Best Equipment to Make Sugar?

[OneLegJohn]

What is the best piece of equipment to make granulated sugar, the paddle style cream machine? Also, where can I get a sifter/screen?

[Sugarmaker]

Nate,
I like the big Hobart mixer that we use. Pour in 2 gallons of hot syrup, flip the switch, and you should have 16 lb of sugar in about 20-30 min.
Chris

[Dan W]

Chris, I made some sugar the other day with the biggest Kitchen aid mixer they sell and it worked great. I ended up with very fine sugar-kind of like between regular and powdered sugar. I would really like to make the crumb that is shown in the back of the Leader catalog. I really didn't pay too much attention while it was mixing. I just turned on the mixer an went about cleaning up. I was watching when it started to crystalize though. I'm thinking that I let it stir too long and basically broke up all of the crumbs to fine sugar. Is that what might have happened? Should I watch it more closely and stop stirring when the crumbs are the size I want? Thanks, Dan.

[tuckermtn]

The guy doing the demo at Lapierre's open house said if you want to make sugar, a good strong commercial mixer (like a Hobart 20 quart, etc) is the way to go. Thought that was interesting considering it was at an equipment dealers open house....

[PapaSmiff]

The Hobart 20 qt. mixer is about $5000. A bit too "rich" for my taste. I'd have to sell a whole lot of sugar to get that investment back. Anyone have any lower cost alternatives?

[Dan W]

I just recently bought a Kitchenaid Pro 6. I made sugar starting with 1/2 gallon and it worked flawlessly. the Hobart will probaby handle bigger batches but for me it is perfect. It never bogged down or faltered. I got it directly from Kitchenaid on ebay. It is factory reconditioned and was 265 or so with free shipping. The used Hobart I was looking at was 900.00. Works for me!!!!

[tuckermtn]

you can get used 20 quart mixers on craigslist for a lot less than that. Closer to 800

[wiam]

The Hobart 20 qt. mixer is about $5000. A bit too "rich" for my taste. I'd have to sell a whole lot of sugar to get that investment back. Anyone have any lower cost alternatives?

I have about $100 in my homemade paddle style cream machine. I can stir about 2.5 gallons at a time.

William

[Sugarmaker]

The 20 quart Hobart stirs fairly slow and with the paddle type mixer it does make nice crumb. I was fortunate to pick up this mixer at a good price. I have seen good used ones for around $1000.
Dan,
You might have stirred too long and broke down the sugar a little bit more than crumb.
Good way to check crumb is to pile some up and see if it "creeps". (moves/slides down).
I did not know that you could make it in a cream paddle machine. But if it works then that's a good alternative too.
Regards,
Chris

[upsmapleman]

I make several hundred # of sugar a year in a paddle type cream machine. Mine runs on 220 with a direct drive motor so no problems on turning. I use a wooden spoon to stir it some as it is turning and move the sugar around as it starts to ball up. I do about 2 1/2 gallon at a time and take about 10 mins. I have a 10 gallon canner I had made when I first started to make syrup that I wasn't using and I found the tray that held the filter makes a great screen. I can do 4 or 5 batches on a Sundat afternoon. Make sure your sugar creeps. Creeping shows it is at the right moisture content. To dry or wet it won't creep and will get hard. I try for sugar that is like brown sugar and will stay soft.

Dale

[PapaSmiff]

I'd like to see some pictures of the paddle-style cream machines discussed here. I'd like to build one, if possible. Can someone post (or email me) some pics and/or build instructions?

william.smith1000@comcast.net

[upsmapleman]

I will try to send you some pictures. Will take a few days till i take some and get help to send them. I made mine from a motor from a bulk tank. Mounted it upside down to turn the pan. Made the paddles from the agitator. Frame is just basic stock.

[wiam]

I'd like to see some pictures of the paddle-style cream machines discussed here. I'd like to build one, if possible. Can someone post (or email me) some pics and/or build instructions?

william.smith1000@comcast.net

Same idea as Leader's cream machine. I will try to find pictures of mine.

William

[adk1]

can you use a KitchenAid mixer? or is this too fast?

[OneLegJohn]

Chris, does that Hobart make cream for you too? If it does, the Hobart mixer is a no brainer.

[Dan W]

adk1, The Kitchenaid (Pro 6) I bought is their most powerful mixer. It has a 575 watt motor. Some of the other ones have down to 325 watts. I was considering a Pro 5 at 450 watts and it probably would have done fine but the 6 is more powerful and has a 6 quart capacity. I have read here of some wives pretty mad that their mixers got fried. Get the big one. Dan.

[Mapleman(Greg)]

Same idea as Leader's cream machine. I will try to find pictures of mine.

William
Try Tom from southfacefarm on here he sent me some great plans
tom@southfacefarm.com

[SDdave]

can you use a KitchenAid mixer? or is this too fast?

I was wondering the same thing. And how fast do you set the mixer? Is my wife going to hit me with a frying pan? :confused:

SDdave

[Sugarmaker]

sdave,
Go with the slowest speed on the mixer. Were talking hot syrup here.
Regards,
Chris

[SDdave]

Thanks Chris. I think I will try it this weekend yet.

SDdave

[Sugarmaker]

Chris, does that Hobart make cream for you too? If it does, the Hobart mixer is a no brainer.

Nate,
I did not have good luck making cream in the Hobart. Several failed grainy batches.
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Nate, and others,
Some pictures of the Hobart making maple sugar.
I made about a gallon prior to this and did not like the flavor it was with darker end of the season syrup and tasted a bit scorched too (see last picture for comparison). No you cant lick the picture for the taste:)! So I used .75 gallon of early syrup and here are the results. Made 5, 1 quart jars of sugar. Each jar holds 1 lb 4 oz of sugar.

Regards,
Chris

[Mapleman(Greg)]

I am looking for a good digital thermometer any recommendations

[lastwoodsman]

Sugar maker
Thanks for the photo essay. Photos speak a lot more than words and this kind of information is wonderful!
Haven't made any yet but an looking forward to it this coming season.
Woodsman

[wiam]

I finally took pictures of my cream machine.

[Father & Son]

Like Dan W I have the largest Kitchenaid. It does 2 qt batches of cream and 3 qt batches of sugar fairly easy. Anything larger than that and the motor heats up quick.

Jim

[Dan W]

Jim, How has it worked for you with cream? Chris said he hadn't much luck with his Hobart and I was thinking about making a gear pump machine. Time is running short for the Fall Festivals so I might try some with the mixer.

[Father & Son]

Dan W,
I've had some luck with it. When I have had a batch failure it is when I try to hurry things up by increasing the speed. If I leave it on the lowest setting, most of the time it turns out OK.

Jim