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    Feb 23. A couple of trees have given up. Most...

    Feb 23.
    A couple of trees have given up. Most are still going. Forecast looks like we will get through the weekend and then that’s it.
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    Monday sap survey didn’t indicate a need to...

    Monday sap survey didn’t indicate a need to collect, so passed. Collected 90 gallons Tuesday, so making steam again today. It was hit and miss yesterday. Some pails empty, and others full.
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    It’s been quiet here since I finished up the last...

    It’s been quiet here since I finished up the last of my sap last Wednesday. A few cold days have hopefully given the trees time to reset a bit. I’m expecting that the sap will start to flow well...
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    I close the valve between the flue and syrup pan,...

    I close the valve between the flue and syrup pan, drain the syrup pan into a pail, then remove and clean it. Reinstall and connect, pour the pail back into the syrup pan and then open the valve.
    I...
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    I’m on day 3 of steady boiling with at least 100...

    I’m on day 3 of steady boiling with at least 100 gallons still to go. Was happy the buckets were dry last night. Tonight’s freeze should bring more sap tomorrow
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    We didn’t collect Wednesday or Thursday and by...

    We didn’t collect Wednesday or Thursday and by Friday afternoon I finally got to the bottom of the sap we had collected earlier. Friday was a surprisingly light day with only 35 gallons from 160...
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    Well, didn’t boil anything today and collected...

    Well, didn’t boil anything today and collected another 130 gallons of sap. I foresee 3-4 days of hard boiling ahead. Fortunately I still have lots of ice blocks from last week to keep sap cold
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    Managed to pump 60 gals of sap slush out of the...

    Managed to pump 60 gals of sap slush out of the one tank, and collected another 70 today. Only boiled 30 so I’m getting behind already.
  9. Toss any galvanized buckets. Don’t use them for...

    Toss any galvanized buckets. Don’t use them for sap or anything you will consume.
    Aluminum buckets are best for sap., then plastic. You mention stainless pails. Those are usually for syrup, not sap.
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    Well, I got the 60 gallons of liquid sap I had...

    Well, I got the 60 gallons of liquid sap I had boiled and the pans are sweetened. Unfortunately the other 100 gals I have is one big solid lump. We collected half our trees tonight and brought back...
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    We tapped last Friday. 160 buckets +/-. Sap was...

    We tapped last Friday. 160 buckets +/-.
    Sap was streaming down the trees before we could get the spiles in. Saturday was frigid so we went hiking. Collected a 100 gallon tank full of ice blocks...
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    Be careful with generalities. Ontario regulations...

    Be careful with generalities. Ontario regulations require proper density syrup. There are no regulations in Ontario that identify which instruments can or cannot be used to measure the density of...
  13. Thread: My plan

    by Big_Eddy
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    Coals are for marshmallows. Evaporators need...

    Coals are for marshmallows. Evaporators need flames, flames and more flames. All thoughts about efficiency go up the chimney. It’s all about the most heat in the shortest amount of time.
    You need a...
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    We had to make three trips to collect today. We...

    We had to make three trips to collect today. We use a 100 gallon tank and collected 225 gallons total from 150 buckets.
    Good thing I stocked up the sugar shack wall with evaporator wood. There will...
  15. Thread: My plan

    by Big_Eddy
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    39,267

    I’ve found the best for my evaporator is to add...

    I’ve found the best for my evaporator is to add wood every 7-8 mins, but it depends on the wood. Small pine might need replenishing after 5 mins. Larger maple after 10. I only fill my fire box half...
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    So that means 2x5 flat pans including preheat....

    So that means 2x5 flat pans including preheat. Without blower 10gph all day long. With a blower, 15 is reasonable. You will hit 18 and maybe even 20, but you won’t average that over a day of boiling....
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    Don’t want to burst any bubbles, but the ones in...

    Don’t want to burst any bubbles, but the ones in your picture look to be 2’ x 4’. You would be hard pressed to average 10gph on a 2x4 flat pan, even with a blower. To average 18gph under 5’ long, you...
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    I’d recommend what Limestone said, which I have...

    I’d recommend what Limestone said, which I have also done in the past. Close the valve from flue to syrup pan, drain the flue pan into pails, then fill with water. Add the pails slowly to the syrup...
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    With divided pans and a continuous flow, most...

    With divided pans and a continuous flow, most nitre deposits form in the last section of the pans where the syrup concentration is highest. Nitre will actually dissolve where the concentration is...
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    Mike - Depends on the year. If I have had a great...

    Mike - Depends on the year. If I have had a great year, I don't worry about what is in the evaporator and call the season done after the last boil.
    On a mediocre year when I'm not swamped with...
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    Sweetened = boiled until there is Sap at one end,...

    Sweetened = boiled until there is Sap at one end, Syrup at the other. At the end of the day you leave what’s left in, and start again tomorrow.

    Once sweetened, Evaporator remains that way through...
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    We have collected (and boiled) 300 gallons from...

    We have collected (and boiled) 300 gallons from ~150 trees so far. So far this season, we have been keeping up with the sap supply. No idea what today will bring, but the weekend is looking like...
  23. Thread: My plan

    by Big_Eddy
    Replies
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    39,267

    One more piece of advice. Boiling, finishing and...

    One more piece of advice.
    Boiling, finishing and bottling are separate activities best undertaken on separate days.

    If it’s not clear to you why, just search terms like “disaster” , “horrible”,...
  24. Thread: My plan

    by Big_Eddy
    Replies
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    39,267

    I don’t know what truck you have, but 300 gallons...

    I don’t know what truck you have, but 300 gallons of sap will exceed the payload of most personal trucks.
    And 150 gallons of sap sloshing around in a 300 gallon tank can get exciting!
    A 200 gallon...
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    My day job is sourcing electronic devices. I told...

    My day job is sourcing electronic devices. I told R&D I was testing its operation in sub-zero temperatures with >100% humidity :)
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