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sugaring newbie

Started by doc henderson, September 15, 2020, 05:04:35 PM

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21incher

Put 12 taps in today and got 7.5 gallons of sap in 4 hours. Just starting to get above freezing up here. Hoping for about 150 gallons over the next 2 weeks. I use a 5 gallon wok over a wood fire to cook it down. All I had were old coffee cans to catch it. Last week the area had 2 feet of snow.


 
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.

21incher

Finally the 40 mph frigid winds stopped and time to boil in my hillbilly wok boiler


 


 
It's not fast but was made from things laying around. The 5 gallon wok was overkill for the 2 of us and this puts it to good use. At less then a gallon a hour it's going to take a long time to get her done.
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.

thecfarm

21incher, I did the same thing. But I went up higher to get more wood in.



 

I had another pan that I kept full of sap, a prewarmer. ;D We would bring it up to about 214-216° outside and than bring it inside and bring it up to about 218. Would only take a few minutes. She could see the temp better inside.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

21incher

We tried finishing it indoors last time we made some and I got banned from doing it again.  Our range hood is a recirculating type. The filters and inside of the hood were sticky  like fly paper from the steam when I got done. 
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.

mike_belben

A propane lobster fryer stand with a nice thick bottom stainless pot is an excellent finisher.  Perfect temp control.  Finishing on wood always leaves me with black scorched sides from excessively hot vertical walls.  You only want heat under the bottom for a nice clean finish with no char line to create a burnt flavor.  
Praise The Lord

thecfarm

As I said a few minutes and I do mean a few. The wife was doing it, so it was her idea. I would carry it from the outside into the house and she would finish it off. Not really any steam. All the steam, boiling, was done outside. Most times no more than a quart was being done at any one time.



She sure would not want to hurt her Elmira stove.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

21incher

Started getting over 4 gallons an hour of sap today from my 12 trees and can only boil down 1 gallon a hour. A little  warmth and sunshine really gets them dripping.  Out to find more food grade buckets  :D.
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.

doc henderson

21 I ordered food grade plastic bags to line my 5 gallon buckets.  got via amazon in a day. if you were closer I would give you a few.   :)  my buddy goes through lots of 5 gallon jugs of hydraulic oil.  I also got liners for 55 gallon barrels, but they are more expensive.  next year we will work on volume.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

randy d

21 incher you need to put a ball valve on your taps so you can turn them off or slow them down :D :D Randy

doc henderson

maybe stop hugging the trees, and squishing it all out! :)
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

21incher

Thanks Doc that is a great idea. I went to Walmart and got the last 10 food grade  buckets they had left. Got 80 gallons  of sap backed up in buckets in the garage now a it keeps on coming. Didn't expect  this much from 12 taps and at only  being  able to process a gallon  an hour this is going  to take forever to  process and use up a lot of my firewood.  This syrup making is turning  into a full time job. I am going  to make a ro system IF I ever do it again.
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.

mike_belben

Those are some seriously productive taps.  
Praise The Lord

doc henderson

I guess I do not see the problem, that is 24 gallons a day!   :)  can you put some coffee on the stove along with the sap!?   :D :D :D
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

21incher

Lost 2 days  to winds. Yesterday we had 30 mph winds and my non airtight burner required  wood every  5 minutes with the wind sucking the heat away so I shut down.  Then 40 mph winds all day today blowing  my cans sideways dumping  any sap coming  from the trees on the ground and was afraid to try lighting a fire. This makig syrup outside  at home is frustrating.  I am going  to put plugs in the trees tomorrow and boil , boil, boil the buckets I have so there is room in the garage for my wife's car again. Should  wind  up with about 3 gallons of syrup If I survive the next couple days.  :o
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.

randy d

Sap coffee the guy that worked second shift in my stall always made sap coffee I tried it was ok but i like regular coffee better. 21incher if you plug your trees be sure to take the plugs out when you quit syruping let the trees heal with the hole open. Randy

21incher

UNCLE  :D :D :D 
They say don't plug them but they were still squirting out like faucets and attracting deer.


 
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.

mike_belben

Yeah but maple venison! 8)
Praise The Lord

Chuck White

IMHO: I think that plugging a tap hole is like suturing a puncture wound in our bodies, not advised, it must be allowed to drain or it will lead to infection!  :P
~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!

21incher

Quote from: mike_belben on March 21, 2021, 11:05:41 PM
Yeah but maple venison! 8)

With the mild winter we have 9 fat ones down there but it's right next to the garden so I don't want them hanging  out in that area.

Quote from: Chuck White on March 22, 2021, 07:20:10 AM
IMHO: I think that plugging a tap hole is like suturing a puncture wound in our bodies, not advised, it must be allowed to drain or it will lead to infection!  :P
Guess that means I may have spalted maple lumber and firewood in my future  ;D. Plugged  them 6 years ago with no problems.  After  this I will buy syrup. It should  be $250.00 a gallon with all the time involved  :o.

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.

SunnyHillFarm

The tree needs to heal naturally. Plugging the holes after tapping is not a good idea. The tree will "compartmentalize" the wound area and protect itself.

mike_belben

Spit in the taphole.  Tree will notice the bacteria and start healing itself pronto.  
Praise The Lord

21incher

Well finally Done 27 pints survived from 156 gallons of sap.


 

Lost over a quart to the garage floor when I had to take a call right after starting the final boil. In 5 minutes inside on the phone the pot started boiling over spewing 2 days of work on the floor. Distraction can be my worst enemy.


 

Then there is probably another quart in the dozen filters I used plus some more on the floor when I was trying to swap out a hot plugged filter in mid air.


 
All in all a little over 3 gallons cost me a face cord of firewood ($60), 2 tanks of propane ($20), filters ($6), and canning lids ($8). Plus 4 weeks of my life. Next time leaving it to the pros. Pancakes tomorrow  8) 8) 8).
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

Even considering the syrup that was spilled, you still came out ahead!

You got 3 gallons of syrup for $74.00, that's only $24.33 per gallon!

You Done Good!   8)
~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!

doc henderson

I know it is early, but I am ready to tap a few walnuts.  the soft maple had buds last week, so no go on them.  I will test tap a walnut today and see if it is on.  ordered a pan to try and will make a stove from a barrel.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

mike_belben

What the heck.. How can your trees bud so soon?  Is this a fluke from abnormally warm temps?  We had a 72° day at the end of a warm week that caused some of my brassicas to try bolting.


I tapped on valentines day last year and that was a good 10 days too soon or more. Well.. I dunno it was my first season and it was a wonky one nationally so i dont know what normal is but that was the impression last year gave me.
Praise The Lord

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