Clean the cucumbers and soak in ice cold water bath for 30 minutes.
Drain the cucumbers and trim the ends. Cut into ¼ inch thick chunks.
Transfer the cucumbers in a large food safe container. Cover with boiling water. Let sit 24 hours.
Day 2:
Drain the water from cucumber slices.
Add the salt and pour boiling water over top of the cucumbers and salt. Cover and let sit 24 hours.
Day 3:
Drain the cucumbers.
Add the alum and pour boiling water over the cucumbers to cover. Let sit 24 hours
Day 4:
Drain the cucumbers. Place the pickling spice in a cheesecloth tied with string to form a purse.
Place the spice packet in the jar with the cucumbers.
Bring the cider vinegar to a boil. Pour over cucumbers. If there isn't enough vinegar to cover the cucumbers, boil more and add to the cucumbers.
Day 5 and Day 6:
Do nothing.
Day 7
Drain the cucumbers reserving the liquid. Remove the cheesecloth with the pickling spices and discard.
Place the cucumbers in large mixing bowl. Pour the sugar over top of the cucumbers and toss to coat. Let sit for 2 hours.
To Preserve:
Heat the reserved cucumber liquid and any juices from the the sugar soaked cucumbers until scalding.
Pack the pickles into hot sterilized jars. Pour hot cucumber liquid over top of the pickles. Wipe any moisture from the lip of the jar. Cover with hot sterilized lids and tighten with screw caps.
Allow pickles to cool completely on the counter top. Refrigerate any jars that have not sealed.