Put out 30 taps today

[HAHA I 1]

My wife and kids and I put out 70 taps today. That is more than double what we did last year (29) and more than 4 times what we did the previous year (15). I have another 30 or so trees that I can easily access, but I am out of taps and am a little nervous about being able to handle much more. I have another 22 acres I can tap, and the neighbor said I can tap his 200 acres if I want to. Maybe later.....

[HAHA I 1]

We knew it was going to be too warm for the sap to run, but we still collected 50 gal yesterday. Its snowing now, and the weather looks promising for this week. I hope to fire up the new evaporator tomorrow since we will be collecting more sap this afternoon and then even more tomorrow. I also have a 12" x 24" finishing pan being made right now to help even more. I am currently using a 24" x 36" sap pan and finishing in the house in a big pot. My goal is to be able to reduce in the big pan, then move it to the new, smaller pan for finishing.

[HAHA I 1]

Boiling today. Its pretty cold, so the sap is not running today. I should get all caught up. My evaporator is not as efficient as I had hoped, but I am not using bricks yet.

[ericjeeper]

I have a home made evap. out of a 275 gallon oil tank. I use a stanley squirrel cage fan to boost draft. It will boost it hard enough after an hour I have a torch like flam out the top of my 8 foot stack. I can boil off about 11 gph out of a 24x40 inch pan.
Might try to get a blower. ANd any old brick will work. Mine are left overs from my buddies brick house.

[HAHA I 1]

I, too, have a homemade evaporator. I made mine out of sheet steel and plate. Its similar to the expensive ones. I also have a 24" x 36" stainless flat pan, but I do not have a blower. I will definitely try it. I also REALLY need a sugar shack so I am not out in the open. Here is a (terrible) picture of my setup:

[HAHA I 1]

I seem to pretty much be talking to myself in here, but we have been dead in the water all week - no sap. It should start running strong on Monday, and then I won't have a moment's rest for about 10 days.

[Dave Y]

If you are talking to your self, try not to awnser. that is when they say you are crazy. wait a mintue! you make maple syrup???

[KenWP]

This may be a dumb guestion but why is your pan not directly over the firebox. You have that big blank space in front that your looseing the direct flame of the fire off of. Move the pan to the front and have the back vacant or set it up for a preheater pan of some kind so that its being used. You will find preheating the sap will help a lot. Plus being out side to the elements is going to cut down your boil also. Even a plastic or trap wind break will help a lot.
Also is the pan directly to the heat of the arch or do you have a metal plate under it on top of the arch.

[HAHA I 1]

We sometimes have that one directly over the firebox, but we have another pan that goes there (the opening is covered with a piece of sheet steel in the pic). This other pan is smaller and is generally used once the sap in the larger pan has boiled down enough. Usually we start with both pans in place and boil as much as we can in both pans until we have enough to move into the smaller one to finish off.

The pans are directly exposed to the flame - no metal below them. I figure that is the way I should do it - am I correct?

We use some 5 gallon stainless pots to preheat sap and place them on that metal plate when we are not using the smaller pan - I have plans to make a special preheat pan that mounts above the large pan but it will have to wait until next year.

I am drawing up a sugar shack for construction this summer. It is 16x24 as of now, and will have a porch on front and a lean-to off the back for wood storage. I wish I could take the time to build a temporary enclosure now, but with 4 kids, soccer, and getting an MBA, I am busy enough with 70 taps!! I will take your suggestion on a tarp, though, and see if I can make something work for now.

I really appreciate the input and suggestions!

[KenWP]

Try the wind break and yes direct to the flames.