Northern Ontario 2022

[Swingpure]

Today turned out to be a nice day, so after moving around some wood for the evaporator, I decided to shovel out around the evaporator. The day was still nice at the completion of that, so I started to assemble my shelter around the evaporator.

It all pieced together properly, but two things made me worry about the steam coming out. In the summer when I built it, my wife did not, like how big it looked. I shortened the legs of the walls, but still felt it would be tall enough. After removing it and later in the summer, I started to fill in around the evaporator so that I would have level ground to walk on. Between shortening the legs and adding material, the one wall was now quite short. If the wind pushes the steam that direction it will challenging to find it’s way out.

I will figure out a way around it, but that right way has not come to me quite yet.

In the pictures after I shoveled it out, I did not remove all the snow, because the roof wasn’t going on today and fresh snow will fall tonight and tomorrow and most days this week.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0120...C1lXdw7Rl3mzHA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e3U...uPqZhquRT5yKTw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c4Y...UjUTrQFYySNtGA

[Swingpure]

If I have a layer of plywood below the metal roof immediately above the evaporator,, would the steam still form droplets and drip almost as much as the metal roof? There would not be any continuous airspace between the metal roof and the plywood.

[BCPP]

That is a good idea, I did not think of that. My hope is that the openings at the top of all three walls, will be enough to let the steam out. I might also be able to play with the metal roof panel design to allow for some center ones to be removed on a nice day. (Not sure yet what I will do for the front wall)

It will cost me some valuable wood, but it will be a good test for the fifth pan to see if the changes to the ramp and the baffles after the fourth test result in the fifth pan coming to a real boil.

The gaps may be enough to let steam out BUT you will get condensation on the underside of the roof. That condensation will run down rafters and drip off at some point. Your challenge will be making sure that point(s) are not over the evaporator! It may also get very steamy inside making visibility an issue. We have a 2x6 hobby evaporator operated in a three sided shed and it's sometimes difficult to see pan levels!

[aamyotte]

If I have a layer of plywood below the metal roof immediately above the evaporator,, would the steam still form droplets and drip almost as much as the metal roof? There would not be any continuous airspace between the metal roof and the plywood.

The plywood will certainly help since it will be 'warmer' than the steel and will not condense as easily.

[Swingpure]

The gaps may be enough to let steam out BUT you will get condensation on the underside of the roof. That condensation will run down rafters and drip off at some point. Your challenge will be making sure that point(s) are not over the evaporator! It may also get very steamy inside making visibility an issue. We have a 2x6 hobby evaporator operated in a three sided shed and it's sometimes difficult to see pan levels!

Thanks

I had a chance to think about it overnight. I superimposed a picture from last fall onto one from yesterday, to help me visualize it.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04bd...wQFTJC2g8QRoUA

I have to raise the structure the 1 foot, I removed last fall. I will only put up a permanent side wall up to the height of the evaporator, any other side walls will be removable.

Originally this structure was just meant to be a shelter to keep the rain and snow off the pans and maybe a little of a windbreak. A better structure will be built next fall. I will put plywood directly above the evaporator. With the exception of the metal roof it has been made from free repurposed wood.

The most challenging day will be a day will no real wind.

[DrTimPerkins]

Your challenge will be making sure that point(s) are not over the evaporator!

Or your head...in my experience the drip is right near the drawoff, making it hard to avoid.

[Swingpure]

I took the shelter partially apart and raised the low end a foot. It is tall enough for me to walk under it without hitting my head. I lost some of the roof slope, which may come back to bite me.

I added some plywood to the sides. The open areas on the sides will remain open when I am boiling. I have floor to ceiling walls at the front of the shelter as my RO will go somewhere there. The diagonal supports are temporary until I get longer ones tomorrow.

After I put the metal roof on, I will add a plywood ceiling over all of the evaporating area. Lessons learned with this shelter this season will, help me designed my sugar shack this summer.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/059K...WsvfcskV959zSw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/03dT...m3Mcr1dBsM8mCw

The weather today was barely above freezing, but felt springlike. But lots of cold weather in the forecast and nothing in the 14 day forecast to indicate tapping will start soon, but sometime in a month’s time we will!

[Swingpure]

In 2020, my friend near Parry Sound started tapping on February 23rd. Right now the 14 day forecast does not make that a possibility, but if days 11-14 warm up a little, you never know.

Today I put the metal roof on my shelter. Tomorrow I will put on the plywood ceiling, which will have an airspace between the plywood and the metal roof. Depending on the snow, I may also attach my stove pipe. I added another 3 feet to it and the rain cap. It will be 15’ high.

Looked at a few more trees today, I will only add one more to the count, but will also not double tap some trees. So 111 taps, 75 on lines and 36 on buckets.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0dal...hS83UIUBvWT-sw

[aamyotte]

With the weather forecasted for this weekend it doesn't seem like we are close to tapping at all.

The shelter is looking good.

I made myself a poor man's hood this week with a leftover roll of flat stock flashing material. I have a 200 cfm inline fan to exhaust the steam buildup in the hood. That should be coming in soon. Then a test boil with the hood to see how the steam builds up in the shack.

[Swingpure]

Temps just above freezing today with wet snow and light rain. -25° C (-13°F) on the weekend. Long range forecast it is getting warmer, as would be expected, but no real trends above freezing, but that forecast can change.

Today I added the plywood ceiling with the air gap between the plywood and the metal roof. I also added some additional plywood sides to help keep the snow out and I added the smokestack. Previously I said it was 15’ tall, but it is only 12’ tall, but it looks taller. This summer when I did my tests, it was only 9’ tall, so with the additional 3’ and colder temps than the heat wave in the summer, I should have excellent draft.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/07fe...dPT8LGrjVFBwGA

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0023...wipBvFdxZO720Q

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0689...EUBotEKfymsGqA