Ye Old Garage

[sublime68charger]

Work on the Suger Shack today, I put a extension on the Whily Exhaust Vent and then on the inside of this vent the 8" stove Pipe on the fisher stove pipe runs all the way up inside this 12" vent pipe right up the the Whirly part. I may have to when running the stove take the whirly part off. Time will Tell on that part and Thinking I might due up some extra bracing to the added Height of the as during Windy days I dont want this to fold over on me. Its only roof Valley Tin that I cut to 40" and made a big circle out of it and used it as a extension for the whirly vent.

Plus I did mange to sink Used a ATV and trailer as a tool cart and tried my luck at a deep snow spot didn't go so well.

I have the other 2 whirly extension made and now just need to cut out holes in the roof for them to get placed had to remove a in way rafter in shed and bridge gap the part I cut out. I was getting dark when I got that done I'll try and get Pics tomorrow.
May also test fire and run the Fisher wood stove and find out how much it warms up the suger shack all on its own.

 

[sublime68charger]

Inside stove pipe pic. Test fire is under way today and work on the other 2 exhaust pipes.

 

[xtremek]

Now I'm a little confused. I thought the Whirly things were to vent some of the heat out of the sugar shack.

 

[sublime68charger]

Now I'm a little confused. I thought the Whirly things were to vent some of the heat out of the sugar shack.

They are whirls bird pipe is 12" stove pipe is 8" so 3 whirls will have 8"stove pipes in them
4th whirls will just be stem venting.
So some whirls will be double duty they are the taller ones 1 whirls vent only will just be roof mounted. Needed the whirls roof mount plates that way don't have rain running down into sugar shack stove pipe roof fitting are $50 for 1 I got the 4 whirls used for 50 plus date day with wife. It's what I'm gonna try.

 

[xtremek]

Got it.

 

[sublime68charger]

So more work today on the sugar shack Now have 4 whirly roof vents in. Some Pics of the progress,

I had a Circle wood from the Wood Boiler pipes that I used as my circle Guide Guess where center of the stove pipe would be drill a hole in roof bolt in the circle wood then run sawall around the circle and pretty close to what I wanted. The Circle was bit small so I just put the sawzall shoe next to the cirle and around you go. Then I took one of the Whilry apart and used that base to test fit the hole and such then would take up the Extened Whirly's and place them.

I now have all 4 whirly vents in and the 3 taller ones are braced to each other and then down to the roof so as if I get high winds they dont blow over or that is the hope. The 4th that is just close to the roof line so didn't extra brace them.

I suppose If I was doing this correct I should have boxed each Whirly so that I had something solid to screw down into but for a Sugar Shack budget build you just get this instead.

I did run a small fire in the Fischer Wood stove in the shack today and I didn't have any down draft smoke back filing into the shed. Couse I only had 3 stick of wood in the fire not the 10 plus I'll cram in there when I doing sap.

Also cut out a circle hole in the back wall of the shack and Have a small fan that will sit on shelf in front of this hole to blow out steam when boiling Sap.

My 2 barrel Stove's I may add another 12" to bring the stove pipes up higher into the whilry extentions as you can see where the barrel stove pipes ended and thinking I may want them to be closer to the top of the whirlys then where they are at currently.
Barrel Stove 1 Threw the roof Inside.

Barrel Stove 1 Far View of testing Whirly Roof Base fitment


Whirly Base Fitment test of the Barrel Stove 2 Close up Pic at the roof line.



Barrel Stove 1 and 2 sitting against back wall of the Sugar Shack.



My Wood Circle that I used for template for cutting the whilry Holes in the roof and now bolted on back wall for cut out of small circle fan that will be on shelf above the 2 barrel stoves. 2 whirly extension pipes are in place and above this as well.

 

[xtremek]

These updates ought to make the syrup process go a lot smoother.

 

[sublime68charger]

These updates ought to make the syrup process go a lot smoother.

I hope so. Just worried if the stove pipes are 2 close to some of the wood rafter's I'll have to keep a close eye on them and make sure they dont start smoking all on there own. If so I'll have to put some tin on them to help keep them somewhat protected. Heck i may just due that with the roof hole scraps that I already Have.

 

[xtremek]

Put some 1" spacers behind the said tin and I would think you would be fine.

 

[harley jim]

That's a good idea Kirk,
I would just go ahead and wrap them now, it wont be fun when your cooking.

 

[sublime68charger]

got some Pics of the shack with the whirls all installed.

Inside Pic as well, It'll be tight quarters and all and I may be outside the shack more than inside when its Running but it what I have for this year. Also in rear wall is fan with Vent Hole that will run when the steam is on.
the 3 tall whirls have stove pipes inside of them, the 4th is just roof mounted for additional venting. Also the Tall Whirls all got braced to each other and then 2 braces ran down to roof line so High winds dont just fold them over or rip off that is the hope anyway.

 

[xtremek]

That is going to be super hot in there. I wonder if there's any way to syphon off some of that heat into your shop or house.

 

[sublime68charger]

That is going to be super hot in there. I wonder if there's any way to syphon off some of that heat into your shop or house.

It might be that. I'll be go in add sap where need get out. go in add wood when needed get out.

Last year in the 5 day's of boiling I burned threw appx 1 month of wood that the boiler would have used. I have the wood but it still takes time to cut and split said wood. So this will hopefully cut down on the wood usage. Just having the stoves out of the wind and free air should cut down on the wood usage.

With how this goes the Next step might be to get a RO system.

https://robucket.com/

Like from this place the RO10 would work just fine but its $425 so its not a small investment.

If I could cut down the amount of gallons needing to be boiled that would help alot.

 

[sublime68charger]

So some work this weekend in the shop. Put a tool Box on my 69 John Deere 140, It match's the tractor with color and scratches and all. Plus Tool Box I got from the Father-in-law so I'll get to think of him when ever I use it.

It only has 1 wrench in it right now. that is a 9/16 that is what I need to take out the Snow Blower Transport Bolt. Im sure a year from now it'll have a bunch of stuff in it.

 

[sublime68charger]

Also worked on my Wood Cutting setup. Made the ramp a bit longer and added some grip stretches so that the ATV can get traction going up the ramp. The Old Honda 200SX did the hauling of the materials.

2 strips on the right and just 1 on the left as I sometimes cut wood on the ramp as well and wanted working room for the chainsaw bar if it need to touch the wood no harm you hit metal it instant dull. Thinking I might even take the left strip off and replace with section of Rubber.

but will try this out first and see how the ATV does going up this ramp pulling wood.
Strips are metal shingle cast off's so they have grit to give traction but don't know how long that will last. Time will tell.

 

[sublime68charger]

That is going to be super hot in there. I wonder if there's any way to syphon off some of that heat into your shop or house.

any heat from this is gonna be steam infused and full of moisture. You don't want to due sap in your house in any big amount as the amount of moisture your putting into the air is alot. 39 gallons of water boiled off to get the final 1 gallon of sap.

The goal of the shack is to get down to 1-1/2 or 2 gallons and then finish the rest in the house which is not as bad. House stove you can bring it up to a slow boil and steady it off. Or I finish the last pot on the fischer stove as it has more even heat. The other stoves are just boiling it fast and as hot as you can more or less.

But hoping the shack hold some heat from the stoves so then I'm not lossing all the heat to just air.

Time will tell on this. If it goes bad I can have the stoves outside and up and running in about 2 hours if needed.

sorry I looks like it all ready answered this above but I'll leave this up as well.

 

[sublime68charger]

Pine wood derby race today!
The trophy table.

 

[sublime68charger]

Snow plowing on Sunday. This is my intown setup that I use at Sister-in-law house and Mother-in-law.

Snow was deep enough that I had to fire up the old John Deere 1032 Blower. Had not used in 2 years and it fired on the 3rd pull. Put up on my little low boy trailer and went 2 blocks to mother in law house and used the blower there. as for the small snow fall's she likes to shovel her own but then when you get a bigger snow fall I get called and there's no place to push the snow now as the banks she has made shoveling are rock hard and I can't push the snow over those so I have the blower to use instead.

 

[xtremek]

I like your back rest. How much snow did you guys get?

 

[captain14]

Do you carry everything in a trailer behind your truck?

 

[sublime68charger]

I like your back rest. How much snow did you guys get?

the Back Rest is nice. that wood box is also full of Lime/Salt mixture for putting down on sidewalk to the car where the sister-in-law has to walk I try to keep that area clear so she dosn't have to worry about falling down. Plus it add's weight over the rear tires which help's alot in plowing snow.

We got 5-7 of powder.
At home I wanted to use the John Deere 140 and snow blower but had to take the kid to work at the pet strore and tractor and blower would have been a 1 hour snow removal so I went with the ATV and blade and did a quick 20min job and when got back home spent another 40min pushing snow back. The banks on side of driveway are now higher than the ATV can wing it back so if we get more snow in a bigger amount i'll have to use the blower need to get the blower hooked back up. The hydro lines and take out my transport bolt and lock the rear 3 point up.

Or borrow my dads tractor and loader and snow pusher and shove the top of the snow banks back so I have room to plow yet if needed.

 

[sublime68charger]

Do you carry everything in a trailer behind your truck?

This is my intown setup it says in the garage at the sister-in-law house. The ATV comes home in the spring and returns in the fall. The snow blower and the little low boy trailer just stay there year round.

Garage is to small for her to park her car in so I get to use it for ATV storage. Which is attached so it stay's a bit warmer in there and also has power to plug in ATV to battery tender so ATV is on full charge when I go to start it.

ATV is 20 years old and not a spring chicken any more so its nice to have battery at full power for getting it started.

the little low boy trailer is so that I can take blower with me for the mother-in-law house 2 blocks away when I need to use it there. I just plow a path into the driveway with ATV Unload the blower and blow the snow off the drive to clear it back up ATV and get turned around load blower up on low boy quick ratchet strap around implere housing to keep blower on trailer and back down the road I go. dont even bother to fold the ramps up with the blower loaded just let them float behind. I would like to get solid tires on the trailer instead of the air filled ones as I have to make sure in the fall that they are aired up and then worry when I need the trailer Im gonna have a flat tire and I dont have air at sister-in-law. I should be smart and take my small camper air compressor and leave their over winter as I don't need it for camping in the winter time.

 

[sublime68charger]

This is my single tilt bed trailer and loading stuff in the winter is always fun as you can't get traction to get up on the deck.

I have had to take the ATV home a time or 2 mid winter to fix some wiring problems I have had with the winch. When the winch quits working that makes snow plowing alot more diffcult. I have a ratchet strap holding down radio as the emergency Plow lift strap when I need it. Radio is also held down by bungee cords. Radio provide more of a wind break and spot for the Extra plow lights if I get stuck plowing at night. Most times I have radio head phones on to help keep ears warm and provide music that way instead of the mounted radio. But radio is nice for trail riding in the summer time have tunes and cruise the trail at the same time.

To get this tractor loaded up I had to use my portable winch and old car battery and just winch this up onto trailer.

ATV and plow fit on this trailer if I load backwards as plow is too wide to go on foward. I have 2 place snowmobile tilt trailer as well but same slippery deck problem. Or I have big car trailer but done like taking the car trailer out in the salt unless its really needed for something.

 

[xtremek]

And that's exactly why I put a winch on my Dad's trailer, so he can drag dead tractors and stuff onto his trailer. But his is steel and easy to weld onto.

 

[sublime68charger]

And that's exactly why I put a winch on my Dad's trailer, so he can drag dead tractors and stuff onto his trailer. But his is steel and easy to weld onto.

yep but I need to be able to move the winch from trailer to trailer and some of my trailers sit outside in da weather. That can be hard on electrical stuff. So my winch is portable and can move from place to place. Or even anchor here pull there. Pretty sure I have posted on your thread with my portable winch setup. It works for what I need it and like I said ive put it to use in other arears as well not just draging things up onto trailers.

 

[sublime68charger]

So got to go on a MABAS "Mutal Aid Box Alarm System" fire call yesterday for small town 30miles away from my station.

Got to due Hydro venting to draw smoke out of the house which dont usually due that but that's what the chief wanted so that is what we did.
By the time we got there they had the fire knocked down but was chasing it between some walls and from basement to first floor. House was divided up into 4 apartments or something like that.

Temps in the single digits. Made things alot more fun in that cold that is for sure. Just glad there wasn't a strong wind.
Had the Air packs freeze up on us and sound the low air alarm bell even though we still had air in the tanks.

Fire Truck iced up from the mist of us hydro venting. Which was stand in the door way put the nozzle on fog "wide pattern" spray water out the door to draw/**** the smoke out of the house. It worked pretty good.


We was spraying water to the front of the engine and this is the mist that formed up on it.

Then the Ice rink we created from all the water spraying that we did.


Door way that we sprayed water out of.



Then the grill in the front yard we got to go inside front doorway of house and take a wall apart looking for hot spots and when we came back out the Assistant Chief for this department is standing next to the grill in the front yard so I asked if I could get a Burger/Brat/ and Shis-Ka-Bob off the grill, He just laughed at me and said thanks for your help and pack up and go home.

 

[xtremek]

That doesn't look like fun, in those temps. And did you save me a burger off the grill?

 

[sublime68charger]

Was not as bad as I thought it would be. We was on air for half the time being there so your breathing in nice warmer air then the cold outside air. Plus the temp in the house doorway was still at 60 or better when we was hydro venting due to trying to find the fire. 1/2 way threw hydro vent smoke was clearing up could see into kitchen and did a quick walk around in 3" of standing water in kitchen. Then it all got smoky again and warmer so back to the door way and hydro vent. 1st air tank.

change out to 2nd air tank they still chasing fire in basement and 1st story floor. My team we get due 2nd story search and check for hotspots fire extension just to make sure. 2nd story was warm could feel heat threw Nomex Hood around your neck. Temps in the 80's or so upstairs alot of smoke damange it was all smoke filled you had about 1' of visibilty and could pick out flashlights at 3' or so. walk slow dont trip over stuff. Did the search up there no fire extension found just smoke damange where HVAV system came up from down below had heavy smoke.

3rd air tank was go in the front door rip wall apart shovel out burned stuff clothe's and papers found a few embers in stuff we was shoveling out the doorway. causing smoke.

the people standing around outside was a bit chilly, but the breeze was very light if any which helped. Plus EMS had hot water and coffee setup in township building next door to this place for people to go and warm up if needed. That part worked out nice have building access next to where fire is at for people to go and warm up. Have had that 2x time now for cold fires. other time was a 1 block walk to fire station to get warmed back up.

Ill save your burger you just let me know when your stoppnig by if you wait a month I'll have Maple syrup as well!

 

[xtremek]

Man, that's got to **** for those tenants. I feel bad for them.

 

[captain14]

Ballon frame construction? You have to check everyplace including the attic if the heat/ smoke travels up through the walls and void spaces.

I certainly do not miss those days. I’ve been retired exactly one year today from the career fire service.

 

[sublime68charger]

yes bad for the tenants but they are alive vs getting burned up in the fire. Some remodel of the House and all should be fine again. The Basment is toast from what I gather. 1st floor Has heavy smoke water damange. 2nd floor meduim smoke damange. We showed up did what the Chief on scence told us to due. Then get sent back to are own station didn't have to stay for the lengthy overhaul and cleaning and repacking trucks that the 1st due department had to due.

House had nice steel roof and other than where siding is smoked and pulled off. Few months of Remodel work New HVAC system and your back in busniess very little structure damage. Well 1 wall inside is down to studs and missing a few just so that we could get access to clean all the junk out on the floor next to where a vent was from the basment.

I would think 3-6 months you could have it back in shape to be rented out again.
all depend upon how hard you want to work at it or can get the contractors lined up to get the jobs done.

we had 2 fires same day in my town a few weeks ago first was in apartment house where landlord does the least amount of repair to get by. That Place has been on the city eyesore list for years. 2nd House lady died due to smoke most likley before we got there the windows blew out from the heat and person walking by called it in. We was still repacking trucks from the first fire heck still had 1 truck at first fire doing finaly Foam down of the place when called for 2nd fire. It was a busy day. Also been 20 years since we had fire fatality in town.

 

[captain14]

Do you have any kind of smoke detector requirement in family dwellings- whether it’s an apartment or single family house?

We have had it for 30+ years.

 

[sublime68charger]

Do you have any kind of smoke detector requirement in family dwellings- whether it’s an apartment or single family house?

We have had it for 30+ years.

Im not really sure on that I know for apartments they are suppose to have them for singe family House I would like to think so. If they are installed and working who know's. I know on the first in Reports that we fill out for fires there is a spot that ask's about smoke detector's present and sounding when the first in crews make entry and such.

I know I check them on the places I due fire inspections at to make sure they are in place. I had 1 hotel that had all the smoke detectors with a bag over them and taped off because they had been painting the ceiling and I said you need to get those uncovered ASAP. when you have people staying in the rooms over night. I get when you having the ceiling painted, but when you have people in the room in those wings then need uncovered so that they can work if/when needed.

 

[captain14]

Explain slowly to the property owner how they can “explain” to their insurance company about live and property losses when these are discovered. We had a multiple alarm fire in an apartment building, following week ran a AFA call in the apartment building where the maintenance shops were located. Found every door to the shops propped open with cast iron pipes. The door were in the common stairwell with all the occupants above. I took 2-3 pieces of the pipe and dropped them on the maintenece directors desk and asked him how he’s going to explain “his” occupants deaths to the insurance company and his supervisors.

Silence…

Mentioned I would add what I found In my incident report.

 

[sublime68charger]

cant fix stupid. But they call us just the same when they are in trouble. This last fire I feel bad for the displaced people who gotta find new place to live threw no fault of there own.

Place looked fairly decent had nice vinil siding and Steel roof so there was money put into the building. Vs the apartment fire we had a few weeks back that has been a local eye sore for as long as I can remember.

Though we have 2 different mobil home parks in our fire district and so far in my time we have only had 1 mobil trailer get burned down the ground. Trailers go fast have been to a few trailer fires at other towns where your just looking at the frame.

 

[sublime68charger]

Sap Season 2023 is underway I tapped trees on Sunday as the weather this week looks like the sap is gonna run.

Also added some protection from the stove pipes for the trusses and then Sap Bot Showed up on the wall in the sugar shack!

 

[captain14]

Whenever you have the fire going inside the shack, are you around to monitor it? We don’t need a room and contents incident.

 

[sublime68charger]

Yes the sapboiling is a constant monitor process or you check on the pans every 3-7 minutes, or at least till you get a idea on your boil off rate and then maybe go out to 10 minutes and check on them.
You don't want to have the sap run low in the pans other wise it scorches the pans and burns the sap leaving goouwy black residue.

Since this is my first year in the shack I'll be the one there. In years past I have left a kid in charge of the stove's to go get more sap and came back to pot that foamed over and burned stuff all down the side the pot. Hence till I have a good handle on how the sugar shack peforms I'll be on hand to monitor it the whole time. I can send the kids to get the sap from the woodland.

 

[sublime68charger]

Whenever you have the fire going inside the shack, are you around to monitor it? We don’t need a room and contents incident.

will also have a full bucket of raw sap as the emergency fire suppression device and I have fire ext in the garage I'll bring over to the shack when I'm cooking as well. the bucket of sap will get used first if needed and then the Fire EXT if I need that i'll have to shut down boiling and clean everything before I can start back up. The 2 wood barrel stoves had a ember fall out last year and char up the plywood box that they are setup up. Floor of the sugar shack is all tin or metal shingle scraps that will provide good traction and be somewhat fire resistant if I have Fire embers fall out of the fire's. Also sugar shack roof is all tin as well.

Tune back in on Monday to find out how the sap boiling goes. I guess.

 

[sublime68charger]

also took time to get some ATV riding in.

I kinda like the little 200sx its fast fun and a bit sporty and if you get it buried in the snow can push it back out on its own.