Corey, will you keep that structure and just cover the pallets? Just wondering if you plan on venting out the gable ends if you enclose it? I'm hoping that will work for me where I don't have a cupola. Your roof has a nice high pitch so I'm thinking that will be better. Have you done a practice run in it? I did a very small one with just water, but it looks hopeful to get the steam out. Hoping to tap in 2-3 weeks. Last year was much earlier here.
I will have a decision to make. because this was built as a temporary shelter, i built it in the most convenient spot for me to build it and boil now rather than the ideal spot i would like a wood shed and sugar house on our property in the long run. I am close enough to our house right now to run extension cords for power. It will definitely be used in this spot for a couple years (probably longer than I think) so I will price out exterior finishes for it. Board and batten would be my preferred finish. My plan for this season was to put some sort of covering on the inside of the walls like a tarp or maybe sheets of cardboard to keep the wind off of me but leave gables As just pallet wood for steam to ventilate. When/if I finish the exterior I will finish the gables as well, and either frame a cupola on the roof or make a hood and steam stack. It shouldn’t rain too much on me with the amount of venting the open gables give me. As for tapping, we were boiling this weekend last year, and I hope that we can push tapping off for at least 2-3 weeks so I can get the evap all set up inside properly. I haven’t even looked at any of my buckets or spiles yet to clean them either...god forbid I actually be prepared for anything haha
I like board and batten as well. You did well to get what you have done I'd say. We've been only getting down to work on mine a day here and there. The weather usually holds us back. I'm ok with the season not being ready as early as well. Still little things to get done. In my test run, found a few leaks at the fittings from the head tank to the float box that need fixing. It's my first time using a real evaporator. It's quite small, but it's all I need. I actually have my buckets ready to go. I was lazy the season before and had to scrub quite a bit so I made a point to get them cleaned properly and stored away nicely. Good luck this season.
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