Small Evaporator (I mean real small)

[tessiersfarm]

Picked up a real nice 12"x48" stainless pan. I have been thinking about building a mini evaporator, 1x4, think it would be kind of neat, maybe bring it to some local schools to show the kids how its done. What do you guys think? Am I crazy?

[jrthe3]

my first evaporator was 1x4 it had i little oil burnner i ran 25 taps on it

[mitchellbob]

i think it great go for it.

[maple flats]

Good idea. As for being crazy, we wouldn't be maplers if we weren't crazy. Enjoy. The kids really like something like this. You however would not have long enough to go from raw sap to finished syrup in the time a school program will give you and you could not keep most kids attention that long. I'd suggest boiling some20 or even 30% sap to show how it looks and smells but then have ready samples of syrup to share.

[kinalfarm]

yup i think its a great idea. when i was a kid i reember a local farmer coming to school when i was about 6 or7 and showing us how it was done. he didnt have a evap. with him but he had a stump and showed us how to drill a hole in it and install the tap and thats what got me into this ''crazy'' addiction. go for it! and all kids love maple syrup!

[Pete S]

In square inches, our first pan was about 20% smaller, and we ran like that for 4 years.

Gave that rig away, and the guy was very happy!

As fer being crazy,......you don't need to be, but it really helps.

(and if ya think you ain't, your friends witnessing all the work you do will verify that you are!)

Set up a nice preheat pan to take the edge off the COLD sap, and you should be good.

Good Luck!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It would use a lot less wood than a 2x2 pan which is the same square footage but your firebox will only be half as big. You get that thing set up right and you might be able to boil off 5 gph.

[Treetapper]

Great Idea. Go for it!

[tessiersfarm]

Thinking if I did the school thing I would start with some concentrate from my 2x6 and just basicly finish for the kids. I like the stump Idea as well. My father, 2 brothers and myself are all in construction and the biggets piece of wood I generally burn is 2x4 and 2x6 drops 1 foot or less long.

[PapaSmiff]

I'd love to have a small evaporator like that. This weekend is supposed to be optimal temperatures in my area, and I don't think my Turkey Fryer will be able to keep up.

I'd like to build one that runs on Propane, since I don't have a wood supply on my property - and my town discourages wood burning.

I'd be very interested in how you build it. Will you be using a 55-gallon drum, like I've seen in so many MapleTrader posts? I'm hoping to grow slightly beyond my current 10 taps, but without spending a bundle on equipment.

[MapleDog]

Small? I boil in two 14x14" pans a friend welded for me. They just fit on a propane camp stove. I tap two trees with two to five taps. (I might use six this year - big increase!) I generally get a little more syrup than I use in a year, so I have a bit left over for gifts.

Jack

[tessiersfarm]

I'd be very interested in how you build it. Will you be using a 55-gallon drum, like I've seen in so many MapleTrader posts? I'm hoping to grow slightly beyond my current 10 taps, but without spending a bundle on equipment.

It will probabaly run on wood, thats my thing. I plan to build it using plate steel and brick line it the same as my 2x6. I work for a large fabrication company and materials and welding are very cheap or totally free for me. I had a 55 gallon drum evaporator and I found it lacking in efficiency compared to the traditional style evaporator.

[Grott]

If you put a lid on it for transport you could haul it to the school "sweet" and start your presentation with the lid on to help warm things up. This could all be done while you explain sugaring and doing your stump demo.

Garett

[Haynes Forest Products]

Papasmiff remember if your burning wood outside cooking food aint alot they can do;) Keep a ziplock of pancakes near by

[morningstarfarm]

I have to do my yearly demo for my kids school in a couple weeks..We've tapped 30 trees for them to collect and I build a block arch for a 2x3 pan..This thing sounds like it would be an awesome upgrade for that..If you need someone to test it out for you let me know:D