New in Maine

My wife grew up producing syrup with her family in the backyard. I grew up thinking syrup bottles had a picture of a log cabin, carmel coloring, and were made from corn syrup. Since moving to Maine, I have tried to produce syrup every year. We recently built a house on my wife's family property- and have been slowly increasing our production. We are still collecting with buckets, tapping with an old bit brace, and boiling on a combination of a half pint evaporator on a barrel stove and boiling inside (ran out of gas in the middle of a boil last year). We are looking at increasing production, but going slow as money comes available. I have been reading this board for years, and am happy to finally be a member.

I do have a question however, I have seen people make cinder block arches, and I am curious if their ability to hold in heat would make it more efficient than a barrel stove. Does anyone have opinions on this?

Welcome to the site and ask away. Simple cinder block arches are a great way to get started but have a short life span because the cement is not a high heat material. They can be insulated against the heat but are cumbersome. But don't let that stop you from going that route just remember you will outgrow it so don't get so far into it that you can't make the next step.

investing in a better barrel stove will make moving and selling it later an option. A lot depends on the pan set up so most people tend not to invest in a nice set of SS tig welded pans on a block arch.

Check this website on small evaporators built in Maine by Bill Mason. You might find it more economical to buy a small one than piecing one together.
http://wfmasonwelding.com/evaporators.html

Welcome from a fellow mainer. Whereabouts are you located? And how many taps do you have and plan to have? Those are both important questions when figuring evaporator or boiling needs.

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Originally Posted by Haynes Forest Products

just remember you will outgrow it so don't get so far into it that you can't make the next step.

investing in a better barrel stove will make moving and selling it later an option. A lot depends on the pan set up so most people tend not to invest in a nice set of SS tig welded pans on a block arch.

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Thanks for the welcome Haynes. My father lives in Northern Wisconsin (Hayward) was born in Milwaukee, and I grew up about 90 minutes southwest of Door County.

I do currently have a leader half pint evaporator, just not a decent arch. I am also slightly encumbered by the constraints of not having a sugar shack yet, and no real outbuildings to boil in, so I don't want to invest too much in something that will get left out in the elements. The plan is in 3-4 years invest in a sugar shack (I have a lumber yard nearby that I can get the lumber for a 16 x 24 sugar shack for about $1500), but right now we are simply trying to tap a few more trees every year. Last year we did 20, the previous year 16. Next year 24-30 if I can just figure out how to boil 5 gallons an hour. Eventually all of the equipment will get upgraded. That's the great thing about this industry, it gets you outdoors when you need it most, let's you gather around a fire, and there is always some new equipment to buy :D, now if I could just convince the wife that's a good thing, I would be in business.

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Originally Posted by mainebackswoodssyrup

Welcome from a fellow mainer. Whereabouts are you located? And how many taps do you have and plan to have? Those are both important questions when figuring evaporator or boiling needs.

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I am in Mount Vernon, just Northwest of Augusta. Plan is a funny word, I plan on eventually tapping a few hundred, my immediate goals however are significantly more humble. I am hoping to tap up to 30 this next year. Last year we did 20.

Thanks for the advice BAP, I have seen Mason's stuff- but even as reasonable as it is, it is still out of my budget this year.

Ltr77 Makes perfect sense now. I can think back to me first boil with fond memories about standing around the gravel parking lot cooking out in the open in a fish kettle. That started me on a journey that had me looking at everything as a potential part of the maple syrup obsession. Every improvement was a major step in production and I look back and laugh at how the simplest of things would make a huge differance

We were in our own little world not having any idea that this site existed and didn't take the time to look for other producers to learn from. Every simple thing was met with "how cool is this" So enjoy the adventure.

So lets get back to your original question Yes a block arch is easy to build. if you look at Youtube you will see plenty of them. Take the time to scrounge up the materials. A trip to the local junk yard will set your brain spinning but you can find things that will help your build. Just a flat rusty steel plate for the platform will make building it straight and allow you to clean out the ash. Ask around and get some bed frames for keeping things tied together. You don't have to get all Fancy Smancy with a hinged door a heavy steel plate that allows air in and keeps the fire contained is all you need. And yes you can use the skin from a refrigerator or file cabinet for your interior with some fire blanket then the blocks to hold it all together. Make it straight and make it strong.

It sounds like eventually you will want to be looking at a 2x6 evaporator for a few hundred taps. But that's a bit much for your current situation. I'm not familiar with cinder block arch setups. I'm wondering if it will be any better than your current half pint setup though.

He has the "'Evaporator he just needs a viable Arch.

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Originally Posted by Ltr77

I am in Mount Vernon, just Northwest of Augusta. Plan is a funny word, I plan on eventually tapping a few hundred, my immediate goals however are significantly more humble. I am hoping to tap up to 30 this next year. Last year we did 20.

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Welcome to the site, though I am posting this somewhat late! I too am in Mount Vernon...small world. I built a concrete block arch lined with brick that supports three steam trays. In conjunction with a stand alone warming stove with one tray I can do 60+ gallons of sap in a days boil. We had 18 or so taps on 2018 for 7 gallons of syrup and are looking to do 24 this season. No problems with the blocks cracking as the brick keeps the heat down. Besides at $1.65 each it's cheap to repair.

Best of luck this season!

Welcome to the site. Everyone here is very knowledgeable when it comes to the various parts of sugaring. We are all here to help. I too started with cinder block arch outside and it was fun. Now I have built a sugarhouse and have a small evaporator and it has made a huge difference.

I went from barrel stove to concrete block a couple years back and like it better.
More flexibility in firebox capacity height, width and length wise means less tending. I am at 3 blocks high.
Some blocks crack but going on 3rd season with same blocks . They will still hold together cracked.
The stovepipe out the back takes a bit of engineering but can be done with a
little ingenuity.