February Journal THE COUNTDOWN!!!

[mapleman3]

Thought I would get this on the board, I know it's the 31st of Jan but sure dang close enough ... the countdown begins for most of us. this is the month folks!! Get ready and enjoy the ride! Good luck to all , I hope your sap flows forth and the syrup is grand!

[caseyssugarshack93]

Its deffinly a countdown, im scambling now, i got to get into the woods and fix some things in the woods and get vac pumps ready and buy a other vac pump for back up, should be tapping in 3 weeks if all goes well, feb is a short month, looks like 3rdgen.maple missed out on beginning the post for the feb journal o well theres a next time. hope everything is well with everone and hope for big sap, Hope to get the r.o all hooked up this week and get some things done in sugarhouse too.

[ehausinfrats]

I finally found a use for the dead popular trees in the woods. I always wanted to used them for a log cabin. Never happened. so I cut them up and split them for wood for the evaporator. At least they were utilized instead of rottening in the woods. I am ready to go. Only thing holding me back is the weather.

[MapleChaser]

Countdown, did not think of it that way puts it in high gear now to be ready.

Lets see Mon - Tues finish the remote pump house
Wed install new head tank
The rest of the week move evaporator into sugar house / start plumbing / install 3 roof jacks
Next week install power to remote pump house / hang another 1000 feet of wet/dry line to pump house tie up few loose ends in the woods
week 3 build a filter press tank / get barrells
week 4 hopefully start tapping / And try not to get STRESSED
Now enjoy the fun is coming MC

[red maples]

get the list start checking things off!!!

Good luck to everyone and start saying Your prayers to the maple gods to please bring us all big sap!!!! and especially me!!!

[3rdgen.maple]

Well Gator you can't get mad at me about Febuary

[KenWP]

I am in a panic right now as I am not as done as I hoped to be. I used a old bed frame for angle iron for my improvements and it has to be spring steel or something. Took me for ever to drill holes in it for some reason.
Got it together no and just have to insulate it and seal the top off and fix the fire box and I am ready. of course the weather out look says it will be June before it's warm enough to tap anyways. Sort of like Xmas in another month.

[super sappy]

Nate that is a good looking hand in that picture if I do say so myself. That will be a good reminder for you to pull your taps at the end of the year . DidYou get the power thing figured out at that bush yet ?- Ss

[gator330]

Well Gator you can't get mad at me about Febuary

I'm here waiting just went through a few post and this is what I find Sence it was the "MAN" himself I guess I'll forgive it this time. I'm going to bed Now!!!!!

[vtsnowedin]

The test boil/pan cleanning went very well.The rig as I set it up four inches above the floor came out just the right height for me to rest my elboes on the rim of the flue pan. No chance of anyone falling in. The gasket under the pans holds them up higher then I expected so the gap over the baffles is larger then I planned. I may push some more sand between them to cut the gap down. More then enough draft. I may not need the fan at all. Of course I was working with just a small fire but it steamed away an inch of water from the flue pan in the hour I was scrubbing inside the flues. I have the cupola plasticed over as I havent built the side doors as yet. I had to open one set of gable end doors plus one other door to let the steam out. Hope that cupola works when I pull the poly off, If not I'll be rigging up a steam hood pdq.Time to set up tanks and mainlines as what this rig needs now is some sap.