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Thread: How do you accurately measure the amount of sap you collect?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
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    North Grenville
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    Default How do you accurately measure the amount of sap you collect?

    Hi all, I have a microbush of 8 trees on buckets and always measure how much sap I get from each tree, each collection, so I know which trees are the best producers. And then I have an accurate record of how well they have run over the years.

    But the system I use for measuring sap is very, very slow and time consuming....measruing to a fill line.

    I need something like a funnel with a digital gauge built into it so I can just pour straight from the pail into the water containers that I use for collecting tanks.

    It would also be nice if this device was also either a simple DIY, or is at least affordable and doesn't cost hundreds of $$$, and of course accurate and easy to clean and maintain.

    Any ideas? What do other small producers use?
    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

  2. #2
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    Mar 2017
    Location
    Charlotte County, New Brunswick
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    105

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    I use a wine bucket with measurement markings on it, it's only accurate for litre and approx half litre. I collect in smaller buckets that are more manageable for me to carry and dump through a tea towel attached with an elastic to the wine bucket, I record the litres before I dump the filtered sap into my head tank. Not sure this would be what you would be looking for. You could mark the container yourself with a known measurement if it was possible. Save buying one.

  3. #3
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    North Grenville
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    MapleLady, yeah that's basically what I do too...only I use a 2-cup measuring cup! Good to hear from other microproducers. Thanks for the help and have a good season :-)
    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Oostburg, Wisconsin
    Posts
    51

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    Galena
    I have a five gallon bucket that I marked in gallons and quarts with a magic marker on the outside of the bucket. I use that to collect sap in. That gets me close enough for my needs.
    2016-First year
    17 Taps
    Block arch & steam pans
    About 1 1/2 gallons
    2017-20 taps
    About 3 gallons
    2018-13 taps
    Same Block arch & steam pans (modified arch & pans)
    2019-12 taps (keep losing trees)
    2020-Brand new Smokey Lake StarCat evaporator, about 15 taps.
    43.62N 87.78W

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
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    North Grenville
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    Quote Originally Posted by bprifle01 View Post
    Galena
    I have a five gallon bucket that I marked in gallons and quarts with a magic marker on the outside of the bucket. I use that to collect sap in. That gets me close enough for my needs.
    Good idea, but I want something that is dead-on accurate.

    I've emailed the manufacturers of this gizmo https://www.testo-direct.com/product...ow-measurement carefully explaining what I am looking for and need and why. Awaiting a response.
    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

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Putnam County, Ohio
    Posts
    377

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    I also gather with 5 gallon buckets. Each is marked with half gallon increments. When I'm done gathering I fill all I can to the 5 gallon line and put a lid on them for transport. Determining the amount of sap in the partials is easy with the markings on the outside. The numbers along with the sugar content are recorded when I get it out to the sugarhouse.
    RC Maple

    14X14 sugarhouse - new for 2012
    RO Bucket - RB10 - New for 2019
    2x3 barrel evaporator with continuous flow pan
    55 taps - most on buckets
    This is next year!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

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    Since all of my sap flows directly to the sugarhouse and I do not use a meter to measure how much sap I have, mine is just an educated guess. I do measure the sap sugar %. My most important number is simply how many gallons I produce and how many taps I had to achieve that.
    Unless we start to have more freeze thaw cycles I will not even be close to my last 2 yr average of 1/2 gal syrup/tap. If it stays like what I've had so far I might be lucky to do 1 qt per tap. I've only had 3 real good flow days. Yesterday was slow flow as the temperature climbed to 72 in my sap tank and I processed within 90 minutes of it hitting the tank until the incoming sap got to 70 F. I then shut down. Looks like a freeze tonight, that will help.
    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.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Western, NY
    Posts
    30

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    I don't track by tree...but I collect in a 65 gallon tank that has measurement markings on it...so I know what I collect per day. Some days I test my sap for sugar percent, but not all.

    Being an IT guy by day, I track everything in spreadsheets and do reporting on that.... fun to see at a glance how I'm doing. ...and I'm experiencing the same as maple flats...much less sap output compared to years past. ...and with the forecast here in Western NY, I may be done after this weekend.

    Here's my stat tracking report with my season to date stats....

    Screen Shot 2020-03-10 at 7.51.39 PM.jpg
    16x24 Old School Sugar House
    Mason 2x3 Evaporator
    Kubota BX sap hauler
    2018 - 8 taps on buckets
    2019 - building the shack...just 1 tap
    2020 - Today ... 25 taps on buckets

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
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    Quote Originally Posted by ducxsterdoo View Post
    I don't track by tree...but I collect in a 65 gallon tank that has measurement markings on it...so I know what I collect per day. Some days I test my sap for sugar percent, but not all.

    Being an IT guy by day, I track everything in spreadsheets and do reporting on that.... fun to see at a glance how I'm doing. ...and I'm experiencing the same as maple flats...much less sap output compared to years past. ...and with the forecast here in Western NY, I may be done after this weekend.

    Here's my stat tracking report with my season to date stats....

    Attachment 21213
    LOL if you're a data geek you should see my spreadsheets! I measure down to like a 1/4 cup so my measurements are bang on...the methods proposed by you guys with big-*** collecting tanks won't work for me. Still, fun to see how others do it!
    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
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Western, NY
    Posts
    30

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    Quote Originally Posted by Galena View Post
    LOL if you're a data geek you should see my spreadsheets! I measure down to like a 1/4 cup so my measurements are bang on...the methods proposed by you guys with big-*** collecting tanks won't work for me. Still, fun to see how others do it!
    Well, I'm not sure my 65 gallon tank counts as big-***, but it's definitely not to your level of accuracy . I have 25 taps this year...in 24 trees. Lots of fun to watch the numbers.
    16x24 Old School Sugar House
    Mason 2x3 Evaporator
    Kubota BX sap hauler
    2018 - 8 taps on buckets
    2019 - building the shack...just 1 tap
    2020 - Today ... 25 taps on buckets

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