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Thread: Red Roof Maples 2018

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default Red Roof Maples 2018

    Well it's not 2018 yet but here's what I've been up to. Last Sunday I went to Porter ME to pick up my new arch which my friend Bill Mason custom built for me. Bill did a nice job on this and I can't wait to see it fully assembled and steam rolling off of it.

    IMG_20171217_150351076[1].jpgIMG_20171217_150251024[1].jpgIMG_20171224_101014865[1].jpg
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

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    Congrats, Red. I picked up my Mason in September and can't wait to run it.
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Walpole, NH
    Posts
    1,363

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    Congrats Russ, does it have AUF and AOF?
    Sugaring for 45+ years
    New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
    New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
    2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
    250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
    1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
    2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around

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

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    Quote Originally Posted by Russell Lampron View Post
    Well it's not 2018 yet but here's what I've been up to. Last Sunday I went to Porter ME to pick up my new arch which my friend Bill Mason custom built for me. Bill did a nice job on this and I can't wait to see it fully assembled and steam rolling off of it.

    Attachment 16958Attachment 16959Attachment 16960
    Congratulations Russ. You will like Bill's work. What are you using for pans? Mason pans?
    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
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BAP View Post
    Congrats Russ, does it have AUF and AOF?
    Yes, sort of. 25% of the air goes under the fire and the rest is blown back into and over the fire from the arch front.

    Quote Originally Posted by whity View Post
    Congratulations Russ. You will like Bill's work. What are you using for pans? Mason pans?
    I'm using my Algier pans. I gave Bill the measurements and he built the arch to fit my pans.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    Well this wasn't a good way to end the year. When I got home from work last night I went down to the sugar house to check the RO room and bring some syrup up to the house. I found that the door from the evaporator room had blown open and the batteries in the thermostat had died. With an overnight low of -12 and a daytime high of 2 you can guess what I found. The pre filter housing on the RO had frozen solid and cracked. I won't know what else is damaged until I replace the pre filter housing and try to run it. I have a new membrane if that passes sugar but I won't know about the pumps until I can pump some water through it. I replaced the batteries in the thermostat and got the heat working again last night. I went down today and checked it and cant see any unwanted bulges or cracks so I'm hoping that everything else is okay.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    Ouch, that sucks! You might want to change the t-stat batteries every fall just to be sure. I'll need to check my RO room today, but I have 2 forms of heat in there. 1st is a direct vented wall heater runs on propane, off a bulk tank, it has a standing pilot. If that fails I have an electric heater set to come on if the temp drops to 40 F. So far no issues. The propane heater I use is called a "Housewarmer" and it is only 8000 BTU, which does a fine job.
    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.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Brookline, NH
    Posts
    10

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    Russell -

    I picked up my 2x3 (our upgrade from a barrel stove) from Bill Mason in early December and saw your arch under construction - nice looking rig.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    Quote Originally Posted by ACfarmerNH View Post
    Russell -

    I picked up my 2x3 (our upgrade from a barrel stove) from Bill Mason in early December and saw your arch under construction - nice looking rig.
    Yes it is a nice looking rig and you're going to like your Mason evaporator. I got the firebox bricked yesterday. It was hard to get the temp up in the sugar house as cold and windy as it was.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Northwest Pa
    Posts
    902

    Default

    Sorry to hear about your luck Russ.I,m too old to find suprizes like that ! I,ll leave it you guys Hope the rest of your year goes much better


    Jim
    Maple consultant for 50 years

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