+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Things got a little steamy in the sugarshack !

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Scottsville ky
    Posts
    138

    Default Things got a little steamy in the sugarshack !

    image.jpg after some delays and patching 2 leaks, I finally fired up this 40"x12' king ! Now to get some vacuum on my 235 taps and hope for a late spring.
    first year at the market 2015!
    I don't act my age so why should i act like i have any sense?
    2014 added a 40"x12' king
    239 taps on my little 3 1/2 acres
    Looking for a sugarbush lease!
    2015 350 taps total
    60 gallons made in spite of learning curve and leaks!
    Good year at the market with all the confections too!
    2016 delaval 76 & with a 6.5 Hp engine gives me 16hg! I think it made my trees 10' shorter.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    buy or make a hood. I made my first 3 hoods, my current was made by the pan manufacturer. Mine worked fine, but theirs is certainly nicer.
    I made mine out of aluminum sheet and used 1" aluminum channel for gutter. I've seen several homemade hoods, the most basic was a suspended lightweight wooden frame made from firing strips, that hung about 6" outside the 4x12 evaporator and went up to about 6" from the cupola. That sugarhouse had a dirt floor and they had plenty of 1st place ribbons from the New York State Fair for their syrup. All the others were made from aluminum and were pop riveted together.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Scottsville ky
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Hi David, I have the hood but I just wanted to watch the first run closely to learn how this monster boils. Going from a homemade 2x4 divided pan even though I've learned a lot from all the traders on here, I knew I'd better start slow. Even so, I still had a little scorched spot...I didn't even think it was anywhere close to syrup...wow. It had been boiling more in the middle two sections so when I restoked the box I had spread the embers around the edges. Didn't waste much and clean up won't be too terrible. The learning curve reminds me of paddle ball.
    first year at the market 2015!
    I don't act my age so why should i act like i have any sense?
    2014 added a 40"x12' king
    239 taps on my little 3 1/2 acres
    Looking for a sugarbush lease!
    2015 350 taps total
    60 gallons made in spite of learning curve and leaks!
    Good year at the market with all the confections too!
    2016 delaval 76 & with a 6.5 Hp engine gives me 16hg! I think it made my trees 10' shorter.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    nace,
    Very nice shot of the stem rolling! Good thing you were watching that could have been a lot worse. I did the same thing when I started up our rig for the first time. It boiled a lot faster than I was used to.
    We will be into that boiling thing in a week or so. Currently about 10 below zero in Albion PA.
    We will wait till it warms a tad to tap.
    Your 40 x 12 is the big brother to the 3 x 10 King we run. Post some more pictures if you have them.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Scottsville ky
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Well, I figured out that the foam got up in the flue pan which raises the float which causes your syrup pan to boil dry. On tonight's run I noticed the syrup pan level drop and that the flue pan was quiet. Added defoamer and the float dropped and started adding sap !
    first year at the market 2015!
    I don't act my age so why should i act like i have any sense?
    2014 added a 40"x12' king
    239 taps on my little 3 1/2 acres
    Looking for a sugarbush lease!
    2015 350 taps total
    60 gallons made in spite of learning curve and leaks!
    Good year at the market with all the confections too!
    2016 delaval 76 & with a 6.5 Hp engine gives me 16hg! I think it made my trees 10' shorter.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    nace,
    I have not seen the foam effect the sap level that much?? Good catch though. Adding a drop or two of defoamer can change the whole process. I add a drop or two in the rear pan each time I fire. Also a drop in the draw off channel near the draw off.
    That rig should boil off 100+ gallons per hour or more if you have it tuned up.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Green County Kentucky
    Posts
    188

    Default

    Nace
    Things are looking good around here. I took off 275 gallons of sap Saturday and 375 gallons this evening. We had the evaporator rocking, took off two batches then got the syrup two shallow and scorched the pan. That ended cooking for this evening, spent the next hour cleaning the pan.

    It sounds like you have a monster of a pan, is it 12 ft long? My trees have really turned on in the last few days. I've got trees that haven't gave up a drop! and now they are coming on. I think we will have few more weeks.

    David
    Sorghum Producer
    60 Bee Hives
    200 Acres of Ky hills
    225 Taps on Gravity
    2018 - Lapierre 2X8 Storm
    1963 Military M37 Sap Hauler
    and if things get tough...M35A2
    youtube videos

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Scottsville ky
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Hey David, yes this monster( for me) 40"x12' king has a 5' syrup pan and a 7' drop flue. I only have 239 taps and the guy I thought I could lease 12 acres from, backed out. I'll be working on a lease this summer.
    first year at the market 2015!
    I don't act my age so why should i act like i have any sense?
    2014 added a 40"x12' king
    239 taps on my little 3 1/2 acres
    Looking for a sugarbush lease!
    2015 350 taps total
    60 gallons made in spite of learning curve and leaks!
    Good year at the market with all the confections too!
    2016 delaval 76 & with a 6.5 Hp engine gives me 16hg! I think it made my trees 10' shorter.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Green County Kentucky
    Posts
    188

    Default

    Mace did you do any cooking today, I thought I saw a big smoke down south, was that you? I'm sure I could see the smoke and steam for 60 miles. We'll, we cooked this evening the sap was flowing a little slower today, we only had about 325 gallons. I didn't check the sugar content but it had to be lower. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
    David
    Sorghum Producer
    60 Bee Hives
    200 Acres of Ky hills
    225 Taps on Gravity
    2018 - Lapierre 2X8 Storm
    1963 Military M37 Sap Hauler
    and if things get tough...M35A2
    youtube videos

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Scottsville ky
    Posts
    138

    Default

    Yes David I was cooking, I doubt if you could see it from 60 miles but I have noticed several heilocopters. Several people ask if I make moonshine too. I've got the tank down to about 250 gallons, it was near full (estimated 500gallons ). It's good to know that my homemade tank actually holds up! I've drawn off 2 1/2 gallons and I'll be trying to improve the evaporation rate. Part of the problem is my wood got wet. Always something. My sap was running slow also so perhaps with these warm days, I can get caught up and ready for this weekends freeze.
    Last edited by nace; 02-19-2014 at 11:24 AM.
    first year at the market 2015!
    I don't act my age so why should i act like i have any sense?
    2014 added a 40"x12' king
    239 taps on my little 3 1/2 acres
    Looking for a sugarbush lease!
    2015 350 taps total
    60 gallons made in spite of learning curve and leaks!
    Good year at the market with all the confections too!
    2016 delaval 76 & with a 6.5 Hp engine gives me 16hg! I think it made my trees 10' shorter.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts