Talk me through a hobby set-up, please...

[ahowes]

Hi everyone-

I know the answers must be on this site, but the volume of helpful information is so large that I'm overwhelmed. Since there are so many members on here that can probably answer off the tops of their heads, I've decided to quit researching and just ask.
I'd like to enter next season with a more efficient permanent concrete block arch and custom-built pan.
My neighbor has offered to weld the pan, but it's up to me to provide the plans. It's also up to me to plan/build the arch. I just need guidance on size for it all and any other tips that could be offered. I'll post pics of the project as it's happening for future newbies to reference on this site.

Last year, I made 1.5 gallons using a hastily-put-together loose concrete block arch and various pans that were available around home, the best of which was a stainless commercial cake pan (shallow, had to really watch the spill over).
I live in SW Indiana and have more than enough maple trees available. I tapped more than ten last year and had to throw sap away because I didn't have enough time given the poor efficiency of my setup and newbie methods.

I doubt that I'll ever want to get past the hobby stage. I will probably never want to make more than 5 gallons, probably will only make 3 or so each year for the next 5 years. A gallon or three for us and some to give away.

Thanks in advance for your insights!

[Greg Morin]

I went from a turkey cooker to a 2x3 paneuph pan and love it it was on cinder block arch this year I hope to have a fuel drum arch made . had a terrible year for sap and made 6.5 gallons.

[Dennis H.]

If you are only planning to be that size then get a nice flat pan made up.
When I started 3 years ago I had a local welder make me a SS pan that was 20x34. It was sized to fit the barrel evap that I made. my setup I could get almost 8 gals/hour if I was running it full bore, that thing was glowing!!!
I would probably make it 24x36 for a small block evap setup.

Anyway, I have made up to 10 gals of syrup in one year. The 1st I only made 3 gals and this past year I made almost 5 gals on it.

What worked for me was to boil the sap till it was close to syrup and then use a 6" steam pan to finish it on a propane burner. That way I had more control of boiling the syrup.

There are a few guys on here that use several steam pans to boil sap in. They use soemthing like 4 or 5 pans. They put raw sap in the back one and laddle sap from one pan to the other as they boil off water.

[Greg Morin]

http://morinstrailtalk.shutterfly.com/pictures/1635
I went from a turkey cooker to a 2x3 paneuph pan and love it it was on cinder block arch this year I hope to have a fuel drum arch made . had a terrible year for sap and made 6.5 gallons.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You can get nice small used stainless pans from bascoms for a couple hundred and they work great. I saw some 1'x6' and 2'x6' stainless pans the other day on the flyer they sent out and some other nice smaller pans.

Now if I wanted a 2x3 pan which is 6 square feet, I would much rather have a 1'x6' pan as it would be twice as efficient.

[Hurry Hill Farm]

My advise to hobbyists is - get your hands on a free chest freezer, freeze your sap 1/2 way in plastic buckets (not to deep), toss the ice (it is pure water) and keep refreezing the concentrated sap. Saves a lot of time and fuel.

Have fun!

Jan Woods
Hurry Hill Farm Edinboro PA

[ahowes]

Thanks! We're getting there. I have some links to some good resources I've found as I'm engineering this. (Some are from mapletraders.)
Here are some decisions I've made given the input and research so far.
1. Pour a pad 4-5 inches for the thing
2. 1x6 pan rather than 2x3
3. Concrete block with fire bricks lining
4. Tall wood box in the front, stepped up in the back 1/2 of it or so
5. 6 inch flue
6. Engineer an opening in the front or front side for a future blower of some sort

There are more things, but they escape me. Please tell me if/why any of those 6 things ought to be altered.

Here are those links (for future mapletrader newbie reference):

http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=3148
http://www.bascommaple.com/store/used.php
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=004QmI
http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=941
http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=6853
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57535094@N00/sets/72157601539320490/
http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc281/CalaNaSithe/Maple%20Camp/?action=view&current=100_0199.jpg#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2F s219.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fcc281%2FCalaNaSith e%2FMaple%2520Camp%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3D camp07.jpg%26
http://web.mac.com/jabushey/iWeb/Riley%20Retreat/Maple%20Sugaring.html
http://www.mapletrader.com/community/member.php?u=160
http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=2597&page=2&highlight=post+pictures+your+homemade+evaporator
http://greenopolis.com/goblog/joe-laur/spring-sugar-part-3-boiling-and-boiling-and-boiling-it-syrup-yet

[Gary R]

"more efficient permanent concrete block arch and custom-built pan."

Here's my opinion, the best thing would be for it to be in a building. If it can't, put some temporary walls around it and a tarp roof. Nothings going to kill your boil like a cold wind. A concrete pad is great. I don't know if would still would want to mortor the blocks. Any high heat or frozen rain water will crack them. Fire brick to protect the block. If you can, insulate between the brick and block. This will allow all your heat to go up and not out. Insulate the door also if you can. I would stay with a 24X36 pan with draw off or two 24X18 pans. If you have water close by and possibly help dumping pans, I'd go for the two pan set up. Your only making a few gallons a year. This means you might only make a half gallon during a boiling session. That is way to low in a six square foot pan. Combine your pans near the end and put water in one of them. Ultimately finish on the kitchen stove.

[C.Wilcox]

If you're set on using concrete blocks I would recommend that you build that arch first and then size your pan to fit. If you're custom welding your pan it will be a lot easier to cut the steel to fit the arch than vice versa. I would assume you'll probably go with an arch about 4 blocks long, 2 blocks wide, and 3 high. If you go with a 2 pan set up as Gary suggests below you might consider having the back part of the arch slightly higher so that your back pan will easily gravity feed into the front pan as you're cooking. That gives you a preheater to warm your sap with. Then you can put water in it once the sap is all in the front pan. That gives you hot water to wash things up with so you're not carrying a handful of syrupy or sooty stuff into the house. Fire brick is a must or your blocks will all crack. If your friend can weld I would ask him to make you up a steel frame door for the front that you can bolt into the block sides of the arch. You can then drill holes through the face, cover the inside with ceramic blanket, and use bolts with washers through the face to hold the blanket in place. Grates can be made cheap using heavy C channel steel turned up so that the ash collects in to the channel.

[ahowes]

Moving right along with more improvements...

1. Pour a pad 4-5 inches for the thing
2. Two 1x3 pans, back one higher for pre-heat and to feed front pan; custom-build pan after arch is done
3. Concrete blocks (about 4 blocks long, 2 blocks wide, and 3 high) with fire bricks lining, insulation between fire brick and blocks
4. Tall wood fire box w/grating in the front, stepped up in the back 1/2 of the arch to get heat against pan
5. Elevate the arch so that at a more comfortable level and so can remove ash out the bottom front
6. Insulated door on front with vent opening, perhaps bolted to blocks
7. 6 inch flue (how tall?) with pre-heat tubing around it like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57535094@N00/1168552077/in/set-72157601539320490/
8. Engineer an opening in the front or front side for a future blower of some sort
9. If cannot build shack around it in first year (won't have time), then at least put a wind-break of some sort up

Thanks!

[jasonl6]

Yor sack should be twice the length of your arch. IE 6' pan = 12' stack. At least get a easy up or somthing over the pan. When we first started boiling I remember boiling in the rain. LOL The level was going up in the pan and we were not adding any new sap. What a PITA

Jason

[ahowes]

I had not thought of rain filling the pan. This past season was my first and it did not rain. (Of course, why would it have? We haven't had measurable rain in about 11 weeks here in Gibson County!)
I boiled for days and only made 1.5 gallons - my set up was so inefficient, but I had fun anyway. It sounds like with the amount of work and wood I put into it, 5 gallons might be an under-achieving goal. 10 gallons may not be out of reach. I just did not want to over-extend or over-commit.
I'll add the stack length and a roof of some sort to my list, even if wimpy the first year. Thanks.

[ahowes]

I'll probably frame up a 5x10 concrete pad tomorrow for the base. I figured for starters, one foot of concrete past the sides and back of the evaporator and three feet out the front. Then I'll probably put some 53s around that so that I don't have soggy ground to stand on.
This will probably take me a while to do since I have other winterization tasks to do around the farm. I'll add photos as I go.

We finally got some rain!