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Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. #6197765
03/24/18 10:44 AM
03/24/18 10:44 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 3,928
NY
Canvasback2 Offline OP
trapper
Canvasback2  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 3,928
NY
Saw this on the Tractor Supply website.


STARTER BOILING KIT
- Starter Boiler Kit
- Supports up to 15 taps
- 65,000 BTU propane burner
- Stainless steel construction

Includes:
- 1 16" X 16" sugar pan cover
- 1 16" X 16" sugar pan
- 1 propane R-65 burner
- 1 wooden handle thermometer 18.5"
- 1 orlon filter #8
- 1 syrup hydrometer 55-70brix
- 1 8" stainless steel cup
- 1 3/4" stainless steel nipple
- 1 3/4" FIPT stainless steel ball valve
---------------------------------------------------------
My questions are:

1. How many gallons on Sap will that boil off per hour ?

2. It's got a 65,000 BTU Propane Burner. Assuming you hook up a 20 Lb Propane tank to it, how long is that tank going to last till it goes empty ?

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6197907
03/24/18 01:12 PM
03/24/18 01:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,871
NNY
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080808 Offline
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080808  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,871
NNY
I have a 2x8 so I can’t answer your question but I certainly wouldn’t go over 15 taps. Remember like trapping this is an addiction. lol. So plan on getting bigger. Also I would purchase additional filters. Would a turkey fryer accomplish the same thing?

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: 080808] #6197963
03/24/18 01:53 PM
03/24/18 01:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,293
East-Central Wisconsin
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bblwi Offline
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bblwi  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
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East-Central Wisconsin
Supporting 15 taps is not much. If you get 15 gallon per tap over 20 days that is 225 gallons of sap at 35 to 1 or about 6 gallons of syrup. 65K BTU sounds like a lot but it takes a lot of heat to boil off water, especially if uncovered and outside.

Bryce

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6198310
03/24/18 07:25 PM
03/24/18 07:25 PM

K
krispcritter
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krispcritter
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K



make a good finishing pan

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6198333
03/24/18 07:57 PM
03/24/18 07:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,190
MN
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Mark K Offline
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Mark K  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,190
MN
16 x 16 is pretty low surface in my not so humble opinion. I don't think my 24 x 48 is enough.

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200317
03/26/18 07:22 PM
03/26/18 07:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 552
New York
Camohoyt340 Offline
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Camohoyt340  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 552
New York
Just started this year. One thing I learned is exactly what the others are saying. It’s very surprising how much heat and time it takes to boil outside. I don’t use propane just because wood is free for me. I have an old boxwood stove with no top on it. It took a while to figure out the easiest way. I used standing dead locust trees for firewood. Once I figured it out my time was cut down significantly. Sorry I cannot answer all of your questions.

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200328
03/26/18 07:28 PM
03/26/18 07:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,190
MN
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Mark K Offline
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Mark K  Offline
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Do not boil sap indoors. Your mom, wife, girlfriend will kill you when the walls and ceiling come down.

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200535
03/26/18 11:26 PM
03/26/18 11:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Wisconsin
We pulled today. Enough Is enough. Now we have 300 some gallons to boil off. We are going to break the 50 gallon mark.
Now comes the clean up of all the gear.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: The Beav] #6200544
03/26/18 11:45 PM
03/26/18 11:45 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,293
East-Central Wisconsin
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bblwi Offline
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bblwi  Offline
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East-Central Wisconsin
We have had very slow or poor collections to date. We have now collected about just shy of 2500 gallons, but from nearly 500 taps and we tapped in late February!!
The only good thing so far is our sugar content is staying very good. We are running about 4% the last 1,500 gallons or so. That will change when and if it runs good.
We had some at 4.5% Sunday. It only takes about 19 plus gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup with that high of sugar in the sap.


Bryce

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200657
03/27/18 07:29 AM
03/27/18 07:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,871
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080808 Offline
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080808  Offline
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NNY
That’s sweet sugar content! Since 2/28 we have averaged 2.9 on 2400 gal. but still going on 290 buckets. I’m getting tired, lol

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200789
03/27/18 10:13 AM
03/27/18 10:13 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,516
La Crosse, WI
Macthediver Offline
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Macthediver  Offline
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La Crosse, WI
I shut my little operation down Sunday evening, got the last sap finishing down right now. I had couple trees run a bucket full Sunday others that still hadn't run?? can only think frost in ground?
I burned a lot of wood cooking a guestemated 70 some gallons sap Sunday. I don't keep real close track but think I'm at around 3 gallons finished syrup so far? Hoping what is in the pan now finished at 2 maybe close to 3 gallons??
I agree the rig listed at the top would probably be best as finish pan. I'm small scale and cooking out side with LP is tough. I'm cooking this morning because I got rained out yesterday. Wind seemed to help stoke fire cooking over wood Sunday. Wind steals tons of heat when I finish with LP makes it slow going.


Mac


"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200850
03/27/18 11:20 AM
03/27/18 11:20 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 7,954
On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
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Hutchy Offline
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On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
Are you not going backwards making syrup with propane? Seems like wood is a far more sustainable cost effective option, even for someone making a few gallons a year. Liquid just takes so darn much to get to boil.

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200862
03/27/18 11:30 AM
03/27/18 11:30 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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Wisconsin
Propane will eat you alive unless your running your sap through a reverse osmosis set up.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200880
03/27/18 11:49 AM
03/27/18 11:49 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 7,954
On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
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Hutchy Offline
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Ya, a friend of mine does a few hundred liters of syrup a year. More some years and he burns up 20-30 cord of wood a year. And he always ends up dumping sap. He has a 16x4 foot evaporating chamber. I have fed the fire with him and when you calculate the BTUs needed to make a gallon of syrup, holy moly. The propane used would remove any profit you make. Even for a home system, it seems like money would be better spent on a better/larger evaporating pan, set it on some blocks, make a basic chimney system and go for it.

My buddy told me about a friend of his who wanted to make some syrup. He got all set up and started with the propane. Three propane tanks later he was blaming my buddy for not giving him good info, despite telling him not to use propane!


Last edited by Hutchy; 03/27/18 11:50 AM.
Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200906
03/27/18 12:27 PM
03/27/18 12:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2014
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Ontario, Canada
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sweetwilliam Offline
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The compny i work for has a 30,000 tap operation all vacum and gravity fed.You should see the syrup comming off there boiler at full production.

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6200907
03/27/18 12:28 PM
03/27/18 12:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
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Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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You better have a well insulated fire box or your just wasting heat.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6201119
03/27/18 05:42 PM
03/27/18 05:42 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,516
La Crosse, WI
Macthediver Offline
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Macthediver  Offline
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La Crosse, WI
Well I don't measure things to close with my sap collecting and cooking time all that. I'm pretty sure what I make cost me more than I could buy from someone else that is big operator? My hopes were dashed today when my last batch finished out just under the 2 gallon mark. I got to quit licking the spoon, drinking it like tea and spilling so much..I now having done an official count on my jars? Calculator say I'm at 5.25 gallons of finished syrup? I been using some as I made it too. I don't keep a log book or anything but think last year I was just over 4 gallons.. Don't really matter I start when I want, cook what I get, quit when I feel like it, don't do it as a competition. Probably could have left my taps out this week yet. But I'm going fishing instead.

Beav
I think you nailed it with the well insulated wood heater box. I'm using a 55 gallon steel drum for my fire box on my wood cooker. I know I'm pushing plenty heat out the stack with the small fan I have as a blower. Can't stand for long along side it pouring sap or my legs about catch fire. Lot of heat going places other than into the sap pan.. Pretty sure I'd shorten my run time and wood use if I had fire brick box under that pan. But then I'd just want to run more taps.. vicious cycle I don't want to ride..LMAO!

Mac


"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Macthediver] #6201127
03/27/18 05:54 PM
03/27/18 05:54 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 43
ny
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walleyehunter01 Offline
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I also use a 55 gallon drum. If you take some Sheetrock and line the inside of the barrel you will be surprised on how much heat that holds back

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: walleyehunter01] #6201207
03/27/18 08:02 PM
03/27/18 08:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,293
East-Central Wisconsin
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bblwi Offline
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East-Central Wisconsin
I am glad we don't cook the stuff. Sounds like the last two years in CA were huge production years so the wholesale price of sap and syrup may well drop even more. We have a limited retail market and our tree providers where we can sell about 30-40 gallons of syrup. My partner is gone for 8 out of the next 10 days! Today we collected about 350 gallons and the sugar was 3.1% We will see what the next days are like.

Bryce

Re: Maple Syrup producers: Saw this at TSC. [Re: Canvasback2] #6201389
03/27/18 11:27 PM
03/27/18 11:27 PM
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Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Your tapping 400 trees and your only collecting 350 gallons?


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