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who's ready to make some maple syrup?

Started by ryguy777, February 24, 2014, 01:58:14 PM

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GAB

21incher:
If you are using the taps that require a 1/4" tap drill and the trees are 18" in diameter then I would not be afraid of putting in 3 taps per tree.  If you are using the old style taps that require a 7/16" drill then stop at 2 per tree.   
One evening I emptied my buckets around 6:00PM and at approx. 6:00 AM the next morning I had some 15 quart buckets that were overflowing.  That was a good sap run.
The sugar content of the sap will determine the number of gallons of sap necessary to make a gallon of syrup.  For example the sap hydrometer on 2/20 read 3.0 or less than 29 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup.  On 2/22 the sap from the same trees tested only 2.45 which equates to over 35 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup.  Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

5quarter

Allan...I made A pint of boxelder syrup two years ago. I didn't count, but figured I got around 12 gallons of sap. Not much syrup for the effort, but it sure was tasty! BTW...don't mix maple and boxelder. they both taste like maple syrup, but the boxelder syrup is distinctly different.

JohnM...That's a nice little setup you have there. I might try that out this year.
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

Don_Papenburg

21incher, You will have to keep an eye on the tea bottles one gallon might have you dumping three or four times a day . cooler nights with warmer days will fill them jugs faster than cooler days. 
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

SPIKER

If I had time I would be making some this year but alas no time with school and working full time.

Some photos in my gallery on my setup










I dont have the chimney on mine & do get a bit of smoky flavor on some occasionally.    Really makes it good too. 8) 8)
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

justallan1

Thanks 5quarter.
I'd mentioned it to a vet that I know and he must be getting cabin fever too because he wants to try it. (or his wife is ready for him to be out of the house) This guy has 1 leg, is on oxygen, generally needs a haircut and has a beard about halfway to his belt. I'm thinking I'll get a picture of him cooking it off and make wanted posters for having a still. ;D
Can I just use a 3/8x4" plastic or steel pipe nipple for the taps? I'm figuring on doing that and plastic tubing going into sealed buckets.
Can you let it cool at night or do you need to finish it once you get started? Thanks

Allan

BBTom

The actual spouts or spiles are tapered so they seal the tree.  you might be able to make 3/8 pipe work. 

If anyone wants some "tree saver" plastic spouts ( the ones that use a 5/16" hole ).  I have several hundred of them that I am no longer using.   If I get $10 to cover the cost of shipping and something left for the forum, I will send whatever I can get into a small flat rate box to you.  Can only do domestic US in that offer, usps wants to much to send to anyplace else.  I will put this in the commerce section too.

Good luck on your season,  My season is normally half over by now, and I won't see above freezing till the end of the week.  It looks like a very short season this year. 
2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

21incher

Quote from: GAB on February 28, 2014, 07:49:49 PM
21incher:
If you are using the taps that require a 1/4" tap drill and the trees are 18" in diameter then I would not be afraid of putting in 3 taps per tree.  If you are using the old style taps that require a 7/16" drill then stop at 2 per tree.   
One evening I emptied my buckets around 6:00PM and at approx. 6:00 AM the next morning I had some 15 quart buckets that were overflowing.  That was a good sap run.
The sugar content of the sap will determine the number of gallons of sap necessary to make a gallon of syrup.  For example the sap hydrometer on 2/20 read 3.0 or less than 29 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup.  On 2/22 the sap from the same trees tested only 2.45 which equates to over 35 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup.  Gerald
I got the 7/16 inch taps. I figured I would just go with 1 per tree so I don't hurt the trees.
I thought the sap would be spread over a month so I better keep a eye on it.
I guess I had better buy a hydrometer to give me a idea of my starting point.
I plan on using 2 of the turkey fryers to cook it down and they only hold about 5 gallons each and from what I have read they should be able to evaporate about a gallon of water a hour each so I am hoping this will keep up with 6 taps.
Thanks Ed.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Chuck White

Only 24° here now, so the sap won't run today!
~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!

OH Boy

21 incher - One tap on 18" trees is correct. Generally don't do two until about a 24 in tree. I started and probably many others with the turkey fryer, and I still finish batches with it, but have also grown to 180 taps and a 2x8 pans set, so watch out, it's very addictive. at 1 gal/hr, which sounds right for that surface area,you will average about 15-18 gallons per tank of gas at about 23 bucks a can. You may also have days where you get that 6 gallons or more off of 18 in trees.  If you have time to feed a fire with split wood, look at some of these pics of the cement block arches and a steam pan. more surface area will let you boil 2-3 gallons/hr. It does take the effort though because you have to keep the constant flame on the pan. Good luck with it, our weather hasn't cooperated yet, just a few days of decent runs, March should get better.

Also you can do a hydrometer and should if you're going to get hooked, which you will. but you can also get pretty close to syrup when it starts to boil and rise up the sides like boiling milk. watch closely for that. generally it's close when you get that density.

OH Boy

OH- BTW- we are ready and finishing a batch as I type. Started about 6 yrs ago and it just keeps growing. Up to 180 taps on tubing on our steep hills, and just waiting on this stupid cold winter to break into reals sugarin weather. Made 22 gallons last year and hoping this year goes better.

Autocar

The way this weather is this so called spring we may have a very small window to collect sap ,I look for it to go from winter to summer over night and by the way it can happen any time for me.
Bill

Chuck White

We will put 2 taps on an 18 inch tree and 3 on a 24 inch tree.

We have 2 trees that it takes 2 of us to reach around and still lacks about 16 inch, and those 2 get 6 taps.
~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!

GAB

21incher wrote: "I guess I had better buy a hydrometer to give me a idea of my starting point."
In case you do not know, or are not aware of it, there are hydrometers for sap and there are hydrometers for syrup.
Yes they are made of glass and are very fragile.
The tall sap hydrometers are the most accurate and most expensive.  Enjoy, Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

21incher

I would like to thank everyone for all the pointers. If only it would warm up so I can get started.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

JohnM

Quote from: JohnM on February 24, 2014, 11:22:45 PM
Going to try and find an old 55 gal drum and try for a 'quick' upgrade...
Met some new friends/neighbors last week, the husband thought he could get me a steel drum.  Took the dog out this morning and there was steel and a plastic drum beside my garage! 8)  Got started on it this afternoon. ;D :)

  

  

  

 

Hoping to have it operational by the weekend. ;D
Lucas 830 w/ slabber; Kubota L3710; Wallenstein logging winch; Split-fire splitter; Stihl 036; Jonsered 2150

justallan1

Here's a couple pictures of my fun for the day. I tapped a couple Box Elder tress just to see what I could come up with and am quite impressed. I took in about a half a gallon and cooked it down and after switching pots and what was left in the pots I still ended up with 1/8th of a cup. BUT, I know it works and can go from here with a much, much larger amount, and do it on an outside fire.

Allan


  

  

  

 

Woodboogah

Setting taps, or starting to set taps tonight then over the weekend.  We missed the first run.  There are four of us in on it.  I started it outside on a woodstove had a couple buddies interested so they came over one afternoon for some beers, venison on the grill, and the chaos started.  We have about 400 taps and grow every year.  It became an expensive hobby really fast!  Great time though.  We had a facebook page I am not sure if it still up and running but it was greenleaf maple coop if you want to check it out
Keenan Logging & Tree Care, LLC

21incher

A question for the pros. I drilled holes and placed my 6 taps in sugar maples today. 5 of them were placed on the south side of the trees and started dripping immediately, 1 was placed on the north side of a tree and not a drop has come out of it. Does it matter which side of the tree you place the tap on?
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Woodboogah

It is said to place on the south side.  I have done both and have a small main line set up on a North facing slope and I have not seen a difference really.
Keenan Logging & Tree Care, LLC

thecfarm

Another question for the pros. The wife is dying to make some maple syrup. This will be the wife's project,so she says. She will tap 4-5 trees. How long can we keep the sap in a fridge before she needs to boil it. She understands she may be boiling only a few quarts at a time. All boiling will be done in the house,which I know is not the best idea,but all she wants is a quart. Than next year I'll be cutting wood so she can do it outside.  ::)
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

OH Boy

Quote from: thecfarm on March 06, 2014, 08:29:54 PM
Another question for the pros. The wife is dying to make some maple syrup. This will be the wife's project,so she says. She will tap 4-5 trees. How long can we keep the sap in a fridge before she needs to boil it. She understands she may be boiling only a few quarts at a time. All boiling will be done in the house,which I know is not the best idea,but all she wants is a quart. Than next year I'll be cutting wood so she can do it oitside.  ::)

Just in the fridge should last 4-5 days and be okay, frozen indefinitely but here's a trick that will cut your boiling if you watch it. Put it in the freezer or outside, and when it starts to freeze, pick off the ice and throw it away. The ice holds very little sugar and you can actually concentrate it some by repeated part freeze if not frozen in a solid block. Also be ready to re-paper your kitchen if she boils a lot inside. maybe she knows that  ;)

thecfarm

No wall paper in the kitchen. I tried to tell her,but no telling her nothing. She is just like her Father.  ::)
She does have a small fan in the kitchen window,maybe 8 feet from the stove? That MIGHT help. Or that is what she told me.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Peter Drouin

Doing that in the house will make the walls and ceiling sticky. :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

JohnM

Quote from: Woodboogah on March 06, 2014, 05:30:51 PM
It is said to place on the south side.  I have done both and have a small main line set up on a North facing slope and I have not seen a difference really.
I did all mine facing south and also inline with major branches farther up the tree.  I'm going to experiment with a north facing tap or two this year.

Ray, I've read/heard of ppl storing up to two weeks but it's not recommended.  Longest I went last year was maybe a week.  I gotta agree with OH Boy and Peter, do the majority of your boiling outside if you can.  With 4-5 taps and good trees you may be surprised at how much sap you get.  Like I said I had 12 taps last year, two taps filling 1gal jugs.  When it really started flowing I was emptying those jugs twice a day and towards the end of the season I was just pouring it out on the ground! :D  Well it was the end of 'my' season at least, it was taking up too much time!
Lucas 830 w/ slabber; Kubota L3710; Wallenstein logging winch; Split-fire splitter; Stihl 036; Jonsered 2150

justallan1

That little bit that I cooked off last night was about 1/2 gallon and my stove and counters all had a nice coating from it.
I'm kind of baffled by how much sap I'm getting out of these little Box Elder trees though. Last night I got 1/2 a gallon in a few hours and since then the 3 taps I have in probably got me less than that from 8 pm last night until about noon today, and it was even warmer out today. Hmph!

Allan

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