September journal

[KenWP]

I started out with 40 taps last spring and it took me at least a week to collect 40 gallons of sap so I kept increaseing the taps untill Easter showed up and wham I was getting 150 gallons of sap a day and of course I couldn't keep up. Then it warmed up and I was able to get it all boiled before it spoiled and made out okay. I am trying to update a evaporator to go to at least 9 gallons a hour which would of course cut my time by 2/3s. I work in big gallons by the way not little gallons.
I have been so tired from school that I don't get much done when I get home as thinking tires me out.

[3rdgen.maple]

Wow Stoweski you really had me worried I thought about sending a maple psychiatrist over your way. But on another note 180 trees with buckets is nothing. Well if you are not equiped for it maybe it might be. I will be running atleast 500 to 600 buckets this year. Yep guys on a 2x6 I never said I was not crazy. Thing is it handled 400 last year and I had too much time on my hands and wanted more. But I stop at the 600 mark with buckets and will tube the rest as years pass by me. My goal add 200 taps every year until I am to old, grey or bald to handle it anymore. I use the money to cover expenses and hoard the rest for future upgrades like another new evaporator in 2011. So guys if things go as planned there will be a nice shiny 2 year old 2x6 for sale at the end of next year but we will see. As far as 50 taps on the halfpint I think you are on the money and like Ken says it is easy to add more to find your sweetspot.

[Rhino]

Going to start re-doing our arch with new steel, brick and a over and behind the fire air injection manifold. We have 3 bear tags to fill so when our hunters are sitting in the stands, I will work in the sugar shack. I just have to reskin the arch where the fire is so that isnt to bad. our brick gave out last season and warped the stainless steel sides about 5 feet back. I will just leave that on and put the new stuff over it. Hopefully on Thursday I can start rebricking the sides. Got a ton of new fire brick from an auction a few years back so I might even overkill and put a double row. Will leave the top open so i can fabricate the manifold and nozzles into the arch hopefully next week.

[Clan Delaney]

Spent a decent $25 American dollars today on a fine, used circular saw. More than a year after selling my old one for $50, I finally have something to chop up my new supply of free pallets, and I'm still $25 up on the deal!

[KenWP]

Spent a decent $25 American dollars today on a fine, used circular saw. More than a year after selling my old one for $50, I finally have something to chop up my new supply of free pallets, and I'm still $25 up on the deal!

Now why would anybody sell his saw. I would be buying news ones to add to it. Course I never pay more then $6 bucks Canadian for one at a vente de Garage but I am cheap.

[red maples]

I use my stuff until it burns out...haven't burned out a saw yet but man I go through drills like nobody's business!!! Don't go for new until it sparks and smokes coming out. Using a dremel 2 weeks ago burned it out aweful stink through the house took 2-3 days to air it out...but went and got a new one.

tightened up the wire and set the slope took a little while to do said hmm one more crank and pop!!! I must of kinked it one spot $%^#$%^ . said URG #$%^#$%^ that s it for today... finished it up yesterday and put 700 ft main line not too bad exept 1 spot Somehow went over the wire about 250 ft in noitced it when I was putting on wire ties. so I really didn'y want to splice it so hey I will just pull it out to this spot and re pull it through...yeah right 1 hour later finally got right. but its in loose tied becasue it was too warm yesterday I 'll go in and retighten this weekend maybe.

Got inspected from building inspector yesterday all set ready to go!!! first time I ever actually built a building he said I see seasoned contractors that don't do stuff this good. so a little boost to the EGO there.

alright nice and cool out today 60 degrees here in seacost NH, Trees really starting turn colors. 4-5 months left!!!! (depending on when you tap your trees)

[Jeff E]

Maple virgin asked for any other advice---When you put your 2 55 gal drums up to feed the evaporator, think about how you are going to clean them out each time you run them empty. Clean tanks = good syrup.

The actual sugar production is coming to an end here in NW Wisconsin-the maples are turning, no more magic happening in the leaves making sugar.
I am doing 3500' of mainline and W/D line over the next couple of weeks. Waiting for the weather to turn. We have had days in the 80s this week. Tough on the old man and the bird dog too.

[dano2840]

well yesterday i was told by my girlfriends friend that my Girlfriend who i loved thought we would be better off as friends. i dont know what happened but when school started she just cut me off she stopped texting me and just like ignored me and would talk to me and i was told by one of my friends that was friends with her that we should be friends. i really liked this girl alot and she showed she really liked me and all the sudden she doesnt. i dont know why i gave it every thing i had and we never had a fight or any thing we were always happy to see eachother then school started and it was like WTF? then after i found that out i found out that my truck had 0% compression in one of the cylenders and thats why it wasnt idleing and so essentially the motors blown. which blows because i didnt beat on the thing what so ever. that things been nothing but a money pit since the day after i started driving in when the rear end sprung a leak while i was driving and locked right up. so yea I HAD A GREAT DAY YESTARDAY!! so now i dont have alot of money so i have to decide either have to buy a truck which means i wont have $ to sugar this year or not have my own vehicle and sugar. Y IS LIFE SUCH A BEECH AND A HALF?

[Jeff E]

Life is preparing you for being a big time maple syrup man. Someone who can take it on the chin, then get up get after it again.
By the way, the lassie is just trying to figure life out to. And her emotions sound like they are as predictable as the wind and weather in March.

Try not to sweat it, deal with what you have control over, like fixing a truck, or dumping it for something more reliable. Take it day by day, keep doing what you were made to do...mapleman!

[mapleack]

DanO, life is as you put it a "beech and half" to teach us lessons that make us stronger. Don't worry about the girlfriend, you're still in highschool. I know it hurts / makes you say WTF, but there are MANY MANY more girls / women out there. You're young! As for the truck, did you figure out why it's got low compression? It might be a cheap (fairly cheap) fix. All the above problems can be summed up by what one of my clients told me years ago. He said "if its got t*ts, tires or tracks, it's gonna cause you problems". So good luck, and I hope no one was offended by the preceding statement!