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Thread: What supplies and additional equipment do I need?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Cloquet, mn
    Posts
    29

    Default What supplies and additional equipment do I need?

    OK, first of all, thanks to all who answered my last thread.
    I have this new-to-me 30x10' wood fired, raised flue evaporator. Previously I was an oil drum/flat pan guy so I have a lot of questions.
    So I need to find out what type of stuff do I need that I don't even know about?
    I think I need defoamer, an egg timer, a flue brush (inside and outside), a thermometer for the syrup pan, a thermometer for the stack, pan cleaner, and I have no idea what else.
    Let me know what you use and what I'm missing from my list.
    Thanks,
    Ray

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Sugarhill NH
    Posts
    723

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    Skimmer, scoop 5 gallon bucket of sap for those precious minutes of what did I do.
    30x8 Leader revolution, wood fired blower, steamaway/hood. 903 taps all but 54 on pipeline and 3 vacuum systems. Hauling sap this year with a 99 F350 7.3 diesel dump and of course back up is the Honda 450 and trailer.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,566

    Default

    Timers, I went thru 4 or 5 over the years. My issue was if I was busy doing something in the sugarhouse I sometimes did not hear the timer. Then this loud one came out: http://www.thermoworks.com/Extra-Big...hoCuwwQAvD_BwE
    Now I always hear it, even if I'm outside checking a tank and I don't even have it set to it's loudest setting (it goes up to 110 DB on high). Most others were fine if things were quite but when the business of making syrup interferes this one is great. I bought it 3 or 4 years ago and it has performed perfectly.
    Things you may need, a way to filter the syrup, a hydrometer (or 2, if one gets dropped) ,containers to put syrup in, maybe labels ....
    Last edited by maple flats; 12-11-2017 at 07:48 AM.
    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.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    central NH
    Posts
    178

    Default

    Plenty of fire wood. And an understanding wife helps a lot.
    Steve

    2017
    2x8 Mason drop tube evaporator
    420 Taps
    3 surflo pumps on 5/16
    79 gallons of syrup made
    2016
    New kitchen addition to sap house
    400 taps
    52 gallons syrup made

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    central NH
    Posts
    178

    Default

    Maybe a head tank. Back tank. Pumps to move the sap.
    Steve

    2017
    2x8 Mason drop tube evaporator
    420 Taps
    3 surflo pumps on 5/16
    79 gallons of syrup made
    2016
    New kitchen addition to sap house
    400 taps
    52 gallons syrup made

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Birdsboro PA
    Posts
    1,326

    Default

    Also, enough sap to make it worthwhile to fire up.
    first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.

    2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.

    2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.

    http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Cornwall, CT
    Posts
    356

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rayjavu View Post
    ....I have this new-to-me 30x10' wood fired, raised flue evaporator....
    That's one BIG evaporator. First thing you'll need is a whole lot of sap to boil. How many taps are you planning?
    1980 - 6 taps, stone fire pit, drain pan evaporator, 1 pint of syrup
    2016 - 55 taps on 3/16 and gravity, new sugar shack, 2x3 Mason XL, 16 gallons of syrup
    2017 - 170 taps on 3/16, 2x4 Mason XL, NextGen RO. 50 gallons of syrup
    2018 - 250+ taps on gravity and buckets, 2x5 Smokey Lake arch and Beaverland pan.
    2019 - 250+ taps on gravity. A few buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
    2020 - 300+ taps on gravity. 50 gallons of syrup.
    2021 - 280 taps on gravity and 40 buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Lake County Ohio
    Posts
    1,630

    Default

    You will need to filter your syrup. Look into a cone or flat filter setup. You may want to consider a filter tank like the one pictured, or possibly one of the water jacketed filter-bottler combinations.
    16x16 filter tank.jpg
    John Allin

    14x18 Hemlock Timber Frame Sugar House 2009
    Leader 2x6 w/Patriot Raised Flue Pan 2009
    Leader Steam Hood 2014 - Clear Filter Press 2015
    Leader Revolution Pan and SS Pre-Heater 2016
    CDL Hobby RO & Air Tech L25 Hi Vac Pump 2019
    06' Gator HPX to collect wood & sap
    14' Ski-Doo Tundra for winter work in the woods
    Great Family 3 grown kids+spouses and 7 grand kids who like the woods
    7th Gen Born in Canada - Raised in Chardon Ohio - Maple Capital of the World..<grin>.

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