Tell me all about wool filters

[Mac_Muz]

My is several seasons old and seems to be running slow. Water passes right on thru no problem, I understand syrup is far more viscous.

One thing I wonder is if the heat from filtering over some seasons has shrunken the wool fibers to the point syrup will slow this much, perhaps stop allowing any syrup to pass.

What is the life expectancy?

What else don't I know, that I need to know?

I ain't gittin' any younger, and would hate to drop dead waiting for syrup to pass. :D

[hodorskib]

I have had the same filter for the past 7 years. I boil it in 2-3 gallons of water, dump it and boil it again inside out. Then let it hang dry never wring it out. I also use 3 paper pre filters inside of it. This gives me crystal clear syrup each time. I make about 10 gallons per year. You can tell when you when you have it clean because after it dries it will be soft and not hard. The first one that I had was a hand me down from a friend and I did not know any better and used to squeeze all the water out. I replaced it when I noticed fibers in the syrup after bottling. Since then I treat it with great care. Hope this helps.

[Mac_Muz]

Boil it? I have always wondered about pouring hot maple thru wool, since wool shrinks. I don't care if it shrinks, but it has to flow the maple to filter it.

I use 2 paper filters, but will do as you say, starting with boiling.

About how long do you boil it for? Something around 10 minutes maybe?

I have hand washed mine in buckets with luke warm water, kneeding it some, dumping that water , to turn it inside out, repeat in luke warm water, flushing it with clear running water in the bath tub, and hanging it back in the tomatoe plant stand on the porch to dry.

I have been trying to gall Mr. Mason where purchased this one to buy another. It appears he is busy, perhaps away.

I hope you reply, as by later this evening I am going to need the filter. :D

[Sugarmaker]

Sounds like your doing the cleaning OK. and 2 prefilters is a good number.
I dip the filter and prefilters in warm water or sap prior to filtering the syrup. Then gently ! squeeze the excess water out. Make sure you syrup is hot, we filter at about 180 to 200 degrees F.
Remember end of the season syrup may not filter as well. We had some dark syrup that just did not want to go through.
Good luck and let us know.
Regards,
Chris

[hodorskib]

Sometimes it takes a long time to go through be patient. I use three paper filters because this time of year I sometimes have to lift the top one with the syrup in it and pour it into the next two and usually the last batch of the year do the same with the second one too. I boil the filters for around 5 min then take off the heat and put a lid on the pot. This will keep them warm. About 20 minutes before pouring the syrup through I hang them in my homemade filter tank (two five gallon pails stacked - one withe the bottom cut out and it sits nicely in the other then a 2 gal bucket with the bottom cut out and put in a lid) this keeps the filters warm and I let them drip. Pour off the water in the bottom and your ready to filter. Good luck.

[Mac_Muz]

I hope you guys come back before evening... Sunday.

My syrup gets filtered off the barrel stove at apx 215 if everything goes well. If not and I reach critical pan depth with no more sap, I rough filter with a old pillow case to get the bark, pine needles, smoke stack bits that get blown back in the wind and etc. I have no shed, and boil out doors on a barrel stove.

In the kitchen I go to 218 and begin testing for syrup with a spoon and 'taste test' :D My wife likes to help.

Temp varriation here for syrup can be 218-220. I have a industrial thermometer called RTD, which is digital readout and to 1/10th.

When we think we have syrup, by texture and a thicker appearance on a cooling spoon, we filter with the paper filters in the wool filter, using a tomatoe plant stand.

I addmitt using a controversial joint compound bucket. (I never sell a drop)

At that point I would like the syrup to flow thru the filters, so I can get on with bottling.

What I haven't ever tried for lack of understanding is to some how insulate the heat of the sap in the filters.

I am not clear on the bucket stack.

To me hodorskib it seems you have the bottom bucket to hold the syrup, another bucket in and on that one to hold heat, and a lid cut to hold yet another 2 gallon bucket.

If I get this right????

The bottom bucket acts as a collector and a seal, I am not sure how the next bucket is supported, but it has a lid, which supports the 2 gallon bucket, and so forms something of a 'cartridge', and maybe then the 2 gallon bucket gets a lid to also hold in heat?

A past problem, one that got cleared up just the other day, was I was heating to 219ish after getting syrup. I have learned now, to stay below boiling, that 180/200 degrees. I tried that once so far, and that realy worked to get rid of niter.

Today will be gallon 6ish for me, depending on what I get. I ran thru 50+ gallons yesterday, which I hope represents 5 qts.

I'll spend some time looking at my junk to see what I can use to insulate the filter bucket. Thanks....