+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Not everyone needs a sugar shack

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    NEPA - Lackawanna County outside Scranton
    Posts
    1

    Default Not everyone needs a sugar shack

    Some pics from last season. All my boiling is done in a residential neighborhood, in my driveway, by myself. Goes to show that you don't need a farm or sugar shack to make syrup, all you need is imagination.
    250 taps on bags - This is my hobby, not a job
    2x4 SL Raised Flue Evaporator w/Hood & AutoDrawoff
    Sl Flat Filter Bottler (going to press when funds permit)
    Homemade Sap Pan Bubbler
    Homemade Sap Tanks Recirculation & Aeration System
    Homemade Sap Tank UV System
    50 Gal SS Head Tank with Automatic Fill
    I stop at 40 - 75 gal Syrup - that's enough
    All boiling is done outside in the driveway

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    Yes, it can certainly be done, but a sugarhouse helps a lot. In many neighborhoods and jurisdictions a sugar house could not be built because of local laws.
    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.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    Jim,
    You have a very nice evaporator! you probably get a lot of slow traffic going by the house gawking!
    Keep Boiling! Do you have plans for a sugarhouse?
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Western NY
    Posts
    293

    Default

    Jim,
    Why bother with the hood when you're boiling outside?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    I used a hood the year I boiled outside too. I felt it kept moths and other things from getting into the syrup.
    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.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Western NY
    Posts
    293

    Default

    Thanks Flats, I just wasn't sure if there was some other benefit I was missing.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Louisville, Kentucky
    Posts
    215

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim_999 View Post
    Some pics from last season. All my boiling is done in a residential neighborhood, in my driveway, by myself. Goes to show that you don't need a farm or sugar shack to make syrup, all you need is imagination.
    That is a really nice rig. I would hate to see it get rained on if it were me!

    Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
    Dave Barker
    2014 30 taps, steam tray pans
    2015 ~100 taps, in conjunction with University of Louisville
    2x5 Smoky Lake hybrid pan
    2022 150 taps

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

    Default

    That looks like an air injection unit in your pans. Is that a home made unit?
    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. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    looks cool, not too far off my Shack Whacky setup
    Been tapping since 2008.
    2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
    2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
    2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
    2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
    2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
    2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    New Hartford, N.Y.
    Posts
    2,093

    Default

    My father and I were outside for years! Ours had a hood too and then I built a preheater for it. Even without the heater, the hood keeps the wind off your sap. What happens when you blow on a hot spoonful of soup? Yes- it cools off. The hood helps maintain the boil. And we had make shift "guards" (stainless and aluminum pieces of sheet) that we clamped on and around the front pan -depending on which way the wind was blowing.

    Nice set up you have there! And no mud!! LOL.

    Steve
    2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
    400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
    Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
    Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
    An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
    And a few puzzled neighbors...

    http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts