Re: Maple Tree Tapping Time
[Re: Craig C]
#7201276
03/01/21 08:40 PM
03/01/21 08:40 PM
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482 Ne pa
Jerry Jr.
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482
Ne pa
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We got about 25 trees tapped (50 taps) the other day. No much running right now. We are going to tap another 20 trees (40 taps) tomorrow afternoon. Then it is time to get the ro system ready. Probably should pressure wash the sap barrels too.
Time is more precious than gold if you know how to spend it .... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer.~My Dad NRA LIFE MEMBER, Endowment Member
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Re: Maple Tree Tapping Time
[Re: Craig C]
#7201353
03/01/21 09:34 PM
03/01/21 09:34 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16,275 ny
upstateNY
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16,275
ny
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Tapped my Maple Trees today, looks like the weather over the next 2-weeks will result in a good run in Western Pennsylvania.
How about others around the Country, have you tapped your trees yet? You got grass,I still got four feet of snow in my yard.
the wheels of the gods turn very slowly
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Re: Maple Tree Tapping Time
[Re: Craig C]
#7201358
03/01/21 09:36 PM
03/01/21 09:36 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 566 Iowa
trapperjdb
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 566
Iowa
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Been tapping in Eastern Iowa for almost a week. Looks like you have honey bee hobby too.
ITA, NRA & NTA member
Short liner and proud of it.
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Re: Maple Tree Tapping Time
[Re: Craig C]
#7201697
03/02/21 09:48 AM
03/02/21 09:48 AM
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,964 Indiana
Providence Farm
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,964
Indiana
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I just have a pan like the one above. It sets on a grate on concrete blocks. I'm having trouble determining gal per hr because that depends on outside temps an temp of fire. It works much better than my old water bath canners I used to use but it used to much wood and i would still like it to be faster.
I thought about buying a commercial evaporator but for the price of the cheapest one I could buy a very nice welder and build my own.
I have two thoughts on this. Build a steel box from scratch bug enough for my evaporator pan and a Lee warmer pan. I would line it with fire brick. The door, air control and hole for the pipe would be the worst part. So for that to make it easy and fast I could just buy a barrel stove kit and use the pieces for that on the one i built.
In the same thought pattern i could make a barrel stove cut the top off and weld a piece of steel to make it flat on the top for the pan. But honestly i think that will be more work and not as nice as building one and using the parts from a kit for the door and exhaust.
Then I can control the air flow and reduce wood consumption and I won't have to tend it as often adding wood every hour to hour and a half to keep it hot.
Last edited by Providence Farm; 03/02/21 09:50 AM.
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Re: Maple Tree Tapping Time
[Re: Providence Farm]
#7201770
03/02/21 10:41 AM
03/02/21 10:41 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,570 La Crosse, WI
Macthediver
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,570
La Crosse, WI
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I just have a pan like the one above. It sets on a grate on concrete blocks. I'm having trouble determining gal per hr because that depends on outside temps an temp of fire. It works much better than my old water bath canners I used to use but it used to much wood and i would still like it to be faster.
I thought about buying a commercial evaporator but for the price of the cheapest one I could buy a very nice welder and build my own.
I have two thoughts on this. Build a steel box from scratch bug enough for my evaporator pan and a Lee warmer pan. I would line it with fire brick. The door, air control and hole for the pipe would be the worst part. So for that to make it easy and fast I could just buy a barrel stove kit and use the pieces for that on the one i built.
In the same thought pattern i could make a barrel stove cut the top off and weld a piece of steel to make it flat on the top for the pan. But honestly i think that will be more work and not as nice as building one and using the parts from a kit for the door and exhaust.
Then I can control the air flow and reduce wood consumption and I won't have to tend it as often adding wood every hour to hour and a half to keep it hot. Providance Here is how I have mine set up on the cheap..one barrel has two steam tray pans cut in it. The other has big restaurant pan I got at an auction. I use old grill racks scavenged from dump in the bottom barrels. I also use fan off cook stove hood with piece rain gutter pipe as a blower in the bottom.. Not fancy by any means but works ok for the couple 2-3 days I cook.. I use the 3 stainless buckets I have to preheat sap before dump into the pans. I start boiling down in double steam pan stove. Then move that sap to the bigger pan to concentrate there. Once I get everything I'm cooking in the big pan. I run it until gets close to syrup then move it to my LP cooker so can watch it closer.. This is crude by lot people standards. but i really got very little cost in it. It actually helps me clean up wood on my property that I'd just burn in brush pile. Mac
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"
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Re: Maple Tree Tapping Time
[Re: old243]
#7201823
03/02/21 11:18 AM
03/02/21 11:18 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207 Western New York
dinorocks
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 207
Western New York
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dino, could you explain your method of concentrating sap. are you letting the sap partly freeze , then discarding the ice and keeping the concentrated sap to boil. My friend does something similar. . puts buckets of sap in an old freezer , lets it partly freeze then discards the ice. . Nice set up you have, good spring project. Lots of visiting can go on around a sap boiler. old243 I dump ice accumulating in buckets...sugar will increase in the remaining sap. I use the ice to keep sap buckets or storage area cold. This is my first year using a reverse osmosis system...it cuts my boiling in half! A refractometer is very helpful to determining the sugar content...$18 on Amazon. And yes, lots of visitors during the boil...unfortunately not as many visitors during sap collection!!
"Speedy arrow, sharp and narrow" GD
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