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Thread: Hop Kiln Road 2022

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default Filter Press

    Russ – yes, I read your air pump filter press post. Always the innovator. I bought a bigger water bath canner and now try to make a keg a day. My gear press is usually good for 20 to 25 gal so I typically throw the cake out at the end of the day because I don’t like the time and wear and tear on the pump to restart a cold cake. Papers and DE on my scale are cheap. Did get the RO washed yesterday during the couple hours above freezing, pressures were a little higher with the new pump. Wednesday afternoon is going to be warmer and I’ll RO some stored sap if I can pump it. If all goes well, I’ll drill the last 150 by Friday. I think it is going to be a record year and I’m only tapping 750 of my 1100 trees >8”. I find keeping the entire operation sized properly is critical. And, breaking equipment is a killer in this low margin sport. 7F this morning with the wind howling so going over to MES to pick up more kegs. Bruce
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    It was 13 here this morning and it's supposed to get into the 40's tomorrow and Wednesday. It was originally supposed to be cold all week so we're happy about the warm up and are ready for some bigsap. We're hoping for a record year too. Good luck with the RO, it would be nice to get your sap processed before it runs again.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default March 2nd

    Felicity Where Art Thou?

    Tapped out in carharts and gaiters,
    Sugary boys all fidgety as idle waiters

    While deep snows pile higher and higher
    Awaiting Nature’s cherished sweet flyer.

    Woodsheds stowed full in neat ranks
    Where even the wee wash their big tanks,

    And buckets and buckets, and buckets galore,
    Hung with Saint Nickolas pray and then more:

    Tubing spidered in webs snug so tight
    By old and young a snowshoe all night,

    To the dark hillsides' whine with a sucker's hiss,
    Headlamps twinkle and search fittings amiss.

    Long they shoe and frozen evenings they toil,
    Before torching the stick wood for a roaring boil

    Til old timers doze with rhythmic wheezings
    To the hum of new fangled electric squeezings.

    Each steam dream hopes tis Felicity they snag,
    Even lest risk one scorches a sisterly hag.

    Woe, many nary draw a frosted glimpse hoary,
    Let alone the sought sweet kiss of their quarry.

    For south from the border she so quietly wings,
    The brightest light orb she so quickly brings.

    Blink, aye, cause only a moment she tarries,
    For it must be with all sweet flighty fairies.

    And tis due north she so nymphfully scurries
    While foolish forecasters still call cold flurries.

    So sulks many a brave and hearty stoker forlorn
    Fancy's hasty flight to the sound of her mother’s horn.
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default Trickle

    Got above freezing for a couple hours so I attacked my line of stalled tanks. Wasn't able to break through two, but got 600 gal from the others. Boiling was a pain with the weak blower. New one comes Friday.
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default Finished

    Finished tapping this afternoon. Lines were dripping. Got waylaid by that first run and had to stop tapping and chase problems in the sugarhouse. Got the ro pressure pump repaired, picked up more kegs and glass, and found a 800 cfm evaporator blower to install tomorrow and then should be able to keep up.
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Salisbury, N.H.
    Posts
    2,069

    Default

    Good you got the bugs out of the system befor the big push!
    Good luck!
    Salisbury Sugarworks,,Parker Rowe, and friends
    Salisbury, N.H.
    1988 taps in 09
    over 2500 on vac in 2010
    no buckets in 2010
    2815 taps in 2011
    shooting for 3000 in 2012
    4000 taps? In 2014
    5x16 wood fired "Mighty Marvin"
    50 cords in the shed
    Old, old R.O.
    Charter member Andover/Salisbury Mapleholics
    http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/4...s009bx4.th.jpg

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default Nerves of Steel

    Got concerned last night about the ice volumes in some of the tanks so went out and pumped 300 gal to make sure there was enough overnight capacity. It was coming in pretty good but still had to bust through some heavy ice.
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default

    Yup, would have overflowed one tank. Just under 2 gpt in 24 hours. Sugar hovering just below 2, not good. Grade dipped to the high 40's.
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bow, NH
    Posts
    622

    Default Yikes

    Opened up my next case of quarts, and, yikes, they're blanks. But got rid of the 285 cfm blower and installed a 800 cfm and now its more like a boil. The new high pressure pump has increased the flow rates by more than 50%. The new level sensors on the transfer pump are also working flawlessly. So I'm ready for peak flow which is a coming.
    Bruce Treat
    825 Sugar Maple Taps
    3/16 w/ DSD .225 Spiles
    H2O RO
    H2O 2.5 X 8
    Bow, New Hampshire

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    east kingston, nh
    Posts
    4,148

    Default

    Blanks? were they assoc. containers? thats no good!!!
    may your sap be at 3%
    Brad

    www.willowcreeksugarhouse.com
    585 or so on Vacuum, about 35 on buckets/sap sacs
    Atlas Copco GVS 25A Rotary Vane vacuum pump
    MES horizontal electric releaser
    2x6 ss phaneuf Drop flue, Leader woodsaver blower, homemade hood
    300gph H2O RO
    husquvarna 562 XP
    Its Here!!! 2024 season is here get busy!!!

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