My wife says I have too many hobbies...

[kb9424]

I've been tinkering with making maple syrup for about 16 years, most of which was done painfully with turkey fryers.  A couple years ago I upgraded to a hobby evaporator but I was still cooking outside in the elements.  After last year, a buddy and I decided to remedy that by making a mobile sugar shack off an old livestock trailer he was retiring.  We had to keep it under 12' which meant the chimney had to be removable and roof exhaust had to be retractable.  After much thought I settled on what you see in the pic.  I bought a cheap deer hoist from Harbor Freight which is what I use to raise the roof vent and just tie it off to a dock cleat.  It worked far better than I imagined.  We also made the back end tilt out for a covered outdoor seating area.  It was a bit tight but it all came together better than I imagined and at 11'10" it barely made it out of the barn!  The cooking consumed my entire February and unfortunately I had to stop a week early to get a little tune up surgery.  Anyway, I thought you might enjoy...

 

[kb9424]

I don't know why this pic rotates but just tilt your head...

[bushog]

That’s not what we called a sugar shack when I was growing up in NC….

Although, a mobile one would have been interesting…guess that was a station wagon…

All joking aside that’s pretty cool.

[kb9424]

We officially named it the "Brix Sh!+house" but when the boys get old enough it'll probably take on another name...

[x101airborne]

Not far off how we make molasses. Cook and skim till it just dribbles off the spoon and NEVER walk off from stirring.

[hunter01]

I like it! Anything we can repurpose here and not send to china or mexico to buy back at ten times the cost is a great project in my book.

[45MAN]

MAPLE SYRUP IS A GREAT THING TO PUT ON VENISON, DUCKS & GEESE WHEN ROASTING (SUPPOSEDLY AN OLD INDIAN TRICK). NEAT SHACK, GREAT HOBBY.

[squawberryman]

Doing, nice.

[bula]

Maple syrup a big deal here, and your rig is appreciated ! I have friends that run a bit bigger deal. There is a festival nearby, etc..

[Encore64]

My wife said that too...we're divorced now.

[bula]

I've tinnitus, Wife has a soft voice. No telling how many arguments have been avoided. 

[magnumwheelman]

love your shed... I made up Mrs. a "she shed" she could take to craft shows & sell her stitchery... looks similar... mine started as an old tent camper, & is all aluminum except the original trailer frame... welded 1" aluminum square tube frame, 1" foam insulation & peg board interior... aluminum siding, ceiling, & roof, power outside awning, & LED lights...





I planted some sugar maples a several years ago, kind of as a SHF sugar source... 6-8 inch trunks right now... we also have many non sugar maples, & I guess the Indians of the area even used to use box elders, of which we have many... the4 think the only issue with the other than sugar maples is lower % of sugar solids... I've never tried tapping yet, as I also have too many hobbies...

[putnro01]

My wife looked over at me when I busted out laughing about the name of the shed. As a beekeeper and grazier "Brix" had me rolling. Thanks for the chuckle.