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Thread: Illinois tapping

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

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    Finishing up tapping today. Last roll of 3/16 showed up. This will be our first year on tubing and shurflo pump. 121 Taps: 117 on tubing and 4 on buckets. No more chasing buckets around the woods...hurray.

    Everyone keep us posted on your progress this year.
    2020
    8th year making sugar
    120 taps second year on vac

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

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

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    I also finished tapping today. Ended up with 127 taps, the most I have ever had. Very few were damp let alone running. Tapper you are going to love that tubing. Looking for warmer weather to get things started.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Naperville IL
    Posts
    21

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    I've got 2 trees left, just need a couple more buckets from the bakery. I'll have 18 taps on 12 trees. Evaporator should be done tomorrow or Saturday. Still figuring out how I'm going to filter/bottle.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Rockford, IL
    Posts
    175

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    Dogpatch I noticed my end taps pulling air into the lines right from the trees. The taps are snuggly set. Is it normal to pull some air from the trees? Not all taps were giving sap today. Vac ran about 12" up to 19" at the pump. How do you find leaks? From my observation the lines that had less sap hindered my vac reading so I'm assuming the shurflo pump needs a lot of sap flow to build pressure. Is this correct.

    Leppell are you building your own evaporator. As far as filtering goes I batch boil and pour into a bucket when near syrup. I then let it sit a week or two to settle out the niter. Then pour of the clean syrup, reheat, and filter through orlon filter. It comes out crystal clear.
    2020
    8th year making sugar
    120 taps second year on vac

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

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Naperville IL
    Posts
    21

    Default

    Almost done with the evaporator...running out to home depot to pick up the last components I need. Building it out of random stuff I found at a scrap metal recycling place near me, and whatever I can find at home depot. No insulation this year, I've already sunk too much money into it.
    First boil tomorrow if there's enough sap, and the wind isn't too bad.

    [IMG_20190223_112129.jpgATTACH=CONFIG]19506[/ATTACH]*

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Walnut,Il
    Posts
    101

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    TreeTapper2 all my lines are gravity, I have no power source close. When I checked my trees this morning not all my lines were flowing. When things are flowing well you should see sap and then a section of air which is gas from the tree.We need all trees to wake up but this week does not look too good.

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

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    Quote Originally Posted by TreeTapper2 View Post
    Dogpatch I noticed my end taps pulling air into the lines right from the trees. The taps are snuggly set. Is it normal to pull some air from the trees? Not all taps were giving sap today. Vac ran about 12" up to 19" at the pump. How do you find leaks? From my observation the lines that had less sap hindered my vac reading so I'm assuming the shurflo pump needs a lot of sap flow to build pressure. Is this correct.

    Leppell are you building your own evaporator. As far as filtering goes I batch boil and pour into a bucket when near syrup. I then let it sit a week or two to settle out the niter. Then pour of the clean syrup, reheat, and filter through orlon filter. It comes out crystal clear.
    You will see some gasses coming out of the trees. With leaks you are looking for sap speed more than how much air is in the tubing. When trees are just starting to wake up there will be more air in the tubing. However, under vac your lines should move at a moderate pace. Any lines that are racing along have a leak somewhere. I usually look for where the racing sap starts and that is where my leak is. On my bush I usually pull 12-15" on the main with Shurflo.
    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
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

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    A good weekend run for me. Had 75 gallons on Friday and another 200 on Saturday. But man this weather has got to improve. The beginning of March is just around the corner and its still super cold for this time of year...
    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

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Rockford, IL
    Posts
    175

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    Pulled in 90 gallons over two days. Many taps not up and going yet. Looks like the next week and a half is a no go for sap running. I just hope we don't skip spring and warm up fast. Anything is possible with this goofy weather.
    2020
    8th year making sugar
    120 taps second year on vac

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

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

    Default

    Boiled yesterday from last weeks collection (which was really only the Fri-Sat). Made almost 7 gallons on 260 gallons sap. Quiet week again till Fri where the forecast is looking favorable for several days. Hopefully March will give us what February lacked.

    On a more positive note, having a RO this year has been amazing. I have been taking 50-65% water out before hitting the pans and that has made my boils much more enjoyable.
    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

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