January Journal

[waysidemaple]

Ran more tubing this morning. Dug the holes for the evaporator footings as well. In for lunch now then back out to put in some saddles. Once this spot is done ill be up to 230+ taps.

[shane hickey]

started reparing another woods today, but a snow storm came and I had to quit early.
I guess Ill wait and see what tomarrow brings.

[Thiems sugarshack]

I got the sides of the wood shed all framed up so tommarow I can nail the pine boards on.Hopefully get the rafters up thursday before the snow comes on friday.If we do get snow the weekend will be shot because I will be plowing all day.

[whalems]

Made up another 150 drops today and tomorrow is the day. we are going to start running the laterals. shooting for 600 this year.

[waysidemaple]

Out of mainline for now. My tap count right now is 171. Ill be able to hit 250 easy and could get to 300 with alittle more work. Not sure if ill get there because I still have to install the evap and head tank. Lots of little stuff needs to be finished now.

[stoweski]

3 cord of wood all set to go with another 3 that could be used if necessary (and I don't need it for the house).

Went to Bascom's and got a few things for the new-to-me evaporator - pan gasket, blanket & thermometer. Along with a few filters a backup hydrometer and some pint bottles I think I should be all set.

Also thanks to Todd (THCPrecision) I have a base stack that works perfectly with the current stack in my sugarshack. Still need to connect it but the hard part is over.

I also was able to hook up my sap tank to the evaporator with 1-1/4" line.
Two things left to do... wire the blower for the evaporator. Have everything I need, just need time to get out there and do it. Hook up the gas finisher to the 100lb propane tank outside the shack. Cousin should be coming to do that sometime this month.

It's only January 4th and I'm nearly 100% ready for the season. How often does that happen???!!!

Hope everyone else is almost finished with their prep work!
Keith

[PATheron]

Shane- Just wondered what your taps and systems consist of. Are all the taps on tubing and vacuum and whatnot or do you have some buckets and that sort of thing? Hows the Ro research coming along? Theron

[shane hickey]

Shane- Just wondered what your taps and systems consist of. Are all the taps on tubing and vacuum and whatnot or do you have some buckets and that sort of thing? Hows the Ro research coming along? Theron

Theron, the ro I finally got it plumbed up and ran some water through it I still dont know how much fluid it will do an hour. I found out it doesnt need a recirculation pump. Thank you for the help. Ive been doing alot of trial by air. As far as the woods go I have 3 on vacume 4 on diaphram pumps and one on buckets around 1300 or so, I wish the land owner would let me put tubing in it but he likes to hunt and doesnt want to walk over it.

[shane hickey]

Theron have you started looking over lines? Deer up here are terriable. Squarlls aren't as bad this year, but I think the hunters scared the crap out of the deer and tore alot of it down and snapped the 5/16 line in 2.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Without an R.O. last year, on 10,000 taps. Alot of sleepless nights I would imagine.