Steel Boiling Pan- Rust issue help !!

[TerryEspo]

Hello Everybody:

My first post and I am sure someone can help, all input is welcome.

This was my first year tapping, and wow, I love it !!

I did all my boiling in regular kitchen pots, time killer for sure. The syrop is wonderful, my kids are crazy for it.

Last week I bought a steel pan, 2x4 from a stranger who said he used it for years boiling sap. It is not stainless, just regular steel, he had it made for him.

My problem is the rust in the pan, he says just wire brush and wash it before use.

I wish I had not bought it, but now I am stuck with it.

Can a regular steel pan be used if I remove the rust before boiling next season?

Any help is appreciated.

Thank-you.

Terry

[smokeyamber]

I asked the same question and yes you can use it. Some suggestions for cleaning are a mild acid like vinegar ( fill it up and leave it a bit ). I would check with a lead kit for lead based solder just to be safe. Once you get the rust off and it is nice and shiney you could spray something like pam or vegetable spray to keep it from rusting. Cleaning it just before you use it is another option, once it is running the maple sugar from boiling will coat everything and prevent rust while you boil.

[Ausable]

Howdy -- Many of the "Backyarders" or Hobby Syrup Makers on this site use steel pans and they work just fine - for both batch boiling and various designs of flow thru pans. I had surface rust on mine and wire brushed it and cleaned that out and then washed it down with hot water and wiped and dried all that out and when really dry gave it a light coating of olive oil. This year prior the start of Sugarin Season wiped out the Olive Oil with paper towels and then did a water boil and cleaned it out again - no oil taste in the syrup. Did several boils this year and now has a shiny coating from the sap I boiled. I also had a large steel batch pan I used for years and after about ten years that is still in good shape. The coating from the maple syrup making seems to protect the pans...... If You just have surface rust - You probably have a keeper ------ Mike

[BryanEx]

If you think about it it's no different than dealing with a cast iron frying pan or Dutch oven. Both you can literally watch rust in the sink if you let them sit wet. Scrub them down, dry them ( I heat them until dry), then wipe them all over with cooking oil until next use.

[BarrelBoiler]

terry
i have been working with old steel objects recently and have had to do rust removal on them. some of the stuff i have used: vinegar (warmed works better with any acid) evapo-rust (expensive for big projects) and electrolysis
(search rust removal on the net, it is kinda neat to do)

if the pan is soldered and just has surface rust probably a brass or wire brush would be best brass won't scratch the steel as bad

good luck

[madtrapper]

i've noticed its been said if its soldered etc. why would you solder steel pans?? I'm really interested in setting up a flat pan with dividers to get away from the steam pans. takes to long and orders are backing up :) . and my injury makes it hard to scoop sap forward. couple questions for you guys that have them. How high do you make the sides and the dividers. is regular flux welding ok ?? thanks

[Bucket Head]

We used a welded steel pan for years. After a while, the syrup and nitre does put a "rust-proof" coating on it. Just don't scrub/wire brush it too hard and take it off. And the soot/carbon on the outside keeps that from rusting. Flux welding should be fine. Just chip off as much of the slag as you can. And to remove whats left, I would grind, or die-grind, or Dremel Tool the welds clean. You'll have a pretty decent pan that will last for generations!