Hydrometer Materials

[Jim Schumacher]

Does anyone know positively what the metallic material is that is used as a weight in our hydrometers?

[brookledge]

I believe it is steel shot. But not positive
Keith

[jmayerl]

Guy testing at Merrill told me lead, but I'm not sold on that. Anyways stop trying to make all this new stuff, I want to see a flue pan Before my wife finds my secret stash of cash;)

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

its the metal they use in teeth filling (amalgram) im kinda close but it has been posted on here before. I also believe it has been linked to health issues, in part it has mercury in it. So we have the FDA saying lead is bad but then allow to put materials in your mouth that has mercury in it and use in food processing(Maple industry). Grant it it isn't exposed to our food product but it can be and pray to God if any mercury gets spilled at a job site it is instantly closed down and every one has to go to doctors to get checked for mercury poisoning.

[Jim Schumacher]

Guy testing at Merrill told me lead, but I'm not sold on that. Anyways stop trying to make all this new stuff, I want to see a flue pan Before my wife finds my secret stash of cash;)

Its coming Jeff. When my new machine arrives I'm going to flood this industry with so many flue pans it will be hard to find a flat pan to boil on....:mrgreen:

I am also working on a my own line of thermometers and hydrometers exclusive for maple syrup production. Its crazy how much work is going into this.

[Haynes Forest Products]

jmayerl The best way to keep her from finding the cash is spend it. I think what Jim needs to do is like the strip clubs do have a sub name like SLMP enterprises so you can send him money and the wife wont know. Now every time I start sending money to Roth Sugar Bush when she does my check book and I hear her say from the other room OK WHAT ARE WE GETTING NOW. $200.00 a month and you will have your pans.

[Ausable]

Does anyone know positively what the metallic material is that is used as a weight in our hydrometers?

Jim - I think they use either mercury or lead shot in Hydrometers. I don't know if something else is now used instead of mercury or lead....... Mike

[CBOYER]

The only information i found is for a alcohol hydrometer, and dont break your hydrometer in your evaporator, any of those metals could be present.

https://www.fishersci.ca/ViewMSDS.aspx?cat=11590&lang=EN

[3rdgen.maple]

I broke one that has the small shot in the bottom of it and I can tell you it was not lead. Lead shot is very soft and can be flattened with a whack with a hammer or pinched with pliers and it was definately harder than lead. Looked more like steel to me as it was shiny and hard.

[Jim Schumacher]

When you say your hydrometers have shot in them, do they actually have loose BBs in them. Every one that I have ever seen had a metallic weight "poured" into the bulb end, conforming to the contours of the bulb...I have also seen plastic in place of the metallic substance...

[Thad Blaisdell]

I broke several of the **** things myself this last year and they all had shot in them. Very small shot, 7 1/2 or smaller.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Mercury and precious metals will amalgamate. Lead will dissolve so it wont keep its solid form. If you look at the shot in the bottom they fill it and then hold it in place with red epoxy. Then I believe they calibrate it buy placing the paper in the right spot and then seal the glass. When making a silver filling/ amalgam you would mix pure silver dust and Mercury and either smash/mix with a mortar and pestle or a device called a jitter bug until mixed. Then you would put the amalgam in a towel and squeeze the mercury out of it. Very little Mercury left but still not good to ingest. most would pass thru your guts and out. Its what you breathed that was bad. I worked with pure Asbestos, amalgam, beryllium and porcelain dust for over 20 years so forgive me for my attitude:o

[3rdgen.maple]

When you say your hydrometers have shot in them, do they actually have loose BBs in them. Every one that I have ever seen had a metallic weight "poured" into the bulb end, conforming to the contours of the bulb...I have also seen plastic in place of the metallic substance...

Yes shot like in a shotgun shell, small bbs. I have a couple of both kinds with the shot and whatever that metalic weight thats molded in the bottom. The thing is the shot isnt loose in there it is mixed in with some kind of epoxy would be my guess so it doesnt move around inside. Oh when you start making some that are indestructable let me know I will be first on the list to get one.

[DrTimPerkins]

I broke several of the **** things myself this last year and they all had shot in them. Very small shot, 7 1/2 or smaller.

Thad....get a tapping hammer. They work far better than hydrometers for pounding in the spouts. :lol:

[KenWP]

I bet somebody could make a hydrometer with SS that would work.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Thad....get a tapping hammer. They work far better than hydrometers for pounding in the spouts. :lol:


I knew I was doing something wrong.... Never broke a one 2 years ago, and this year went through them like candy. Caught one on the hood, just barely tapped it and snap. Putting one back in the cup broke the bottom out of it. Another one broke when I threw it in the trash, brand new and off three points. I was real happy with that one.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

, brand new and off three points. I was real happy with that one.

made in China?

[Thad Blaisdell]

Not sure on that.... but tested by the state of vt.... I made about 200 gallons that day before figuring out what was going on. That will never happen again.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Not sure on that.... but tested by the state of vt.... I made about 200 gallons that day before figuring out what was going on. That will never happen again.

when I first started making syrup, every year I would buy a new hydr. and use it to check the one from previous year. I have like 6 laying around now.
its sucks that "new" doesn't mean its good.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have 3 that I rely on and they are all within a point.....................NOW I can ask 5 people to look at the hydro bobbing in a cup of hot syrup and get mixed reviews. I use a auto draw off and that dumps into my draw off tank that has a screen shelf in it. I set my hydro cup with two hydrometers on it so every dump cycle the cup over fills keeping the test syrup fresh and the cup is always hot. all day long I recalibrate using both hydrometers. I hot pack from the finisher into drums that are cold tested at the wholesaler. Last trip they unloaded the drums and put on the scale and paid me without checking it so I think I'm selling heavy Thats OK with me.

I have the name of a guy in Amsterdam that will hand build you a custom hydro for about $600.00.Any takers:rolleyes:

I believe they are all from China.................So what.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Lets debate this..............You take your hydrometer and you set it, plop it in, Drop from a great distance or just leave it in the cup and fill over it. Does hot syrup stick to the stem that sticks out of the syrup causing it to be heaver giving a false reading.......................Thanks chuck now I wont sleep at night:mad: