Bottled first batch yesterday, it was a small one but gave us time to get used to our new bottling setup. I'll try to get some pictures soon. If anyone wants one of our old coffee pots, I've got 2 100 cup ones for sale. Not much sap yesterday, but today looks like it should be good. Then 2 cool days & maybe, just maybe we get a stretch of weather!
Murray
Somewhere around 800 - 900 taps on Atlas Copco vacuum
1 Sap Ladder & 1 can
2 1/2 x 10 Waterloo/Small, with Piggyback & hood,
Air over & under fire
CDL autodrawoff, Homemade drawoff/filter tank with pump,
Lapierre Sirofilter, modified steam pan bottler
Good to hear Murray. If the forecast holds true for here, it'll be over Friday. Going to be above freezing at night from Thursday on. But it changes every five minutes, so we'll see. I bottled for the first time yesterday, but I only got 1.75 litres, but my pan is good and sweet for the next boil. I've only had 75 gallons of sap so far. Good luck for the rest of the season. Looking forward to seeing your bottling setup.Originally Posted by murferd
Maple Lady, I'm glad, I was wondering how it went.
No sap here yet.....i mean hardly anything....
2014 - 6 buckets, 4 coffee cans and a propane burner - almost 40L of sap and 1.6L of syrup
2015 - 103 taps on gravity. Homemade oil tank arch and a Smoky Lake 2' X 5' hybrid. - 2.66 gallons of syrup
2016 - 101 taps, 550 gallons of sap, ~10 gallons of syrup all dark.
2017 - 138 taps, 225 gallons of sap, 5.55 gallons of dark syrup, still procrastinating on the vac.
2018 - ~150 taps, I lost track of the sap it was incredible!, over 20 gal of syrup, all dark.
I had a successful boil on Saturday. Trees were running good yesterday. Weather is looking promising for the end of the week.
Marvel,
I had a really good run yesterday. I collected 35 gallons with an average of 2.45% sugar. I thought it would be the same for you. I actually had quite a few buckets with a gallon in them, I thought that was just a myth, lol. I hope to get at least one more really good day this week. Good luck to you, I hope the trees come alive for you.
Great to hear erob. Good luck this week.
We have completed our second boil and bottle of the season.
First on March 16th, had collected about 350L of sap and got almost 7L of syrup.
Second, March 23rd, collected about 500L of sap and got 12.5L of syrup. This batch was very light, came up to temp but is slightly runny. really clear and light color. First two batches are for our own cupboards and usually for some maple cream and candy treats, so no issue with it being slightly runny if you ask me.
I tear down and finish my entire boil every weekend in fear it will freeze and mess up my flues. Interesting to hear a light bulb did the trick. I would always like to be able to shut it down and be able to draw finished syrup off the the front of my rig, but never have. Usually I boil as far as I can go, back pan with liquid just above the flues, and then empty the machine and finish the entire batch on propane. The problem is, taking it apart with liquid in back pan is a two person job, well I have done it alone but it isn't smart with hot liquid and the weight of the thing.
Did you use a heat lamp or just a regular bulb? I have thought about laying a tank heater for farm tanks right in my rig, and also considered trying to wrap the outside of the machine in plumbing heat tape once it cools but never have.
I have also considered a coffee pot, but still bottle with pot, funnel, and measuring cup... oh and a sticky kitchen floor. lol.
Great to hear everyone is up and running.
Geoff
Big Daddy's Sugar Shack
2014 - 4 Taps
2015 - 8 Taps
2016 - 12 taps, propane boiler 6L
2017 - 100 Taps, 24L
2018 - 100 Taps, 100L
1.5x6 CDL Econo Evaporator
Geoff,
I used a regular 60 watt lightbulb in a shop light with the little cage in front. It was a bit of a job finding the old type lightbulb that gives off heat, everything is led nowadays. I put a few fire bricks in the firebox to lay the lamp on so it would be closer to the flues. It got down to -14 C and no issues. There was a little bit of crystal like ice, but I was good with that to help keep it fresh. My pans are covered which helps keep the heat too. I lay dollar store tin foil pans over the pans and lay a piece of plywood on the tin foil pans. I only used the lightbulb when it called for double digits below zero. I shut the firebox door as far as it will go with the cord to the light coming out of it. When I did a test run with water, it was a pain draining everything. After my last boil, I'm going to try and syphon the nearup out of the flues, see if it's a little easier. I may have had beginners luck being able to draw off the evaporator, I'm boiling again tomorrow, so we'll see. I see Murray had a couple coffee pots for sale, not sure how close you'd be to him. I really lucked out and found a 50 cup one, double walled, stainless steel for $20 on Kijiji. It holds the temp really well. Good luck with your season.
How's everyone making out? Things picking up? I had a good collection again today. Decent yesterday, but much better today. I have to figure out a way to gather the sap a bit more efficiently. I can't carry a full 5 gallon pail so I make many trips to dump half buckets. So far I've made 7.5 litres of syrup. Will have a big boil on Saturday again.
Collected 50 gallons today. I thought it would be better but there is still a lot of snow around the trees and it was really windy.
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110 taps,buckets
Homemade 2 x 3
1983 ski-doo citation
2007 Big Bear
3 young pail dumpers
http://s732.photobucket.com/albums/ww322/Nemo5_photos/
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