Some grinding required...

This was all his idea.  Elegant.  Efficient.  It also made room for the sinks underneath.  It was the second time the grinder and welder were brought out.  Both the previous steward, pictured welding, and myself were of the opinion that the arch and pans were not steady.  Again, there was nothing in the instructions about how much wiggle was allowable before you should be worried about the whole thing coming off the brick risers and scalding you and anyone in the vicinity. A bit of grinding and cutting angle iron to length led to the welding of braces.  It is nice and planted on its feet now.

I have put out 100 taps and they have purged what fish food was in their way on the trip down collection lines.  I had just enough warm weather, to manage over two days collect about 150 gallons of what I hope is processable sap.  During the baking soda boil and the boil after that with just plain water, I was able to figure out that about 50 gallons of sap is needed to fill the pans to the point that the instructions say is appropriate for making syrup.  Theoretically you leave that much between sessions.  I would feel more comfortable having 250 gallons on hand to really crank this thing up.  Weather does not look on board tomorrow.  Perhaps Monday.  In the meantime, here is 6 minutes or so of the plain water boil.