My build

[Rodcrafter]

Wow nice pic, what in the world is that doing?

[noXcuse]

That's a maple sap evaporator. You have to boil all the water out of it to make syrup. I made my first batch this spring. Amazing syrup. I want to make an evaporator one day.

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[Rodcrafter]

Cool stuff


Making memories.

[mp4]

We bottled up 77 gallons of syrup this year. Every year we get faster. This year I installed a bigger fan under the fire and my evaporation rate went from 30 gallons/hour to 50. One of these days I'll get a flue pan and should be able to evaporate 80-100 gph.

[mp4]

[bluecatfish]

What do you fire that thing with? Now I understand why pure maple syrup is so expensive!

[Rodcrafter]

How do you keep from over heating the syrup?


Making memories.

[mp4]

We burn whatever is free or easily obtained. Lately it's been elm - my brother-in-law brought some pine and it worked fine but filled up the ash compartment fast. It takes us about 30 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup. You can't overheat the syrup but you can over cook it. We were working on the wood splitter this year and weren't watching it as close as we should have...then we hear a woof, look over and the finishing pan had flames 2' high. I had no idea it would spontaneously combust. It cost me $250 for a new pan and about 6 gallons of syrup. We use a hydrometer that tells us when it's done. Some guys use a thermometer...7° over water boiling is syrup.

[Rodcrafter]

Sounds like a lot of work.


Making memories.

[noXcuse]

Yup. I used the 7° over boiling method, with the sap in a turkey fryer. I only collected 10 gallons, just to see if I could do it without screwing it up. It boiled at 210° for about 8 hours. Kept adding sap until the whole 10 gallons was evaporated. I got 1 quart of syrup out of all that work. It was well worth it though. Definitely a learning experience for me. And the best $20 quart of syrup ever. Haha. Went through that whole damn propane tank.

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[mp4]

First year I made it I spent $60 in propane for $60 of syrup...and it tasted like the old galvanized pan my father-in-law used many moons ago. It ended up being bear bait for a buddy of mine.

[mp4]

Tacked the cc flanges in today.

[mp4]

Axle arrived this week along with 4 reasons to get the cooker finished.

[forty_creek]

There you go!!!


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[Rodcrafter]

That's sorta marinating isn't it.


Making memories.

[Puff]

RC...that's a delicious thought ....Sorry I missed the section on Maple Syrup. ( I capitalized the letters to give it the respect it deserves) . This is one of our favorite Vermont pastimes. Can't do it any more where we are but my brother-in-law still does about 6-700 gallons a season the old way with a wood fire. Grade B, as it was called, is a personal favorite with its darker and spring bud flavors. Wholesales kegs of it and still charges us per gallon. Can you believe it?

[mp4]

I don't like to sell it - it's too much work and it seems to cheapen the experience. It's a whole lot more fun to share and trade. It's a family operation too - Grampa's tractor and trees, my cooker, firewood comes from whom ever has it...labor from family members, neighbors and friends.

[mp4]

Started fitting the axle this week. The way I originally planned the frame placed the axle too far forward. I spent today making frame extensions which will allow me to move the axle to within an 1 1/2" of the fire box. I planned to use wheels off an old car I have but learned today (the hard way) that you have to order the axle for the offset rims that come on a car...I guess I'll be buying rims and tires now too. I like these ones but I don't know what the price adder will be...probably more than I want to spend.

[Rodcrafter]

The best part of welding is I get to be the one who says if it will work or not. Axles are easy to make fit what you want. The part that is making the determination that they won't work is the spring block. And if that's got to stay where it is because you have already made the trailer, then you can cut the axle on the outside of the block and add a few inches to meet what you need. It's steel an as welders we say how it goes.


Making memories.

[bluecatfish]

RC is right!

[mp4]

Got it tacked into place today. Next step is to weld the shackles in place and then set the frame hight.

[Big T]

[mp4]

Welded up the shackles and cross brases today. I broke down and bought some nice rims & tires too. Now I have to figure out how to make the trailer tongue. I was planning to use an old boat trailer pole but it was bent too many places to be salvageable.

[Rodcrafter]

[forty_creek]

Strong Work


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