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Thread: Deer Meadow Farm's sugar house build

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    South Colton, NY
    Posts
    642

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    Our cupola doors are very similar. After a few years of use we ended up putting a short chain at the top to limit how far the door opens to less than 45 degrees. This didn't limit the steam escaping at all and made it a lot easier to close the door (using a rope through a pulley mounted in the peak).
    3,100 taps
    60 cfm flood
    HC2
    5 by 14 oil

    Brian

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Warren, MA
    Posts
    254

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sunday Rock Maple View Post
    Our cupola doors are very similar. After a few years of use we ended up putting a short chain at the top to limit how far the door opens to less than 45 degrees. This didn't limit the steam escaping at all and made it a lot easier to close the door (using a rope through a pulley mounted in the peak).
    This was my plan as well!
    2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
    2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
    2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
    2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
    2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
    2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
    2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Warren, MA
    Posts
    254

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    More updates. I got the stay chains on the cupola doors and the pulley system installed:
    IMG_5181.jpgIMG_5184.jpg
    2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
    2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
    2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
    2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
    2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
    2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
    2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    NE PA (Pocono's)
    Posts
    1,426

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    Nice looking sugar house. One trick you will learn. If boiling in the rain, pull the cupola doors so they are just cracked not past the eave of the cupola roof. That will prevent the rain from rolling off cupola roof onto the inside of cupola door and dripping on your head!!
    CDL 2x8
    Around 4000 taps
    Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
    Atlas Copco pumps
    Lapierre two post RO




    http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Warren, MA
    Posts
    254

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maplewalnut View Post
    Nice looking sugar house. One trick you will learn. If boiling in the rain, pull the cupola doors so they are just cracked not past the eave of the cupola roof. That will prevent the rain from rolling off cupola roof onto the inside of cupola door and dripping on your head!!
    Yah, my wife was commenting yesterday that we should have hinged them from the top...
    2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
    2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
    2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
    2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
    2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
    2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
    2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Oxford, Maine
    Posts
    194

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    I hadn't thought about the cupola doors bringing in rain water before. That's a good piece of advice. I have stay chains and I will put a hook in that will limit their opening more if it's raining.
    Maple Enthusiast---are you planning to expand your number of taps ? The sugar house looks awesome

    2020: 317 taps, 2021: 360, 2022: 350 2023: 300, 2024: 230 (getting smarter)
    Drop lines and hanging buckets, all hand lugged
    2 X 6 raised flue evaporator
    7in. Filter press
    17 HP Kubota tractor
    12 X 16' sugar shack
    Sugar and red maples

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Warren, MA
    Posts
    254

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    We are planning to expand. Last year we had 30 taps, mostly all on 5/16 tubing with a few buckets. We've marked 100+ trees this summer, but we probably won't tap all of them this year; probably 60+, maybe more... We are switching to 3/16 tubing this year as well. Big changes for us! More trees, new sugarhouse, new equipment coming...exciting times ahead!
    2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
    2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
    2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
    2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
    2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
    2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
    2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Western NY
    Posts
    293

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    In regards to the cupola doors discussion. I also have chain stops on my doors that allow them to open at a 90 degree angle to the cupola (so they are completely horizontal when open) . They hinge at the bottom, and we have never had an issue with rain dripping in from the doors. So I wouldnt worry too much about that. BTW the shack looks great!

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Oxford, Maine
    Posts
    194

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    Good luck with the expansion. Put that sugar home to work

    2020: 317 taps, 2021: 360, 2022: 350 2023: 300, 2024: 230 (getting smarter)
    Drop lines and hanging buckets, all hand lugged
    2 X 6 raised flue evaporator
    7in. Filter press
    17 HP Kubota tractor
    12 X 16' sugar shack
    Sugar and red maples

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Warren, MA
    Posts
    254

    Default

    Floor was poured yesterday!
    IMG_5201.jpg
    2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
    2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
    2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
    2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
    2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
    2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
    2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!

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