Rework AOF system on old King Evaporator

[Pdiamond]

Chris,
You have a lot of really neat items throughout your building on the walls. Who is the picture of the young lady to the left of the door and to the right of the door above the saw what are the papers, tally sheets from years past?

[Sugarmaker]

Pdiamond, Folks,
I can answer both of your questions. The picture is actually a old Coke tray. The items above the saw are 1/2 inch boards with names of folks that have visited the sugarhouse during out March Taste and Tour events for the last 16+ years. Each year I get about 8 boards filled with visitors (200-300) and some folks come back and look for their names! When I am in the sugarhouse I am never alone! I have several thousand names of friends and visitors with me! Could be deer hunting but its cold. So will work on the evaporator and try to solder a broken drain on the side of the steamaway.
Maybe get the hoods on too?
Thanks for checking on me!
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
The drain in the steamaway is fixed and have the hoods on the rig. Air systems completed and now need to complete the sap inlet piping. It is different due to moving the pans down 2 inches and also I am not planning to put the preheater back in the steamaway this time.




All this because I thought I should check the pan gasket!

Regards,
Chris

[heus]

Very impressive.

[Sugarmaker]

Jason,
Thanks! Whats in the works this coming season for your operation?
Regards,
Chris

[Pdiamond]

Chris,
Since you have everything almost all in place you may as well try a test boil, right? Just asking. Of course with deer season and Thanksgiviing coming up I would expect you would want to be out in the woods following sly Mr. whitetail. Best of luck

[Sugarmaker]

Pdiamond, Folks,
I was lucky and harvested a nice doe on the last day of archery season last Saturday. It is in the freezer and in 10 lbs of venison kielbasi too.
Probably won't do a test boil, till first sap. Most of these systems have been tested. But I do know that anything can happen when you change things!
Will get some 1 inch copper pipe and fittings for the feed lines. Also would like to make some stainless covers for the float boxes.
Hope things are good in Maple land, we are only about 3 months from the start of 2020 syrup season!
Thanks for checking on me!
Regards,
Chris

[Windy Acres]

sugarmaker, great job restoring that arch! thats some great craftsmanship!

[Sugarmaker]

Windy Acres,
Thanks for the compliment. This old arch has seen a hard life and it needed some attention. The stove black "stealth look" is compliments of neighbor and sugarmaker Kieth T. Couple years ago I was complaining how the sides of the arch had got hot and discolored. Keith suggested painting it. I have been happy with the results. Gives the old arch a fresh look for the next season. I covered the sides of the arch with 400 series stainless, and it has a tendency to rust over time if heated. So the black paint was perfect to improve the look of the old King.
Picked up the plumbing supplies for the sap line. Yikes 1 inch copper fittings are not cheap! I am going to make this so that it could be converted back to using the preheater in the hood if I desire.
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Spent the afternoon fitting the sap feed pipe and OS bucket fill pipe. This is much simpler set up, but I saved all the plumbing from the old system. Not sure why but may try cold sap and not like it as much???




A couple final pieces of insulattion in some cracks and this should be done! I have 40 splits I dont need if anyone wants them for $3.00 each. And also have a couple sheets of the insul board for $20 each.
Regards,
Chris