OT Maple Taps

[Keychain]

Beautiful Stove!!! Is he going to put a spigot on it? Just wondering how you are going to get your sap/syrup out of it?

Not sure what he ended up doing with that one.  He made this for someone about 10 years ago.  The one in process right now will have a spigot for sure!

[gamefisher]

Crazy day here!  Not a drop at lunch time but from then until 6pm, 10 gal. from 12 taps of beautiful crystal clear nectar!   I don't get it, we had a high of 35 and it's blowing about 30.   28 gal. since the weekend, this week will be the best of the season by far here.

[cmstearns]

Crazy day here!  Not a drop at lunch time but from then until 6pm, 10 gal. from 12 taps of beautiful crystal clear nectar!   I don't get it, we had a high of 35 and it's blowing about 30.   28 gal. since the weekend, this week will be the best of the season by far here.

ya same here i thought i was done now i have 40 gal to boil this weekend

[Keychain]

Crazy for sure.  I think I'm in between you guys north-south wise and I've had nothing for the past couple of days.  My trees look like they're budding out, so I expect I'll be pulling taps and packing up within a day or two.

[Westerly]

Keychain - Exciting news about the new boiler.  Looks like you're going to need more taps next year! 

I was surprised by the run yesterday too.  Bonus!  Have had a few taps dry out, but even so - still have over 30 gal of nice clear sap buried in the snow and today is shaping up to be even better. 

Haven't been doing this for too long, but I've already made the most syrup of any year yet.  Sweet!

Are you still plugged in, MDH?

[gamefisher]

Insane run going on today.

[icewoman]

Hope someone Donates some for doorprizes at the Banquet!

[maineduckhunter]

Are you still plugged in, MDH?

Nope, I pulled everything last Saturday. Made a gallon of syrup. 2 gallons for the season was good for me!! 

[ICEMAN-73]

strange day for me, some buckets were nearly full some were completely empty, I have my last batch boiling down! now its time to clean everything and get ready for smelting!

[Keychain]

Yeah, pretty excited for next season already.  Here's a teaser pic of the new boiler, still in the works.  Didn't get out to check the buckets tonight, but if interested you'll see why in a few moments when I post the "OT Caught a 6 pounder today" thread 

[The Rusty Crab]

my flow has slowed but I got a chance to catch up for next week 1.5 gallons finished so far 1 gallon is very clear syrup. it was boiled at a very slow rate while I was working this stuff looks the best I have done. I will post some pics soon.

[gamefisher]

Best run of the year yesterday, I've got 45 gal. to try and get through today, 30 of which have come in the last two days, all on just 12 taps, amazing run this late in the season, still crystal clear and no hint of budding.  It got down to 32.5 last night here, may still run today as well.    I'm done this weekend no matter what happens.

[rude the dude]

I said I was done last weekend, but, after this week I'm still in the game. It's done at my house, but my folks is doing the same as yours Eric.  My buddy that gave me some sap last weekend left his taps in and has got 150 so far this week.  The next couple days look good to. I don't remember a season this long. 

[gamefisher]

I said I was done last weekend, but, after this week I'm still in the game. It's done at my house, but my folks is doing the same as yours Eric.  My buddy that gave me some sap last weekend left his taps in and has got 150 so far this week.  The next couple days look good to. I don't remember a season this long. 

54 gal. since Sat. Iain on the 12 taps, just got done boiling it, don't know how but still boiling some fairly light syrup.  Running great again today surprisingly, I may do as much this week as the previous 4 weeks combined.

[_FLAG_]

54 gal. since Sat. Iain on the 12 taps, just got done boiling it, don't know how but still boiling some fairly light syrup.  Running great again today surprisingly, I may do as much this week as the previous 4 weeks combined.

How is your liver holding up??

[Westerly]

55 gallons from just yesterday and today.  Add that to the 30 I already had and that should just about keep me boiling all weekend.  Might need to do a beer run.
What a finish!

[gamefisher]

55 gallons from just yesterday and today.  Add that to the 30 I already had and that should just about keep me boiling all weekend.  Might need to do a beer run.
What a finish!

That's great Ryan, glad I boiled yesterday, man, it's like winter out there today.  I did notice the syrup content is way down now, probably closer to 50-1 but still making good looking syrup.

 

How is your liver holding up??

 

Just glad it's not a year round hobby Mark.

[Raquettedacker]

Does anyone know of some good plans on how to build a good pan?    On the 3 section pan how much room is under each separator section?   

[gamefisher]

Does anyone know of some good plans on how to build a good pan?    On the 3 section pan how much room is under each separator section?   

Check out mapletrader.com, you'll get all kinds of ideas.  In a divided pan, dividers are welded or solder to the bottom of the pan the entire length with the ends of the dividers cut usually in a small triangle shape to allow the syrup to pass between sections.  You may want to check out bascommaple for used equipment first, I got my used pan there for $100 + $25 for shipping, although not a divided pan it has boiled a lot of sap.  There are some professional outfits out there that make some beautiful pans also.

[Raquettedacker]

Thank you for the info gamefisher.   I just acquired a big old wood stove...Which I will also use to heat the swimming pool this summer..      Trying to get away from the propain..I have a lot of free wood to burn..  I love some of the stoves on this thread....Thanks again...

[gamefisher]

Thank you for the info gamefisher.   I just acquired a big old wood stove...Which I will also use to heat the swimming pool this summer..      Trying to get away from the propain..I have a lot of free wood to burn..  I love some of the stoves on this thread....Thanks again...

Propane is very convenient for sure, I did about 75 gal. on propane and 75 gal. on wood this season, much better boil rate with good wood plus no cost.  I just have a 22"X32" home made flat pan sitting on a 55 gal. drum, not pretty but it works, boiled over 50 gal. yesterday without much difficulty because I had good wood.

   

[Keychain]

Decided it was time to pull my buckets yesterday, well, until I got to the last one.  It had about a quart in it, so I left it hanging.  I just don't know when to quit!

[Keychain]

Now that I have pulled all the buckets, I know I should just let this thread rest,  but....

Here's today's pic of the new boiler that will be put to work next season.

[gamefisher]

Talented Dad, do you have a valve from the 3 section pan to the finishing pan that we can't see in the pic?

I ended up with other 150 gal. of sap on 12 taps, a good season.  Almost half came in the last week of a 5 week season.  I never did make "dark" syrup including my final boil on Sun., very strange.  I will say that my syrup at the end doesn't seem as sweet or as good as the first 3 batches but the kids claim it's still good so who I'm I to argue.

Thanks Scott, Scotty, and Tiny for indulging us again with this thread, I've got a present for you when I see you.

[rude the dude]

sweet set up. That should get you through some sap. I saw another pan this year a guys making and it's sort of the same design except the dividers go the other way. He's getting 450 for em which I think is cheap. my last batch must of had a little bad sap in it, has a funny taste, prob. dump it, should of quit when I was ahead. Enjoy the bounty till next season boys, you know  it's hard earned.

[Keychain]

Talented Dad, do you have a valve from the 3 section pan to the finishing pan that we can't see in the pic?

I ended up with other 150 gal. of sap on 12 taps, a good season.  Almost half came in the last week of a 5 week season.  I never did make "dark" syrup including my final boil on Sun., very strange.  I will say that my syrup at the end doesn't seem as sweet or as good as the first 3 batches but the kids claim it's still good so who I'm I to argue.

Thanks Scott, Scotty, and Tiny for indulging us again with this thread, I've got a present for you when I see you.

Yup, he's got some skills.  Probably forgotten about more stuff than I'll ever know.  Plan does call for a valve/spigot to drain it off to finish, just not sure that he's gotten there yet.  I half boiled my last 3-4 gallons of sap and froze it so we'll have something to test it out with in a couple of weeks.

Agreed on the thanks to the mods for allowing this way off topic thread to stay.  Or maybe I should curse them for getting me into this sickness 

[Keychain]

sweet set up. That should get you through some sap. I saw another pan this year a guys making and it's sort of the same design except the dividers go the other way. He's getting 450 for em which I think is cheap. my last batch must of had a little bad sap in it, has a funny taste, prob. dump it, should of quit when I was ahead. Enjoy the bounty till next season boys, you know  it's hard earned.

Yeah, I'm a bit torn though.  My small time operation boiling with propane on the deck was expensive but I could boil 5 gallons on a Tuesday night and keep up with it.  This is going to require more time, planning, and storage capacity.  I'm not sure how much he's got into it, but considering that he built the whole thing from scratch, other than the stove door, I'm thinking $450 would be a steal.  I'll be sure to post again after we test her out...

[Raquettedacker]

Now that I have pulled all the buckets, I know I should just let this thread rest,  but....
Here's today's pic of the new boiler that will be put to work next season.
(Image removed from quote.)

   That is my goal for next spring.  Great set up..

[The Rusty Crab]

boys I'm still getting pounded with sap. I have a gallon of finished syrup. and still have 40 gallons to boil and get around 8-10 gallons of sap a day, this has been a long season for us up here

[Phoenix]

Yep, we reached a point where we had all the syrup we could use and all we wanted to give away. Just couldn't see any point in burning anymore wood