Steam in Salisbury

[Parker]

Just got in from making 33 gallons of dark A ,,started the evap. at 1,,If you ever have a problem with a pan and cant fix it yourself call BOB LAPOINT,,New Boston, N.H. had BOTH my themometer fittings fixed in about 30 minutes and fixed another bad spot on my syrip pan,,,going to get started on another 400 in Hill tommrow,,good luck too all

[Parker]

Started the Hill expansion yesterday,,hope to make tracks up there today,,I was surprised at how much sap ran yesterday for as cold as it was,,and I did not start the vacume pumps,,,will start them today on my way up there,,,

[Parker]

Too cold to start pumps yesterday,,should have 250 more taps in Hill by the end of toady,,working on steep ground,,stopped at a sugarhouse in Bristol on the way home,,fellow was running a 2x6,,said they had 500 taps and had made 26 gallons so far 8O

[Parker]

Wound up with 203 new taps in Hill befor we ran out of supplies,,have been thinking I was forgetting something since the last boil but could not think of what????was in the sugarhouse (putting my Mr. Heater in the arch) last night and rememberd,,I never drained the bottom of the pre-heater befor we got this cold snap,,,well needless to say it froze solid and pushed a fitting apart,,looks like I get to try my hand at soldering agine.........

[Parker]

Got the pre heater removed from its housing and thawed out but my small propane torch dose not seem to have enough heat to warm the whole piece to solder it back together,,think Ill try my cutting torches today,,,,,,pretty stiff breeze yesterday,,might have gotten up to 32 yesterday but with the breeze it felt like 20,,no sap here,,,,,

[gearpump]

Parker, go to the hardware store and get a bottle of mapp gas for your torch. It works great for heating large pipes and also soldering pipes that might have a little water in them. The cutting torches might have too might heat for soldering!

Marty

[Parker]

Mapp gas is awsome!!!! Just dont try it like I did with a propane torch head,,,Big fireball,,luckily only minor facial hair loss,think I got the preheater fixed,,need to test this AM,,got a small run yesterday starting around noon,,,had to fix the surge 76 (pulley loosend up),,Ray got the international serviced yesterday,,2-speed works agine ,nice with 1200 gallons of sap to have that working,,changed oil,,fuel filt,,checked Hoit road and rte.11 with Vac. running found many of the spiles had loosend in the spile extensions and were leaking vacume,,,looks like great weather for the next 2 weeks GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!

[Parker]

Just a little too cold to run much yesterday,,collected 800 gallons,,would have been 1200 if it wernt for all the ice in the tanks,,got to head out and start boiling,,get rid of this sap and wash up for the next run,,,Steve has been up in Hill adding more taps,,,2 speed in truck got stuck between ranges then blew the fuse as I was heading out to collect,,,must be a dead short somewhere,,,I love wiring!

[Parker]

2 speed still not working,, the sap I collected yesterday that I boiled today was 3.5%!!!Made 35? gallons B,,Tanks full,,wash rig out then boil tommrow,,,guessing I have 3500 gallons of sap on hand

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

At 3% sugar, that's 122 gallon of syrup. Go for it buddy, looks like it might be a great year for you!