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Sugar shack build

Started by DeerMeadowFarm, February 05, 2018, 03:18:35 PM

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DeerMeadowFarm

Looks like we'll be boiling outside for one more season, but next year we'll be boiling in style! Everything at Deer Meadow Farm is on a hill so a conventional slab would be difficult and costly. We built a heavy duty deck, framed the floor 12" OC and glued down 3/4" T&G plywood. This summer we'll lay plastic on the floor and pour a floating cement slab. Here is the floor and decking:


 

 

 

Other than the PT, plywood and pine top beams (Three 2 x 8's laminated) all the wood has been cut off the property. Posts are all hardwood (oak, ash, hickory) We're going for a timber-frame look. Here is where we finished off this weekend; all 4x8 oak rafters up and the cupola framing started.


 

 

moosehunter

"And the days that I keep my gratitude
Higher than my expectations
Well, I have really good days".    Ray Wylie Hubbard

Autocar

Nice keep the pictures coming  8)
Bill

Crusarius

Why are you doing a concrete floor? I would think with what you just did you should be very happy. Linoleum or paint to cover the floor and life be good. Linoleum be easier to clean.

maple flats

My first 3 years on my sugarhouse I had a wooden deck. I placed a layer of 8" concrete blocks for a raised area to put the 2x6 evaporator I had at the time and I capped it with 18 ga galvanized tin. It extended out 36 in front of the arch and was 4' wide. Under the firebox area it was only about 4" wider than the arch, also on those blocks and the 18 ga. galv. Then the back legs just sat on 8" blocks without the tin. That worked good for the first 3 seasons, but then I removed the wood floor and poured a concrete floor as I was changing from a 2x6 to a 3x8 evaporator. While the wood was good, the concrete is better. My land was not level either, I filled it in with 40 tons of crusher run, tamped each new 4-6" layer, and hosed it a few times to help the compacting. The concrete has not cracked in the 13 seasons since.
What size is your sugarhouse? It looks nice.
Mine is 16x24 which I never thought I'd fill it up, but with a small RO room, 2 chest freezers a sink, counter space, a 2x6 finisher, a water jacket bottler and a filter press, plus a firewood rack that is 2' x 4.5', things are tight. I now wish I'd built it 24 x 36.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

thecfarm

Looks good. We need one too. I am very small scale. I only do enough for me,about 2 gallons. At the most we have 20 taps. We are sick of doing it outside.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

cbla

Nice Work! I hear ya on the " sick of doing it outside"

thecfarm

Outside is fine,IF the weather is fine. We have watched it boil from the car a few times. One year I had to dump about 30-40 gallons of sap.   :o  This was all collected by hand. That year was a warm spring and the snow melted. Was dry too. With the leaves and a stove pipe that I could see the flames out of at times,I did not dare to burn it. I had a garden hose and would wet the leaves down,but the snow kept melting and just was taking to long to wet down a larger area.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

51cub

I like it! Keep the pictures coming!
I believe in the hereafter, because every time I take two steps into the tool crib to get something I wonder " what did I come in here after"

If nothing else I'm always a good last resort or the guy to hold up as a bad example

Chuck White

Looking real good!   8)

INFO:  For those that don't know, the ash pan for the firebox on most evaporators is the floor, so you will need something fireproof under the firebox and extended out in front!  You will very likely, at times have coals and burning wood out on the floor!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

DeerMeadowFarm

Thanks. The shack is 14 x 16 with a 4' porch out front. The loft is over the porch and extends into the building 2'. There will be an attached woodshed on the right side.
Cement is a must. Like Chuck stated, the ash pan is the floor. When we're loading the wood, it's hot, flames, sparks, chunks of coals come out...it's not pretty! I'm hoping a 2" thick reinforced floating slab will hold up without cracking.  ???

GRANITEstateMP

Looks good.  I like the Cat hoe in the background.  Is that a 416?
Hakki Pilke 1x37
Kubota M6040
Load Trail 12ft Dump Trailer
2015 GMC 3500HD SRW
2016 Polaris 450HO
2016 Polaris 570
SureTrac 12ft Dump Trailer

Bruno of NH

DMF
There are special mixes for thin pours like that.
Check with you local batch plant or site mix truck owner.
You didn't want ice and water shied membrane on top of the wood ?
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Bruno of NH

I think the mix is called gipcrete
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

DeerMeadowFarm

The Hoe is a 426.

I can still use ice and water barrier on the wood deck I guess. I'm not sure if I'd still want a sheet of plastic over it to allow the cement to move easily...?

Gearbox

You must have one short leg from walking around on that hillside wow .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

DeerMeadowFarm

Quote from: Gearbox on February 07, 2018, 05:50:02 PM
You must have one short leg from walking around on that hillside wow .
It's really tough to build anything here that's for sure... :(

DeerMeadowFarm

OK, it's been a while. A lot of progress has been made. Here are the photos from the weekend. My metal roof arrived today as well so we will begin installing that this weekend.


 

 

Bruno of NH

Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Chuck White

~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

maple flats

Nice looking sugarhouse there!
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

maple flats

It has bothered me for a long time, why would anyone have a real nice sugarhouse and call it a shack? A shack is something that is run down and looks like it will fall down in a light wind.
Be proud of what you are building and do it justice by calling it a sugar house.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

thecfarm

Never thought of a sugar shack that way.
Yes,call it a house,it deserves that.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

DeerMeadowFarm

Thanks for the comments!

samandothers

The posts on the porch is a nice touch.  When I hear sugar shack I think of the song and going down to the sugar shack.  To me I like the name and don't think of it negatively.  It is definitely a nice building.

Is the cupola functional, to allow smoke to escape?

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