Filter questions for small hobby setup

[3fires]

Alright, I told you all I had lots of questions and I'm trying to use the search feature and keep questions in the proper forum.

Last year I made 1 quart, filtered it thru cheesecloth and packed hot into a canning jar. About 1/4" of sugar sand settled on the bottom, so I just carefully poured it off, reheated and repacked it. I'm not even sure the cheesecloth removed anything. But it was clear in the end.

This year I "plan" on making between 1 and 3 gallons of syrup a week, boiling on the weekends and perhaps once during the week if needed.

I'm trying to figure for one if I need to even filter it or can I just let the nitre settle out, reheat and pack into canning jars? I'm not planning on selling this stuff.

If I do need to filter it what kind of filter should I use? cone or flat?

Having used the search feature, :) , I'm not going to buy a filter press and I don't have money to buy anything more than the filter and pre-filters. Can I filter it into canning jars, 5 gallon buckets, a SS stock pan or the like and if so which type of filter would be best?

What would you suggest I get for this amount of syrup? If I'm lucky I'll make between 6 and 18 gallons for the entire season.

[waysidemaple]

Flat filters have more surface area so they would be faster than the cone filters. You could just let the sugar sand settle out and then repack it but that would involve reheating the syrup. I bought a wool cone filter and per filters last year after a lot of cloudy syrup....the cone filter worked great. With the little bit of syrup you will be filtering I think its six one way and a half a dozen the other as far as going with flat or cone filters.

[3rdgen.maple]

A cone filter you can pretty much set it up using something like the wife's cooking pots. A flat filter you would need a more elaborate setup.

[Bucket Head]

Back when we started filtering we took flat filters & prefilters and with spring clamps held them to the top of large stainless steel stock pots. That worked well and was very inexpensive. Although there's nothing wrong with not filtering. We did'nt filter our syrup in the early years. It was good wether it was cloudy or had time to settle out. Usually it disapeared before it had time to settle!

Steve

[3fires]

Where does the cloudiness come from? Will letting it settle out without filtering eliminate the cloudiness?

[waysidemaple]

The cloudyness just comes from the sugar sand being mixed in with the syrup. Yes, it will settle out and become clear. The hard part is pouring off the clear syrup without stirring up the crap at the bottom.

[Ausable]

Howdy 3Fires -- I make only about 3 to 15 gals of maple syrup a year and found using a chunk of felt attacked over a stainless pot with cloths pins works fairly well. I wet it in hot water and wring it out good prior using and seems to filter better that way. No matter what I do I always seem to have a little nitre settling on the bottom of the canning jars - so when we open a jar we just slowly pour off the syrup into a syrup pitcher and leave the nitre in the jar. Years ago - I made wine and always had sediment on the bottom of the wine bottles - so - did the same thing there - just decant the wine and leave the sediment in the bottle. Being we don't have to deal with customers that expect Maple Syrup to look a certain way - it is not as big a problem. Good Luck in 2011

[Flat47]

Filters and pre-filter papers are cheap and well worth using. I use a stainless collander as my filter rack and set into on a stainless stock pot. The collander is slightly bigger than the pot, so it doesn't fall down into the pot. I also soldered a nipple to the pot and fitted a 1/2" valve on it for canning. I saw pics of that set-up somewhere on here and made my own. It works very well for me.

[Ausable]

Filters and pre-filter papers are cheap and well worth using. I use a stainless collander as my filter rack and set into on a stainless stock pot. The collander is slightly bigger than the pot, so it doesn't fall down into the pot. I also soldered a nipple to the pot and fitted a 1/2" valve on it for canning. I saw pics of that set-up somewhere on here and made my own. It works very well for me.

Hey Flat47 - I have a large - stainless - collander too - but - really haven't used it yet. What do you use for a filter in it? In the past I tried my filter frame with paper filter cones from my turkey fryer - and the paper filters would load up quick. Always looking for new ideas that are user and price friendly. I would appreciate your suggestions-----whoops -- excuse me - on re-reading your post I guess You already stated what you use

[whalems]

I use cone filters but I put 4 to 6 pre-filters in at once and as they start to plug up I pull the inside one out pour off the syrup that may still be in it and so on till all syrup has run thru. If you wet the filter and pre-filter it seems to catch more nitre and filters faster. my syrup comes out crystal clear. Hope this helps. Mike

[lastwoodsman]

Ah, the filtering process is new to me as well. With all the good advice here I am now set up to try both the cone filters and flat sheets. I bought stainless colanders that set over a sink in different sizes with a lot of surface area to try-- Just when I think of a way to try it it shows up here so I feel I am on the right track..
Now something to think about---
With all the emphasis on natural products, I have made about 5 gallons a year for 20 years this will be the first year of expanding on this.

Anyway I am going to bottle some as I always have non-filtered and explain to people why.
To me if you want a natural prodcut why would you filter out all the natural minerals. What is left in the syrup that has been filter pressed other than the sugar? I would rather have some cream left in my milk than todays pasturized and homogenized stuff we now all have to drink.
I even know of a fella who picks up the minerals froma local producer who uses the settling method in a tank. He uses the dried mineral on his cereal.
I am going to make some bread with it in as a marketing tool.
I feel there should be room for both products.
Woodsman

[DrTimPerkins]

To me if you want a natural prodcut why would you filter out all the natural minerals. What is left in the syrup that has been filter pressed other than the sugar?

Filtering is done for several reasons:

1. There is a requirement in most maple regulations that syrup be clear and free of particulates (sugar sand). It doesn't say "leave them in if you like", it says they shouldn't be there.

2. Sugar sand imparts a gritty texture to syrup.

3. Sugar sand can impart an off-flavor in syrup.

4. If you're using lead-containing collection or processing materials (metal buckets, lead-soldered evaporators or tanks, galvanized equip), then MOST of the lead in syrup will be tied up in the sugar sand. Lead levels can thousands to tens-of-thousands times higher in sugar sand. bIf you don't filter it out, you end up with a whopping dose of lead if you consume maple syrup with the sugar sand still in it.

5. Sugar sand can have unpleasant consequences in the human digestive system. It has a laxative effect.

[BoarsNest]

I made a SS filter box that I use with cone filters and 4-5 prefilters it has a valve and thermometer on it. We bottle right off this. I never considered not filtering. I wanted to put out a product that looks as good as it tastes.

I should have saved some unfilter syrup and used it for clear liquids when I had my colonoscopy. It would have been better than the stuff with gatorade.:lol:

[Bucket Head]

You learn something new here everyday. Thanks Dr. Tim. So the sugar sand absorbs, or adheres to, the lead from the equipment? Thats very interesting.

Steve

[lastwoodsman]

Now keep in mind I am the kind of guy that likes to argue a crooked line straight.

Over the years the small homegrown folks around here never filter--granted they don't sell it either.
There is a fairly large movement here in MN and WI regarding cows milk. Many people want thier milk ala natural and oh how the goverment hates that.
We tend to refine all our food products to the point they no longer resemble what was natural.
All the ads no from the corn industry how high fruitose corn syrup is the same as sugar. Which it is--just sugar. What they fail to mention that it is in every food product we eat including meats. Look at any lunch meat and see what is in it. You cannot eat anything without dextrose in it.

How many centuries did the indians make maple syrup and I can bet they never filtered it. Yes they never used metal containers either.

As far as a laxative, well I am at that age where that is a good thing!

Guess I have never noticed that it was a problem in the last 45 years of using unfiltered syrup. Never had any complaints from the people I gave gallons of it to.
I know most people want that pretty crystal clear liquid and that is fine but I think there other markets. One of the things organic would mean to me is unfiltered--Yea, I am alone in that room right now.
Here in Minnesota I never ran across in the state laws about not filtering it.
The only thing the goverment wants here is the same setup as a fine restaurant in downtown Minneapolis has. Hence one of the reasons for so few producers.
Woodsman

[DrTimPerkins]

So the sugar sand absorbs, or adheres to, the lead from the equipment?

Sugar sand is a "sink" for minerals and metals which, when they reach their saturation point, precipitate from solution or are deposited on the evaporator surfaces (niter or scale).

If you leave syrup in contact with niter, some of the niter may redissolve into solution, which can impact an off-flavor (which is sort of bitter). If there is lead in the sugar sand (from the sap collection of processing equipment), it may be remobilized into the syrup, increasing the lead level of the syrup over time. This can happen also in evaporators between boils (lead being solubilized from niter or lead solder), even if it is fairly cold.

[DrTimPerkins]

How many centuries did the indians make maple syrup and I can bet they never filtered it.

The native americans did not make maple syrup. Rather, they made indian sugar...the solid form. It probably contained bits of rock, bark and wood, soot, and insects...which means the sugar is very unrefined and thus would be considered more "natural" and thus better in respect to your argument. Particulates are not nearly as noticeable in this form. They also did not have the problem of lead-containing materials to contend with. They also did not own land or drive cars, so perhaps we will have to stop doing those things too? :)

Notwithstanding what the native americans did or didn't do, unfiltered syrup* in the present day does not meet the standard for either Grade A or even Grade B syrup in the U.S., and thus would be considered "Substandard" by Federal Regulation. Such syrup would be rejected outright in any maple syrup contest. Many packers won't even buy unfiltered syrup.

* by "unfiltered", I mean that particulates were not removed in some fashion, either by filtering, through sedimentation, or some other means.

[lastwoodsman]

Hi Doc-
I can't argue with you--unless your boiling on all welded pans and or equipment with no lead there could be a problem in time. I am sure there still are a lot of pans being used that contain lead solder.
How much syrup would you have to ingest for it to be a problem?
Syrup is basically a condiment, certainly used in mass productions of candy and flavorings and filtered syrup in industry I can fully understand.
but for the family or guy pouring some on his waffles during the year----I highly doubt it would be worse than ingesting corn syrup or dextrose in every food item we eat.
I have very little faith any longer in what government tells us. It is better to read (if you can even believe any of that) and make your own decision.
I don't think I am alone in that feeling.

Woodsman

[DrTimPerkins]

I have very little faith any longer in what government tells us. It is better to read (if you can even believe any of that) and make your own decision.I don't think I am alone in that feeling.n

I care very little for what you do in your own home with your own syrup, or even if you decide to give it to friends (although you should warn them about the possibility of lead ingestion if you have lead-containing equipment, especially if they have small children).

If however, you sell maple syrup on the market....you need to follow the standards and regulations of commerce. They are there for a reason, even if you're not sure what that reason is. It is the same thing as somebody deciding to drive 120mph down the interstate because they don't have faith or believe that the government has a right to tell us what to do.

As for how much is too much....it depends upon what the level of lead in the niter is. The action level for maple syrup is either 250 or 500ppb (that's parts per billion). We've regularly tested sugar sand that had 10,000+ ppb in it if it was from an operation with buckets, galvanized tanks, or lead-soldered evaporators. If you have this type of equipment in your operation...the very first thing I'd do to address the problem would be filter my syrup very very well as that would remove 95% or more of the lead. As far as a "safe" lead level....there really isn't such a thing. We only know about what levels there are when effects start to be evident. With lead it is fairly low. So as far as unfiltered syrup being more nutritious.....definitely not the case if you have lead-containing materials in your operation.

[lastwoodsman]

I do remember the government telling us to drive 55 MPH as we were going to run out of oil in the next 25 years. Few of us had faith in that goverment prediction as well. I did get good gas mileage at that speed. Of course gas was 19.9 at the cut rate stations and 25.9 everywhere else. The Amercian cars went 55,000 and fell apart. It did create a enviroment that has brought us the cars today that can run 200,000 with almost no maintaince. So it was not all bad.

I think the little bit (PPB) of lead I get from syrup is less chemical ingested than the ground water in the mid-west. This is extremely heavily laden with trizines. so much our irrigation wells that are 350 feet deep pumping 3500 gallons a minute have human consumption warnings on them. (yea I drink it anyway)
This is typical throughout the corn and soybean growing region of the mid-west. The corn and soybean industry doesn't mention this to often! I am not a organic nut but being in the AG industry I am well aware of the chemicals needed to feed the world.

I do wish there was as much concern over food products that are much more in mass that the cottage industry of maple syrup. But it is all about profits which equate to jobs.
In the past there were not as many laws protecting the people, now there are many more, and the companies have gotten better at marketing and keeping the lid on things.
And to be honest--I eat it all and most of the time covered with gravy! Oh I do miss pork that has a good layer of fat on it. Sopin' up that hot fat in the skillet with homemade bread.
Glad to have you on our side DR. Tim---
Have a great day!!
Woodsman

[3fires]

Thanks for all the replies. This is quite interesting and brought up things I was unaware of, namely lead. But, I am using SS steam table pans and nothing I use in the entire process will be welded or soldered. I will be using a SS stock pot to catch the filtered syrup, if I filter, and another to finish the syrup as well. None of which are soldered or welded. I'm using food grade plastic to collect and store sap. I'm using Leader 5/16" tree saver spouts and gray tubing from Bascom's, most likely. I'm using hardwood to boil it down and unleaded fuel to finish it, via the Coleman stove. Like I said I'm not selling....yet. :)

Based on that there shouldn't be much lead other than what's in nature from pollution which we breath in every day, should there?

So, how much syrup is left in these filters after processing? If I'm only filtering 1 gallon will I be leaving a pint or a quart in the filters?

If I'm only processing 1 gallon of syrup a week how many pre-filters do I need to line the main filter with? Are the pre-filters re-usable?

With my setup I'm only going to be able to process 1 or 2 gallons a day at max, so I don't want to have 1/8 or 1/4 of my syrup going down the drain in filter material.

I appreciate all the replies, but getting off into mass production, grades and sales is just kind of confusing the issue for me being so new to the scene.

Mainly, I just want to know which filter to get for a very small 1 quart to 2 gallon a day weekend operation and how to line or attach that filter to 3-4 gallon SS stock pot which is over 1 foot in diameter without losing much syrup to the filtering process. :confused:

And it seems several options have been made aware to me, these options are unfiltered, flannel, cone or flat. That kind of puts me back where I started. :emb:

Considering the small amount I'm producing I think I will either go with a cheap cone and a few prefilters or just not even filter it and let it settle.

[maple flats]

Another point, an earlier reply said they use wool cone filters, wet them first and wring them out. Wringing damages the integrety of the filter with either wool or synthetic. If you wet, just squeeze, don't wring.
I fail to understand those who are given specific numbers pertaining to the testing of sugarsand and still argue against filtering. Why would you knowingly give your family or friends such? For gods sake, at least let it settle and then pour off the clear. Don't you understand the numbers? Look, the max allowable is 250 PPB or 500 PPB and sugarsand often contains over 10,000 PPB, over 20-40 times the allowable. Please think of the well being of YOUR family and friends, especially the young children who show the greatest effect of lead injestion.
My guess is that you also do not use only SS, leadfree. And, do you tap roadside? There is still high lead in the soil from the days before lead was taken out of gas and the trees pick some of tht up, then you concentrate it to get a better dose.
I am not one to want gov't regulation, nor even as much as we have, but the lead issue is something we need to control for our children and grandchildren's sake.

[lastwoodsman]

When you "wet down" the filters--how are you doing this? Dipping into hot sap or syrup?
Woodsman

[whalems]

I use hot tap water. I rinse out the nitre and junk after they plug up and leave wet. Some have suggeted putting them above your pan while boiling to keep them warm and wet. The hotter the syrup the faster it filters. Hope this helps. Mike

[buck3m]

For what it's worth, here's my experience:

"Back in the day" we exclusively used the "settling method." Naturally we'd filter with some sort of coarse filter to get out anything like bark that should not be there, then we'd just allow the syrup to settle. Once the syrup on top was completely clear (we'd shoot for two weeks to be sure,) we'd pour off the clear syrup and can it. Worked great. In good light I find it easy to pick up the container without disturbing the sugar sand then slowly pour it, stopping when I can see the stringer of sugar sand starting to show. With multiple containers of settled syrup we'd pour the "dregs" into one container, preferably a tall, narrow one, then pour off the clear stuff from that last container and throw the sugar sand away.

There's obviously reasons why the big producers filter nowadays. Now that I live in Alaska and return to Minnesota to make syrup, we mostly filter because I'm not around to wait for the sugar sand to settle. There are still times, using cone filters, where we get some sugar sand in the syrup. I talked to two different experts in the industry that said it came with the territory if you didn't use a filter press: sometimes some sugar sand would sneak through.

Anyway, I think sedimentation is much easier, and you don't lose any syrup in filters, either. There's still a chance you can end up with some sugar sand, but we have found it more dependable than felt filters.

[BoarsNest]

I use hot water to prep my filter and prefilters. After that I put them over the evaporator to keep them hot and damp. Some of the syrup will drip back into the evaporator so I don't lose syrup from rinsing it out.

[Dennis H.]

I tried Cone filters once and only once! Big pain in the butt. The most filtering is done right at the bottem and that is where all the sugar sand settles to and will clog the prefilters and filters very fast.

So I used the flat felt filters and prefilters. I bought a 6" full size steam pan along with a perferated steam pan that was only 2" deep and a lid. I placed the perferated pan ontop of the full size 6" deep pan and then used spring clamps to hold the filter and prefilters to the perferated pan.
Oh yeah prewet both filter and prefilters. You don't want them dripping wet just damp. I will soak them in a sink of hot water then set them in the other basin of the sink so most water runs off right before filtering the syrup. If you don't pre-wet them the syrup just beads up on the filters.
Pour on the HOT syrup and wait about 10 minutes then remove one of the prefilters. Becareful with this set go slowly you don't want to put all that sugar sand back into the mix.
At this point a decide if I need to turn the stove burner on to keep the syrup hot. If I do I only turn it on for a few minutes then back off.
Keep that lid on to keep both the heat and steam in. If you let the steam out you will cause the syrup to go heavy. You will still have to check the density before hot packing.

Thats it, I could filter about 2 gals in about 20min that way using 1 flat filter and 3 pre-filters.

Another thing I started doing also was to stir in some filter aid right before filtering. About 3 tablespoons per gal I guess

[Flat47]

Hey Flat47 - I have a large - stainless - collander too - but - really haven't used it yet. What do you use for a filter in it? In the past I tried my filter frame with paper filter cones from my turkey fryer - and the paper filters would load up quick. Always looking for new ideas that are user and price friendly. I would appreciate your suggestions-----whoops -- excuse me - on re-reading your post I guess You already stated what you use

I use synthetic flat filters and flat pre-filters from Bascoms. I wet them down like others have said. Usually I just use one of each per day and move the filter as the flow through it slows down. I think my collander is OXO brand - it had the most holes in it and I'm happy with how well the syrup drains through it. No puddles - it all drains through.
When I first started sugaring back in the '80s, I used flat wool filters. Those filters were the worst. I'd never use wool filter again.

[3fires]

Wow, lots of great replies. I feel I now have a much better understanding of this process. I hope to get to a local sugarbush supplier in the next couple weeks if they are open so I can look at the options.

The flat synthetic or cone synthetic filters are both sounding appealing, It sounds like each method has it's benefits and weaknesses.

Depending on the cost I may just opt to let it settle out, reheat and pack this season, but at least now I know what to expect as far as how many pre-filters are used and such. You've all been a great help and thanks again for all the replies to this newb's filtering dilemnas.

[3fires]

I will be tapping roadside maple flats and was wondering if it was safe to do so, especially in town. Some tap in cemeteries and I wondered about that too??

[Sugarmaker]

3fires,
We tap 95% roadside trees. They run well most of the time.
But we stay away from the cemetery, great trees just to much controversy.
Regards,
Chris

[3fires]

Ya, I don't plan on tapping in the cemetery.

[Jec]

How can I speed up the gravity filtering process? Should I put my filter in a closed pot and let it stay warm until it is done?

[Sugarmaker]

jec,
Have two set up at the same time. use as hot as syrup as possible. use pre-filters to remove the big stuff and pull those when clogged.
Regards,
Chris

[Jec]

Have two what? Do you mean pre and final filters or two filtering rigs?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Mountainvan mixes filteraid with his gravity syrup and makes several hundred gallon of syrup each year with gravity filtering this way and states it makes it filter a lot better but never tried it.

[Jec]

Ok thanks West Virginia Mapler

[3rdgen.maple]

Jec. A gravity setup will filter a million times better if you have it enclosed as much as possible. Mine setup has a cover over a my bottling pan. The cover has a hole cut in it and an aluminum sap bucket with the bottom cut out riveted to the cover. The filter fits perfectly inside and is able to fold the top of the filter over the lip of the bucket. I then add 6 prefilters on top of the syrup filter and remove one at a time when they clog. Usually one every batch. When I get through the last prefilter I pull it all and stick a fresh set in. With it being all enclosed the syrup goes right through it within minutes. Hope this helps some day I will post some pics of my stuff.

[Sugarmaker]

jec,
sorry I was not very clear. What I meant was have two complete filtering set ups ready to use at all times. Duplicate the felt main filter, and several prefilters in each. Have them wet with hot sap. If one plugs you then start in the other one and "clean" the first one.
Lots of filtering stations have several felts running at the same time.
Chris

[3% Solution]

JEC,
I have a hobby set-up, a little bigger than yours I guess.
This works for me it should work for you.
I have a water jacket filter / canner.
In the top I have a 2" deep rack that holds the filters.
Filters; One Orlon on the bottom, 4 paper pre-filters.
Then a bit of filter aid in the first batch.
When the filtering starts to slow, we take the top pre-filter out and do another filter aid mix.
Mountainvan is the one who introduced us to the filter aid for the small operation.
The syrup comes out very clear and sparkles.
Hope this helps.

Dave

[Jec]

Ok,
Thanks guys!

[maple flats]

Before I had my filter press, I used cone filters and then progressed to flat filters. I found the flat were better if you have any volume to filter. I used a flat synthetic topped with 5 pre filters, dampened with hot water and squeezed not wrung out. AS each prefilter clogged I lifted it by the corners, held them together and I had a spring clamp hung over the filter rack from which I hung it to drip out. This worked quite well, but definately not as fast as when I got just a 3 bank filter press. The press has a few advantages such as speed and the ability to pump the hot syrup to a canner etc., but PROPERLY done flat or cone filters do quite well. I never tried using filter aid with flat or cone filters, but I would think it would make each filter last longer and likely do an even better job.

[holstein]

My recomendation filter it through some sort of flannel let it set till it settles and siphon off the clear syrup and use the rest for cooking

[Wardner in Tewksbury]

My recomendation filter it through some sort of flannel l

Yes, that is an interesting comment. What would be an effective filter media that could be purchased from a fabric store or industrial distributor? Some outlet that sells the material by the yard. Woven fiberglass cloth comes to mind. Might have to be cleaned to remove any sizing or similar product. I suppose a MSDS would indicate any component that was not obvious.

[whalems]

White diaper flannel works very well. double it up put some prefilters on it and your good to go. hope that helps, Mike

[BryanEx]

White diaper flannel works very well.
Oh boy... I can just tell this is going to start the "food grade debate" all over again. :rolleyes:

[whalems]

I didn't say used white diaper flannel!!:o That would be recycled food grade:lol::lol:

[maple marc]

I'm a cone filter guy, but I'm interested in learning more about the flat filtering. I can't visualize how the flat filters fit into a box top without letting syrup leak around it. Then how is the syrup channeled into a narrow area below?

Thanks,
Marc

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Usually a canner is about 16" high and it has a tray in the top just small enough to sit down inside the canner about 3" with stainless 1/4" screen in the bottom of the tray and the filters lay in it and the sides of the filters stick up all the way around the canner at least to a level that is above the syrup. The filters come in large sizes and can be cut to size or get 2 to 4 filters out of a 36x36 filter, depending on the size of the canner. Not sure what you mean by narrow area below, it is a big huge area??

[3rdgen.maple]

Holy cow. Diapers and flannel you got to be kidding. Please tell me you are. Syrup filters are cheap and last a long time if taken care of. Spend all that hard work and time making syrup and to put in through that stuff to filter it? Why?

[maple marc]

Brandon,
Thanks, that helps me visualize the filter setup. Then there must be sort of a funnel that channels the syrup from the wide filter area down into a bucket or pan?

Marc

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Marc,

It has a valve and a welded on fitting on one end of the tank and this is how you fill your bottles, glass, etc. Here's a pic, hope this helps a little. Maybe someone can post one of the inside and the filter rack.

http://www.leaderevaporator.com/popup.aspx?src=images/Product/large/55021.jpg

[tessiersfarm]

cone filter fits perfect into top of a milk bucket, the delaval style, stainless food grade and all.

[3rdgen.maple]

cone filter fits perfect into top of a milk bucket, the delaval style, stainless food grade and all.

You just brought back a memory from childhood. That is exacally how my grandfather filtered his syrup. He had ( which I have now) 4 milk cans he just put clothes pins to hold the filters on and then set the top on them. I converted one to a releaser this year but the 3 others are still hanging in the sugarhouse. I forgot what he used them for until you posted. Thanks.

[Monster Maples]

White diaper flannel works very well. double it up put some prefilters on it and your good to go. hope that helps, Mike

You need to put that on your avatar. :lol: It really needs to warm up, all this cold weather is making for some weird posts. I think I will stick with the orlon.

[Monster Maples]

Holy cow. Diapers and flannel you got to be kidding. Please tell me you are. Syrup filters are cheap and last a long time if taken care of. Spend all that hard work and time making syrup and to put in through that stuff to filter it? Why?

Thanks 3rdGen, 4am and just woke my wife up laughing so hard at your post.:lol:

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Until I had a press (2 years now) we always used a "station can". Put a faucet in the side at the bottom to can from. By putting a couple of dowels through the loops on the "hat" (cone filter) and slipping them under the top lip of the can, it was held nicely in place. We used to use unbleached muslin for pre filters but went to the standard ones about 10 years ago. These were held in place by clothes pins. Worked well and might be good today but stainless milk cans are pretty expensive.

[3rdgen.maple]

Thanks 3rdGen, 4am and just woke my wife up laughing so hard at your post.:lol:

Glad she got a laugh out of that. Mine just tells me your not funny! But in all seriousness I still have to ask Why would anybody use a diaper?