Let's see your rigs.......not boats your Syrup making items

[JP Z]

I know this would probably have been better done before the season. But now as I'm driving around I see all sorts of different methods for collecting sap. From what we use which are plastic spigots in the tree with a gallon bag hanging to folks who have tubes coming out of the tree going to a gallon jug. So, what are you all using? And if you got them a picture would be cool to see!!

I'll post up on of ours when I can get a picture of it.

[mainbutter]

We have a complete mix of stuff that we've tried these past few years and still run metal spigots w/ hanging buckets as well as tubes going to jugs or buckets on the ground.

[JP Z]

Yeah we have plastic spigots going to bags.

[311Hemi]

My neighbor and I just started this year. We used plastic 5/16" taps, food safe tubing, into food safe 5 gallon buckets. We just drilled a hole in the top for the tube. Probably too small to see, but here is one of them.

And the arch the neighbor had made for this year. I am contemplating making one for myself so I don't have to rely on waiting until he is ready to cook or borrow his. I am borrowing it tomorrow to do my final cook of the year.

I am curious to see other peoples arch's for ideas. I am thinking about making a permanent one, but if so it will be a fixture in the back yard that I want to make look nice.

[JP Z]

Thanks for posting 311, I am heading out to my folks later this week so I'll shoot a picture. And the boil starts on Friday so I can get shots of that.

[JP Z]

Here is what we are using, as for the collection method we also just have food grade tubes besides the spigots.

[zzammon]

Drop tubes into 5 gallon pails. Concrete block evaporator with 44"x16" pan.

[deerminator]

These all look great. So what's my best option on getting a pan like those? Going on the list and paying a couple of hundred bucks? I made syrup for the first time this year and used a turkey fryer. I made a couple of gallons so that's a lot of propane and time. Looking for a better way next year. Had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Getting more sophisticated next year. I started using a hydrometer at the end this year and need to use a thermometer more but it turned out great for most part. Only thing was some of the final batches had sugar at the bottom of the jars after cooling. Thanks for any advice.

[JP Z]

Deerminator, you can get a 55 Gallon drum from a recycler or the like. In Brainerd it is $10 then at Fleet Farm they sell woodstove conversion kits for them. May want to look into that. The most expensive part of the whole thing was my dad had his trade made custom.

[zzammon]

Here is the first evaporator I made. Stainless steel sink from thrift. Had a local metal shop weld the drain closed. It worked well and was cheap. Made a few gallons with it. Sheet metal protected the block for the most part.