How many taps do you plan to do in your first year, then how many in year 5?
You might want to be looking for a small milk bulk tank. While it would be nice to get one that works to cool, very few producers have an operating tank. Just for sap storage the usual price in $1.00-1.50/gal.
You should have at least 2 gal/per tap/day storage, you will get that much on good days. If you boil everyday, that is just 2 gal/tap, but if you must hold sap you need to Watch for sales where small farmers stopped having cows, or even ask arond at farms that might have an old tank around as they grew. If you can boil everyday, plan 2 gal/tap, if you need to hold it for longer, plan accordingly.
Will your buddy boil on shares when you get too much sap?
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.