Those roof jacks ar pretty sweet aren't they, Gary.
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Those roof jacks ar pretty sweet aren't they, Gary.
Yes it is going to fit well over the ribs of the metal roof. I was able to get it for $135.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pdiamond
Once I get the base stack base and base stack, and stand them up, I will see where the double wall pipe will line up and I will make a support for it. I will then lower the double wall pipe into position and make a mark on it showing the roof line and as mentioned before I then remove it, slide the roof jack down onto the double wall pipe to almost the line, then lower both and connect the double,wall pipe to the base stack, secure it to the supports, then add my butyl tape to the perimeter of the roof Jack under the metal strips, push the roof Jack all the way down to the roof and secure it with metal roofing screws, then add the roof sealant.
Other than putting the pan in place with the float box, I will be ready to boil.
Today was +1° and the sap was running a little in my early taps. 3 of the next four days will be possible sap flow days, with Tuesday maybe being the best day.
We are still 3/4 weeks away from the sap really flowing and installing the majority of the taps. I may get enough sap to make a litre or so of syrup this week.
We snowshoed the lines on the steep hill today. The narrow tracks are getting a solid base, but constantly have to be trekked with snow or blowing snow almost each day.
My butyl tape arrived today from Amazon. Tomorrow prior to heading out to pick up my pan, I will stop and get the roof sealant. I am very excited to head out tomorrow to get the pan. It is 6’30” drive there and back in good conditions. I have a lot of questions for the pan maker when I get there about the pan and especially the float box.
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It was a 6.5 hour return trip, but I picked up my 2x4 divided pan, float box, pan cover, base stack, base stack plate and 2 foot section of stainless 8” stove pipe today. It all looks great.
The base stack plate will have to be welded onto my existing metal rectangle frame that the pan sits on. It might take a few days for my welder to get to it and I can’t really do a lot with setting up the base stack until it is done, but I can do a few things.
To reverse the flow in this pan, you reverse the positions of the draw off valve and the float box. I wasn’t really set up that way, but I have time to make it so that I can.
I am very happy and in a few days or a week, I will be all set up to go. The second last picture is a photoshop of the base plate at the end of the metal frame. I will get the welder to run a bead across the entire width of the base plate, then weld two small plates at the ends over both pieces for extra strength.
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Pan looks like it was worth the wait. Can't wait to see steam rising from it!
Looking good Gary. Won't your first boil be fun. Your moving pretty fast for a second year sapper. Looks like you moved up from this being a hobby to an obsession. I realized that this year when I plunked down $800 for a filter press.
Equipment looks very well made, trusts it serves you well for many many years.
Stay safe on the roof work and get some help even if they only do the fetching on the ground.
Looking forward to see pic's of the whole sugar pavilion making steam.
Best of luck.
Looks great! Is it normal that a base stack doesn't have a flange to use to attach it? I don't have a base stack, just curious.
One thought - if there's a way to attach your base stack to the arch with screws or something, I wonder if that might be better, so you can re-use it if you wind up buying an evaporator next season or the one after. That stack will last forever, and it would be a shame to have to chop it up to move it to a new arch.
GO
Thanks, I can’t wait to see it all set up and working as well. I will have a big smile when the steam starts rising.Quote:
Originally Posted by Z/MAN
When I started thinking about tapping two summers ago, it was going to be 16 taps, with an unknown way of boiling, but my personality trait of wanting to do the best I can, with a dash of obsessiveness has got me here. Hopefully I will be content with what I have now.Quote:
Originally Posted by MajorWoodchuck
Thanks I have a buddy up for a couple of days, I am hoping we can get the hole cut in the roof while he is up, although today is a wash with driving snow, freezing rain, and rain. It is supposed to get to +4 C / 40 F so I should get some sap running in my early taps. It is more likely this sap will be boiled on a turkey fryer though. Thanks for the good luck wishes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trends
Thanks! I do have a base stack plate with a flange for the base stack, it may not have been obvious in the earlier pictures. I was working on it this morning as I had to cut and ground a portion of it to fit the inside width of the evaporator.Quote:
Originally Posted by berkshires
The basestack and pan will fit my pan makers evaporators, if money magically appeared to allow me to buy a professional evaporator.
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Speaking yesterday with my pan maker, he suggested I start with 3” sap depth until I get comfortable with the divided pan and learn how quickly things can happen when they do.
I also asked about the draw off and I said I was going to trickle the syrup out. He told me that is a good method when you have a really large evaporator, but for the 2x4 pan he made for me, he said you want to open the valve and let it flow out. He also said, that let’s say 220° was my target temperature, that once I open the valve, the temperature may rise to 221°, but the instant it starts to drop, close the valve.
He also said if the sugar sand builds up, that the pan could burn between the bottom of the pan and the sugar sand, so not to let the sugar sand build up.
The way this pan is designed to reverse the flow was different than I thought. In this case, you switch the float box with the outlet valve. Right now my feed tank is on a raised stand that I screwed into place. I have three options. Get a longer RVk hose and string it over the pan to reach the other side, build a second raised stand on the other side, or unscrew the existing raised stand and just move it each time, but there may not be a good spot for it. First world problems, I will figure it out.
Now in simply flipping the float box and valve around, you have your gradient in the wrong place, so I see draining some of the sweet into pails and then pour it back in, in reverse order on the opposite side, to try and reestablish the gradient.