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Thread: Driveway evaporator and managing smoke

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    Needham, MA
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    Default Driveway evaporator and managing smoke

    I am in year three of making maple syrup in th suburbs and moving from an indoor gas evaporator set-up in a kitchen at a local college (they let us use it at night) to a 2x3 mason evaporator w a 6' stack in the driveway. Any tips or thoughts on managing smoke and ash With the driveway setup?

  2. #2
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    Mar 2016
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    Central Wisconsin
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    You'll be surprised how little smoke there is if your burning good, DRY wood with proper draft under the fire and stack height.(natural draft is fine).

  3. #3
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    For Firewood I was able to breakdown 75 relatively new pallets from a local snowblower store. Got close to 2 cords of clean kiln dried pine. I'm a little worried I might blow through it!

  4. #4
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    Feb 2013
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    Elsie mi
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    I started out similar. in the kitchen the first year then the lean to on the back shed. Then a fuel oil barrel evaporate on a model A frame trailer so I could move it around.
    Ah the good old days. To answer your question you should be just fine. you might need another section of flue pipe though. I burn a tun of pallets. They go supper fast especially the pine pallets. You may want to source some more while you have the time.
    25 years sugaring
    2018 191taps. Made 80 gallons
    Two taps to a 5 gallon bucket roadside trees.
    A retired dad to hump buckets and do most of the boiling the great wife that let's me spend lots of time and money.
    New Smokey lake 2×6 raised flue SSR on my own version of the silverplate arch.
    2019 new hood and new preheater concept that worked great.
    306 taps roadside trees

  5. #5
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    Jan 2010
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    Covington, New York
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    Add some sort of air, that will make the fire burn hotter/cleaner too.
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  6. #6
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    Mar 2017
    Location
    Needham, MA
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    Yup - blower on my mason 2x3 to help w efficiency and cut down on ash potential. I've got 30 fully mature sugar maples in this neighborhood. I'm thinking a cord and a half should be good .... do I need to introduce some support if I add another 3 foot section of stack?
    Last edited by Ntatar; 01-12-2019 at 09:01 AM.

  7. #7
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    Feb 2011
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    South Dakota
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    You may want to think about a putting on a spark arrest(er)(or) {spelling not strong suit} since you are in a suburban area. It would make me feel better as a neighbor.

    SDdave
    It's not the size of the tree...it's what inside that counts!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
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    The taller the stack is the better. The taller stack will give you a better draft and will get the smoke into the upper air stream. For an OWB they recommend that the stack be higher than the nearest rooftop. It would also help if your evaporator was placed so that the prevailing winds carried the smoke away from any neighboring buildings. My OWB is placed so that the smoke is blown away from my house as well as the neighbors most of the time.
    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!

  9. #9
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    Feb 2013
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    greene,ny
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    and remember most neighbors will be curious what your up too.welcome them in and show off your hobby,also a little finished product goes along way for forgiving a few nights of smoke.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Albion PA
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    I had the same thought. I wouldn't worry about the smoke. But you may have the neighbors bring there own chairs and drinks and snacks for boiling!
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

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