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Tapped mine last weekend. I was out of town, but the wife, kids and neighbors collected it for me. Just finished boiling about 100 gallons off of 12 buckets.

Just got home yesterday and got my taps in. Hope I'm not too late. The weather is still looking good and most of the trees I tapped were running pretty good. All looked clear except 1 that was...

Exactly what I thought, but didn't want to hear. Good luck guys! Still 3 weeks before I will be home. This is about a month earlier than I have been tapping in the past couple of years.

Anyone tapping yet? I'm feeling left out, we've had a few days up in the 40s, plus rain coming which I think will thaw things out. But I'm stuck at work out of town for another month.

Funny j you should mention that. I found and "antique" stove listed on FB for $100 and was wondering if it would work. I was going to make an offer the next day sheet thinking about it, but it sold.

I appreciate all the replies. I think I'm naturally a tinkerer. It may not work at all, but I think it's fun to try. And i can't just leave things alone. Maybe that's my work talking, but I strive...

Just the control aspect of it. I have a flat pan so do batches. It's roughly 800 square inches. If a gallon is 231 cubic inches, it's roughly only a quarter inch of syrup if I finish with a gallon....

I've been getting it close on the evaporator, then finishing inside on the stove. I would like to finish it outside with wood. The square metal tubing rocket stoves look interesting. I've seen videos...

Thanks for the replies. I've been using 7 buckets with 10 taps. I have more buckets and taps, but the buckets ended up becoming storage. I solved the storage problem this year, so I'll be able to...

Thanks! I ordered a refractometer, but it isn't here yet. From talking to the neighbor and some old farm photos, my timber was horse pasture 50 years ago. So the vast majority of the trees are...

I'm in Iowa and have about 9 acres of mixed trees, but over 50% are silver maples. My work schedule works out exactly the worst way to line up with syrup season. Last year I had 10 trees tapped and...

Was at a big box store the other day. They didn't have ceramic blankets but had mineral wool. The temp rating is only a couple hundred degrees difference and he said at the trade shows they hold a...

That's really nice work!

I spent a bit of time at the hardware store the other day. I think I have a solution worked out. It won't be ideal and get every last drop, but it will be better than...

I have a homemade oil tank evaporator with a stainless pan that was used for catering. It's not quite 2'x4'. I do batches currently, but would eventually like to do a divided pan. Wondering how to...

I used road bricks in my oil tank evaporator. I got it hot enough to significantly warp a pretty thick metal grate and no issues with the bricks. I've asked around and heard they use them for pizza...

That's so cool how you can see the color change in the divided pan.

I have a 22"by 46" by 6" deep stainless pan i bought from a catering company. It's a little heavy/ thick, but it was $15. I also have 2 fuel oil tanks that were free. Got some old solid street...

Do you have a thread with pictures of your setup? I've got 2 oil tanks on my trailer and looking for all the input I can find before I start cutting.

I'm planning an oil tank arch and trying to figure out all the details also. I'm thinking the grates should run lengthwise. It seems like it would make tending the fire easier. You can slide wood in...

I'd say I collected sap for 3-4 days. I only really had time to do one batch this year. And time is really my enemy. I travel quite a bit for work from the end of January until the end of April most...

Well, I think I solved part of my problem. I scored a pan on FB marketplace. Was advertised as stainless restaurant pan, 22"x44"x5". It's still in the vehicle (rocking my newborn daughter takes...

So my question is: is all 304 stainless for grade or do you have to get a specific food grade rating? There are other metals that come in contact with food that we eat. Cast iron pans and grill...

I have about 10 acres of mostly silver maples. I put in 12 aluminum arrow shaft taps into 7 firehouse sub buckets over a few days. Ended up boiling 40 gallons into just over 3 quarts of syrup over an...