My plan 2022/23

The last to days were quite windy, so my wife and I walked the lines again and they were all okay. While at the peak I explored the topography for a possible fourth line next season.

We will have to see if the landowner will let me return at all, but if he will and does not mind me adding another line, and if I am not overwhelmed this year, I might add another line of 25-30 taps.

Approximately 93 days away from tapping! (Sugar Moon)

It is just like any other type of canning, always use new lids.

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Originally Posted by Swingpure

It was a stand alone floor blower and I could not make a hole wide enough to accept all of the air it puts out. If it ever died, I would be in trouble.

I rather have enough natural draft and let the blower add to it. I have a 100 cfm blower and will buy a 600 cfm blower with three settings if the 100 is not enough.

Right now with my existing door I can control the amount of the draft, from 90 sq inches down to zero. I am hoping the 100 cfm one will be perfect, some air, but not too much. Last year I had my leaf blower and even from a distance, it was way too much.

I am at peace not getting the whole new evaporator at this time and not getting the metal door at this time and next year I will re-evaluate.
Although the new evaporator was tantalizingly close. I will have to pick up a temporary part time job next summer if I want it badly enough, and I will already have the pan and base stack for it.

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If you use a blower you almost have to have a motor controller to adjust the speed. A leaf blower or a bounce house blower will work, you just dial it up or back as needed. Something like this (but check the amperage on the motor you are using):

https://www.amazon.com/Variable-Cont...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

And as mentioned above you don’t want any other venting besides the blower and the stack.

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Originally Posted by Brien

Is a blower one of those dangerous buys. like you get a good increase in your boil rate, but then you have to listen to the thing all day?

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Depends on the blower you buy, if you are just doing air under fire, I have a dayton blower that is very quiet, can't really hear it over the boil. Some of the high pressure blowers for air over fire are a bit more loud and some producers mount them "outside" and pipe the air in.

P.S., I might have been a bit careless in suggesting getting a door for the cinder block evaporator. In theory, forgetting exactly what it looks like, but just remembering that it looked really good, it seemed logical to think that if one thing could be improved, it would be to install a real door, but I did not think though at all how that would be accomplished and what sort of air flow considerations would have to be made first. But I think you've got a solid 2023 setup!
Andy

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Originally Posted by Andy VT

P.S., I might have been a bit careless in suggesting getting a door for the cinder block evaporator. In theory, forgetting exactly what it looks like, but just remembering that it looked really good, it seemed logical to think that if one thing could be improved, it would be to install a real door, but I did not think though at all how that would be accomplished and what sort of air flow considerations would have to be made first. But I think you've got a solid 2023 setup!
Andy

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I appreciated the suggestion and was gung ho to build it and sort of designed it at 5 am, before measuring the height of the evaporator. Another two inches taller and it would have looked amazing.

The cinder block evaporator is a product of listening to many suggestions last year and this year and it has changed dramatically from when I had it steel lined.

When I get my base stack, he will also be making be a plate that will sit on my evaporator, that will have the raised framing that the base stack sits on. I am thinking of welding that base plate when I receive it, to the 2x4 metal frame that the pan will be sitting on, to help keep it in place, and to seal it where they meet.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/004o...wPRlAXFg2JMSYA

I added two more taps on a medium sized length line today and picked out another tree to have a drop line to a pail, so that makes 176 taps.

I also made a bracket to hold a stove pipe probe thermometer on a single wall pipe as shown on another thread.

Almost no snow on the ground and if the 14 day forecast holds, there will not be a lot more at the end of the 14 days, but that forecast will change many times.

If I could tell the difference between elm tree bark and maple tree bark, I would be tempted now to run a fourth line on the steep hill, but they look so similar, especially when both have moss on them. I am getting much better identifying oak trees versus maple tree bark, but the elm is so close for my untrained eye.

Attachment 22645

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04aX...TgmBs-Ph21kaLQ


Edit: The iCloud link gives a much better picture, but is only is valid for 30 days.

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Originally Posted by Swingpure

If I could tell the difference between elm tree bark and maple tree bark, I would be tempted now to run a fourth line on the steep hill, but they look so similar, especially when both have moss on them. I am getting much better identifying oak trees versus maple tree bark, but the elm is so close for my untrained eye.

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Can you share a pic? Elm trees and maple trees should be very easy to tell apart. I know you said you have an untrained eye, but maybe we can help you. An easy way to tell elm trees from anything else out there is that elm tree bark will have a slightly spongy feel when you press it, especially on young trees. The shape of elm trees is fundamentally different from maples as well.

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Originally Posted by bigschuss

Can you share a pic? Elm trees and maple trees should be very easy to tell apart. I know you said you have an untrained eye, but maybe we can help you. An easy way to tell elm trees from anything else out there is that elm tree bark will have a slightly spongy feel when you press it, especially on young trees. The shape of elm trees is fundamentally different from maples as well.

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I will take pictures tomorrow in the daylight, I have both, a few feet from my house. I did not try feeling the bark.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by bigschuss

Can you share a pic? Elm trees and maple trees should be very easy to tell apart. I know you said you have an untrained eye, but maybe we can help you. An easy way to tell elm trees from anything else out there is that elm tree bark will have a slightly spongy feel when you press it, especially on young trees. The shape of elm trees is fundamentally different from maples as well.

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I took some tonight, will take some tomorrow as well. Now are the two trees both elm, both maple, or one of each and if so which one is the maple? I said that only to put doubt in whoever judges it mind, as I will have the same doubt in the forest.

I did feel an elm tree and a maple tree, both felt equally as firm.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04fR...qQyChL8m7NwCWA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/066O...36VJQxMeTDg1vA