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Thread: Tapping in Western PA

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    South of Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    183

    Default Tapping in Western PA

    I'm going to run my first line tomorrow (3/16th) and hopefully tap tomorrow. Last year I tapped Mid-January (roughly 50 taps on bags/buckets) and had a great season. If all goes well...I'll probably add another run or 2 during the weekend. Probably throw out a few buckets also.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    South of Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    183

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    Ran my first line yesterday. Tapped early so I can figure out the whole tubing thing and work the bugs out. What a pain it is to setup a line without a tubing tool!!! I plan on running 2-3 more lines in a wk or 2 once I get a better picture of the forecast.

    Sap was flowing pretty good yesterday. I was surprised since it was the first day above freezing since this deep freeze hit us.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Polk, PA
    Posts
    1,363

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    Happy 2018 everyone! I woke up today, looked at the weather and said why not. Fixed up the tubing this morning and the laterals were unthawed. Put the evaporator together this afternoon and cleaned some tanks. I've got some more cleaning to do but plan on tapping and turning the pump on tomorrow. Hope to boil Monday. I'll pull the plug at about 20 gallons so I might only be boiling for a week or two. If your waiting, stop in and tell some stories. Good luck to everyone!
    136 on high vacuum for 2019
    A&A 2X8, raised flue evaporator
    hood, parallel flow pre heater and air over fire
    12X28 sugar shack

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bethel Park, PA
    Posts
    33

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    I wrote this in the Pennsylvania thread already but I put out 6 taps in the backyard today. Sap was dripping nicely. 10 more coming in the mail tomorrow supposedly. I have a relative with 3 huge sugar maples and am hoping to tap those tomorrow afternoon or Monday.

    I boiled last year in a 4 inch steam pan on my camp stove. I'm in the middle of upgrading that setup to two pans that will sit on some burners. I welded up a framework and need to finish it up with some sheet metal to help keep the heat in. Hope to remember to get some pictures along the way.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bethel Park, PA
    Posts
    33

    Default

    I collected today at noon, so that's 21 hours after tapping. With 6 taps I collected a little more than 1/4 gallon so what looked like good dripping apparently stopped pretty soon after.

    10 more taps arrived this morning. I have one more tree on my property I can tap an then I have to go to the relatives.
    I hope it picks up.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Lancaster County, Pa.
    Posts
    119

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    I wouldn't worry too much. It's still pretty early. I just put in 7 taps myself in my backyard. All the tap holes were wet and I could hear a few dripping nicely in the buckets as I walked away.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Polk, PA
    Posts
    1,363

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    I've got more than 200 gallons in the tank. One of my 3/16" barrels was overflowing. Need to get my stacks up and light a fire this evening.
    136 on high vacuum for 2019
    A&A 2X8, raised flue evaporator
    hood, parallel flow pre heater and air over fire
    12X28 sugar shack

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    South of Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    183

    Default

    Collected 50 gallons yesterday. Finished tapping. 3 lines on 3/16. The weird thing....one of my lines that did very well Fri wasn't moving at all Sunday....while my other 2 lines were flowing fast. I checked for leaks and clogs....couldn't figure out what was going on. Hopefully it was just the trees because I can't work on the line for a few days.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bethel Park, PA
    Posts
    33

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    My son and I tapped 3 monster sugar maples at a relatives house. They were dripping much more than mine. We have 3 taps in each so 9 taps over there for a total of 16 this year. I have a couple more I might try to get in the neighborhood.

    I need to finish welding up my framework for the pans.

    Someone tapped on McMurray Rd across from the Goddard school, looked like a dozen and a half out there.
    2017 - Started with 5 taps, added 2 more. 16 gallons of sap. 58 ounces of syrup. Boiled in a 4" water pan on my camp stove. Finished in the kitchen.
    2018 - Expanding to a relatives property. Upgrading my boiling setup to a double pan.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Polk, PA
    Posts
    1,363

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    Glad I took a few hours vacation today. I collected 415 gallons of sap. Also glad to get my first boil of the year screw ups out of the way. Was drawing syrup in less than 3 hours and wasn't ready. My draw off showed 222 before I got a pot to draw off into. Also forgot to shut off the valve on my bulk tank when I was changing pumps. At least 50 gallons of that sap went on the ground At least I'll be done boiling in an hour and have about 1 1/2 gal. of syrup!
    136 on high vacuum for 2019
    A&A 2X8, raised flue evaporator
    hood, parallel flow pre heater and air over fire
    12X28 sugar shack

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