last season my 2nd, we started talking about building a shelter to boil in. The more beer we drank the grander the plans got.

At the end of the season I couldn't stop thinking that I need a place to boil, and hang out. So I started looking for a place to build on my land, once I found that I couldn't help but to start clearing and pulling stumps, just to prep the site of course. But I couldn't stop there, I had to draw up some plans, a place to boil wasn't enough, I needed / wanted a place to park some toys / equipment.. as long as I had plans I had to get a bid. Of course once I had a bid I had to do my part to try to help the economy. So I had a shed built. Then I had an almost empty shed, so I figured, I have a new shed I need a new cooker, and with that comes all the other goodies more taps, bulk tanks, filter press............will it ever stop?

shortly after deciding to build I found the maple trader web site, and spent hours reading and confirmed to me that you can't have too much space, and taller walls could be good, lean toos are a great place for wood, and cupolas don't just let steam out the look cool too.

So Thanks to all of you who have put your two cents in on all of the threads.
And helping me let my wife know that I'm not the only crazy one out there.....

Here is what I ended up with

http://gallery.me.com/toddoverland1#100103

20 x 24 sugar shack with 12' walls and lean toos on two sides and a attached 34 x 56 storage shed.



Thanks

Todd

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Glad you are starting out in a restrained fashion. No telling what might happen if you get carried away:lol:

[Dave Y]

I agree with Thompson! That is a dandy looking building ! you wont be storing toys in there you will be getting a bigger evaporator!

[maple flats]

I made my walls 10' and then discovered it was too tall for proper steam exhausting. It seems you get some condensing with taller cieling, but there IS a remedy. You will now need a hood and steam stack, that will take care of it for sure. Besides a hood improves the boil rate, allows for a pre heater to help even more and "they look cool"

[smitty76]

Well Muddy, looks like you need to get some more stuff to fully utilize that space.:lol: :lol: Like Thompsons said, you are starting off small like the rest of us. Glad to see that I am not the only one.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[muddyfootprints]

maple flats

I was worried a bit about getting some condensing with the steel roof and walls, so I had them spray foamed and our test with heating the room and opening combinations of windows in the cupola and in the lower part we got it to move a lot of air. downside of that cold air feeding the fire.

Besides I don't want to get carried away, I need something for next season

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

That is an awesome building. One thing for sure, it won't ever be too small and will increase the resale value of your property a ton if you ever resell.

Very nice and some neat ideas!

[Fishgill]

That's a great looking Sugar Shack. I thought I had the fever bad:lol:

[RileySugarbush]

That looks great!

[gator330]

Not that you need any more help or ideas but when you do the cement work under your over hangs, stamp in maple leaves a few animal tracks along with the mapletrader.com logo. Were you walk in the door like a welcome, come on in.

[Z/MAN]

WOW! I'm glad you didn't get carried away:D

[farmall h]

Very nice! I don't see any curtains in the windows yet:lol:

[muddyfootprints]

curtains are in the plan and my cement guy is already in the works to stamp the concrete when we do that. I didn't want get carried away so the inside still needs to be finished off but we will have some shelter for this season and hopefully next year I will finish the inside of the shack off.

Thanks for you comments

[johnallin]

Wow is right! From another who's been pecking away at a new sugar house, that is one helluva building. My hat's off to you.

It's funny how a small idea can grow and take on a life of it's own as more and more cans pile up in the corner...