Maple Syrup days

[oliver2-44 10,064]

Quite an operation, I'm thinking @pullstart isn't showing us everything.  Let's think about this a rounded tank with a fire in it in the middle of the woods.  That Maple Syrup Evaporator looks like a MOONSHINE STILL in disguise.  Of course he's got his seasons wrong, moonshine is typically cooked in the fall after the corn harvest.  Not that I would know anything about moonshine or stills.

So maybe that's a dual purpose cooker.  He did say....

20 hours ago, pullstart said:

There are many variations of evaporators.  One thing is for sure; shallow water levels and the most surface area possible is the best way to go.  This is my third evaporator and each one has increased in output, ergonomics and efficiency.  Here’s to the 2019 maple season!

 

 

[Pullstart 63,495]

Isn’t it only illegal if I sell it non-taxed?

[Pullstart 63,495]

30 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

Quite an operation, I'm thinking @pullstart isn't showing us everything.  Let's think about this a rounded tank with a fire in it in the middle of the woods.  That Maple Syrup Evaporator looks like a MOONSHINE STILL in disguise.  Of course he's got his seasons wrong, moonshine is typically cooked in the fall after the corn harvest.  Not that I would know anything about moonshine or stills.

So maybe that's a dual purpose cooker.  He did say....

 

 

 

Here’s proof there’s no funny business 🤪

 

 

[Pullstart 63,495]

Hey @The Tool Crib here’s my 23x8.50 Deestones on 502 wheels 

[19richie66 17,542]

Pizza Hut and a maple syrup still 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

57 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Isn’t it only illegal if I sell it non-taxed?

That is the number one reason it’s illegal to sell, followed by no oversight of production. The government can’t collect on the transaction therefore it’s illegal. 

 

But, that aside, you are in the prime country for my favorite kinda syrup: Blueberry. First time I had it was at a little blueberry farm between Coldwater and Sturgis. I picked blueberries there every summer from the time I could stand until my grandpa passed in 2009. I’ll take good blueberry syrup over the best maple syrup any day haha. 

 

*Eichers is the name of the place. Best blueberries I’ve ever had. 

Edited March 14, 2019 by LengerichKA88
Found the name of the place.

[ebinmaine 69,660]

7 minutes ago, LengerichKA88 said:

blueberry syrup

Oooooo yeah.

 

I've grown quite a liking for Maine lowbush small blueberries.

 

I've tried the great big fat highbush blueberries in many different varieties but I just have never found one that beats the lovely wild ones that we have on the mountain tops around here.

 

Love that blueberry syrup too.

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Oooooo yeah.

 

I've grown quite a liking for Maine lowbush small blueberries.

 

I've tried the great big fat highbush blueberries in many different varieties but I just have never found one that beats the lovely wild ones that we have on the mountain tops around here.

 

Love that blueberry syrup too.

I’d kill for wild blueberries. 

 

Dangit @ebinmaine, now I’m hungry for some big ole Belgian waffles with butter and BB Syrup.😂🤣

[Pullstart 63,495]

Blueberry, I’ve never heard of doing it with berries!  Another bout of rain is on the way.  25+ mph sustained winds and thunderstorms.  There is still 20 gallons of sap to process, but we might just loose that.  Yes the new shelter is a screen room, but it’s SOME shelter!

 

 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

2 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Blueberry, I’ve never heard of doing it with berries!  Another bout of rain is on the way.  25+ mph sustained winds and thunderstorms.  There is still 20 gallons of sap to process, but we might just loose that.  Yes the new shelter is a screen room, but it’s SOME shelter!

 

 

That’s dedication to a finished product right there. 

Gunna have to change your last name to Bunyan 😂

[The Tuul Crib 7,338]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

Hey @The Tool Crib here’s my 23x8.50 Deestones on 502 wheels 

Cool looks like they don’t bulge out a lot!

 

[Digger 66 3,488]

On 3/13/2019 at 2:11 PM, wallfish said:

Mmmmm, pancakes!

 

 

French Toast for me please 

Made with seedless Italian bread would be fine , thanks !

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by Digger 66

[Pullstart 63,495]

Would that be called Italian Toast, @Digger 66?  

 

I’ll take syrup with a side of almost anything else, thank you very much!  

 

We we ended up finishing after 25 or so hours of fire under the pot.  I don’t think we took pictures in the heat of canning, fighting clogging filters and fighting tiredness.  I believe we ended with 7 or 8 pint jars, one full quart jar, a half full quart jar, and a 2 quart jar filled with some syrup and a sugar filled filter bag.  

 

There were some mishaps along the way and we learned a bit too.  While I ran to town yesterday to get Pizza Hut’s finest, a couple new  axe parts and some high temp silicone to seal the pan gaps, the sap ran a bit low and the fire ran a bit too hot.  There was a good amount of burnt product that ended up being scraped out, filtered away, etc.  Also in the extreme heat, a crack developed in the corner where the finishing valve was located, resulting in a good flow of wasted materials.  We knew we were loosing the best sap, but to quit for repairs would loose the entire batch.  We plan to have another go-round on Sunday, hopefully with more production and less figuring things out.

 

The top change to be made will be adding an air intake with the option of mounting a blower.  The maple leaf will be blocked off and I’ll add a tube to the door with a splitter at the end to force air into the coals for a high temperature blast.  Josh had a blower for inflating air mattresses, floating tubes, etc. that made for a fast paced evaporation, like a torch was in the fire box.  It was a huge help!

 

I want to figure out a few baffles inside the fire box to help direct heat to the entire pan.  There were obvious hot spots that required more attention than we hoped for (stirring) in surprising areas.

 

The area where the sap enters the baffled pan sunk from heat, I’d like to be able to support that for optimal flow in the future.

 

We will eliminate the filter basket most likely and opt for a supply of cheese cloth for filtering the syrup.  The filters I found just for maple syrup wouldn’t allow a pint jar to be poured without difficulty.  That’s not the time of production that should be held up in any way, we need to operate smooth and efficiently.

 

I got a couple hour nap this afternoon and I’m ready for hibernation in my bed tonight!  Camp outs in the cold windy rain are for the birds tonight... but I’m not totally opposed to the idea of it happening again.  

 

More than anything, we had an absolute blast.  Josh and I normally don’t get much time to hang out on our terms, and we both needed the break from the daily grind.  

 

Thanks for coming along on the journey!

[Pullstart 63,495]

Here are some more pictures of our fun at the ManTucket Syrup Factory...

 

 

 

 

[Digger 66 3,488]

7 hours ago, pullstart said:

Would that be called Italian Toast, @Digger 66?  

 

 

Yep , much less "floppy" than plain old white bread !

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Hey Kevin, congrats to your Success.

 

for the Air Vent:

How about a pipe (thinkin about 3") with several holes 1/2" in it mounted on Bottom.

Cut a hole 3" in the front or end section (as you like) and shift the pipe in (like in an exhaust) 

Weld it in on front end and Close the other end with the End of your Combustionchamber.

let it about 1" overlap in the front, for a Attaching a flexpipe.

 

Than you can leave it simply open, as an natural Air Valve and if you need more air,

you can simple attach an Airblower via a Flexpipe maybe from a Truck or so on.

 

I think in that case, you are most flexible about Airintake below the Fire.

If it let to much Air in, you can reduce it by closing the frontintake maybe with a Valve.

 

just an idea.

 

A buddy asked me once he has made himself a Barbecue Grill, but he has to weak fire,

We reworked this Grill with this changed Airsystem, it can do now a real Hellfire if needed

 

 

 

 

[Pullstart 63,495]

It’s been a challenge getting the evaporator out of the hallow, but we made it!  It’s washed out along with my truck, and ready to head into the shop for repairs and upgrades. @ebinmaine I got it dirtier than she did!

 

 

[Pullstart 63,495]

The crack/tear is repaired and should now be prevented, along with the addition of the turbo blower.  I need to passivate the repair welds in the pan and we’ll be ready for round two tomorrow!

 

 

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Sounds like you have a Plan for tomorrow...

[JCM 9,913]

FYI  Maine Maple Statistics 539,000 gallons were produced last year provided by 1,870,000 taps, worth roughly 17.7 million.Last years season ran from Feb 1 through May 3. Maine has the third largest syrup industry in this country, under New York and Vermont.

[Tractorhead 9,065]

6 hours ago, pullstart said:

The crack/tear is repaired and should now be prevented, along with the addition of the turbo blower.  I need to passivate the repair welds in the pan and we’ll be ready for round two tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin cool idea, only one issue i doubt

It will function, no doubt about it, but how long? 

 

Heat will occur if you Fire your Syrup-Machine, thats for sure.

Hope you don't missanderstood me, it shall not be patronize

but i doubt it will be last long so close to the Heatchamber

and if i know it right, you planed it for a longer term use.

 

Without standing there, i would hesitate to bring that Plasticfan that close to the Heatchamber.

I think the outside Heat from the Heatchamber among the Fan will maybe at least to hot and melt your Airfan.

 

i would preferr to use another pipe with a corner maybe just put up on upper of your welded pipe to extend the Airfan a bit more

away from your Heatchamber to get it in a better thermal situation.

iIf you fire the Heatchamber to boiling the syrup, i guess it will also cook the Plastic of you Fan.

 

[Pullstart 63,495]

34 minutes ago, Tractorhead said:

 

Kevin cool idea, only one issue i doubt

It will function, no doubt about it, but how long? 

 

Heat will occur if you Fire your Syrup-Machine, thats for sure.

Hope you don't missanderstood me, it shall not be patronize

but i doubt it will be last long so close to the Heatchamber

and if i know it right, you planed it for a longer term use.

 

Without standing there, i would hesitate to bring that Plasticfan that close to the Heatchamber.

I think the outside Heat from the Heatchamber among the Fan will maybe at least to hot and melt your Airfan.

 

i would preferr to use another pipe with a corner maybe just put up on upper of your welded pipe to extend the Airfan a bit more

away from your Heatchamber to get it in a better thermal situation.

iIf you fire the Heatchamber to boiling the syrup, i guess it will also cook the Plastic of you Fan.

 

 

We will be able to monitor the temperature and use the fan as needed.  It is above the fire box enough, that I hope it’ll last more than a minute or two.  If I need to raise it up a bit more, I’ll put some more length of tube in place and when it’s turned off we can set it aside.

[Pullstart 63,495]

We moved up the hill, the deer don’t seem to mind this morning!

 

 

[Pullstart 63,495]

[Ed Kennell 39,711]

     Looks like better weather for this boil.      Good luck.     Enjoying apple pancakes and THE  syrup  this morning.