Is a 2x6 big enough for eventually 400 taps?

[Red Shed Sugaring]

My family is going to start a small sugaring operation 150-200taps the first year and eventually expanding to 400 taps a few seasons after. I've talked to some people who have a 2x6 on 300 taps and they say they boil for 7 plus hours a day! I'd like to know if when we eventually get up to around 400 taps is a 2x6 going to be too small? We have looked at CDL's 2x6, their website says the 2x6 will hack 450 taps, and have a boiling rate of 35-40 gph, the people I've talked to said they boil around 25gph if they're lucky. Would it be better to go with a 2x8 or stick with a 2x6?

[Middleton Maples]

You can do 400 taps with a 2'x6', might be some long days but not bad. It's good to go bigger than you think you never know what the future holds sometimes. I said I would never go over 200 taps and look at me now. I got 650 taps on my 2'x8' and I haven't boiled long into the night this year. I would recommend a lapierre evaporator, they are very nice rigs. The 2'x6' will get up to 35-40 gph no problem. The 2'x8' brand new doesn't cost that much more and I am able to get 50-60 gph. Also you can get the 2'x8' with 2 cross flow front pans, which makes life a little easier because I always draw off on the same side and never have to move my float box when I rotate my pans. Thats my 2 cents

[jpcole]

I have a 2x6 drop flue. It boils about 28 gallons/hr. Do to a full time job and basketball season, I only run 100 taps. It keeps me busy. I have a friend who runs 180 taps with his 2x6. Hes retired. Another friend runs 360 taps and hopes to add 300 more taps next year, He has an RO that helps alot. I guess it depends on how much of your spare time you want to spend in your sugar shack [You do have a sugar shack?] and how much money you want to spend on your "Hobby".

[heus]

400 taps on a good 2x6 is doable but you will be wanting an ro before long. Look into Patrick Phaneuf's raised flue 2x6. Its an excellent machine and made as good as or even better than the big companies. Perfect welds and good gph.

[maplwrks]

All of the advice that has been given above is spot on, I'll add to it ....There is a kid in town that has 1500 taps on a 2x6. He has an RO, and has made over 700 gallons of syrup on it so far this season. 3 years ago, he burned 17 cords of wood in it to make 450 gallons! It is doable if you want to put the time and effort into it.

[jmayerl]

Im running just over 1100 taps on my 2x7. Getting 55gph out of it as i sit and type this. Preheater should put me over 60 next year and a small ro will help with long collection days.

[PerryFamily]

I am running approx 1100 taps on a 2x6 patriot forced draft with an RO. I bring my sap up to about 10% and on average most boils are 4-6 hours. longest was 11 and made 38 gallons. Just finished up 2013 at just over 250 gallons

[spencer11]

I have the same question you did, I'm looking at getting a 2x6 with a preheated next year, and ill have about 400 taps, its doable, I know someone who does 800 on a 2x6 drop flue, no preheated and no RO, but he doesn't sleep much during the season, pretty much boils continuously. A 2x6 should get you around 40 gph average, would the 400 taps be on vac? You could also make a small RO when you get to a bigger number of taps

[markct]

Go for a 2x8 they arnt much more money and are alot more flue pan area with a 6ft flue pan!

[PerryW]

I ran 275 gravity taps on a 2x6 and it was too much. I sold it and got a 3x10 in 1989. Now I run about 700 tpas and most of my boils are 5-6 hours (it does 90 GPH)

I would go with at least a 30" wide evapartor or 3x8 for 400 taps especially if the are good running trees.