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Thread: 2018 Season

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Rockford, IL
    Posts
    175

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    Dogpatch if you were near I'd give you a pair of those cleats you needed. Got them on a job but never used them. Let us know how your doing.

    Mol1jb is that a sureflo pump your using? How's it working out? What kind of pressure? Using it on flat runs or slopes? I think this is what next year's addition will be for me.

    Prairietrapper first post congrats... welcome to the forum. Seems you have been tapping for a while. Chasing sap through the neighborhood would be a pain. What kind of sugar content are you getting on those neighborhood trees? Whatever are you located?
    2020
    8th year making sugar
    120 taps second year on vac

    2x4 Divided pan.
    Homemade RO 4x42XLE
    Shurflo 4048 pump

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    illinois
    Posts
    132

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    Sugar on the reds was just a frickle under 2 % when I collected today. The Sugar maples were lower, I have buckets on those, so it is easy to check separately.
    Yes I have been tapping a while! I started helping dad on this hobby back in the 90's just when he really needed it. then as he got older and less able I started helping him more. about 2010 ish he hung up is stirring spoon for good, other than watching the evaporator while I ate dinner etc. I am in Mclean county.
    IS anything running up north? ( I did not check weather for up there lately)
    Last edited by prairietapper; 02-16-2018 at 05:02 PM.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    illinois
    Posts
    132

    Default

    Dogpatch, what size evap are you running?
    Last edited by prairietapper; 02-16-2018 at 05:22 PM.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    illinois
    Posts
    132

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    on your hybrid set up/ are you feeding a mainline to the sureflo with smaller 3/16 laterals or is it one line of 3/16 from the pump with tees for taps?

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

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    Hello Tapper. Last year I had a friend do all my boiling. This year he wanted more sap so I put in a few more taps. It has worked well for both of us. We split the syrup based on sugar content. My sister helps out at Funks Grove during sirip season. Hoping for a sap psunami next week.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    illinois
    Posts
    132

    Default stayed cool.

    Well I thought today was going to be a good run. but it never did get as warm as they said it would. SO there is that. LOL plenty early in the year though.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

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    So for those who asked my shurflo pump is the 4048 model and my lines come down the IL river bluff so lots of slope. At the bottom I have a little shack I built to hold a tank and the pump. Each line goes into a 1/2in pvc manifold, 6 lines total, then a strainer and the shurflo and a vac gauge. Each of thr 6 lines have shutoffs so I can open one line at a time to read the vac and see where I have leaks. This is my first year on vac and I really like it. It makes finding leaks quite easy on 3/16 not to mention lots more sap. From thaw yesterday over 24 hours I collected 240 gallons on my 120 taps. Ill try to get a picture up tomorrow and if anyone wants to come to Peoria and stop by let me know.

    Oh and on average I am pulling 15” vac at the pump. I consider this good as I have very active squirrels
    Camp Wokanda
    Peoria Park District

    2023 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, sap storage shack w/ 1100 gallon tank - 123 gallons
    2022 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, homemade vac filter & water jacket canner - 104 gallons
    2021 - 215 on 3/16 shurflo, added 2nd membrane to RO - 78 gallons
    2020 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, upgraded hp pump on RO - 66 gallons
    2019 - 150 on 3/16 shurflo, Deer Run 125 dolly RO - 73 gallons
    2018 - 120 on 3/16 shurflo, 2x6 raised flue w/hood, homemade arch w/ AUF & AOF - 34.5 gallons

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    illinois
    Posts
    132

    Default

    that sounds as ideal as one could hope for in central il!

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Vermont, Illinois
    Posts
    80

    Default tapped and running

    Hi all. Little late to the party this year.

    I got everything tapped last weekend in time for last Thursdays run. So far things are going well. Squirrels won't leave the tubing alone so I try to get out to check for leaks when I can. About 10 gals of syrup so far. It ran pretty well Saturday night and Sunday morning here. Things are very muddy right now. collecting is going to be difficult this week with all the rain.

    Hope everyone has a great season. Welcome to the new folks on this blog.
    Flatlander Sugar
    300+ taps on gravity
    Wood Fired 2X6 with piggy back
    Great family & friends to help
    One expensive hobby!

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

    Default

    I had 2 good days of collecting, the small creek I need to cross is now a raging torrent. Hope the sap will be ok until the water goes down. Colder weather will help.

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