I need lots of help

[thenewguy]

hey guys, just registered on here. I've always been interested in making syrup, ive helped local producers here in ontario before but now I'm on my own. I don't know alot about equipment but I found a deal this weekend I couldn't refuse. I bought an evaporator out of an abonded sugar shack for $100. I'm not sure excatley what it is, there are 3 pans on the front. 2 feet wide by about 6 feet long with "Waterloo" on a sticker on them made in quebec ontario. Above these 3 pans is another HUGE pan with flues running front to back, i'm guess this pan is also around 6 feet wide by about 10 feet long. I don't need an evaporator this big, I don't even have enough trees to feed it sap. So, my plan is to build an evaporator from the front 2 pans. Both pans I think appear to be stainless, with pipes that join them together. Building an evaportor shouldn't be a problem with them, but one thing I've always wondered (dumb question) is how do you remove the syrup when done cooking without scorching then pan, do you leave syrup in it? flush it with sap? as its draining?? my only fear is burning these pans up.. I would love some ideas or hints on how to build this evaporator. I have about 30-35 trees so I don't an evaporator this big... I'm still not sure how I'm going to get it all out of the sugar shack Does anyone need any evaportor parts? doesn't anyone know what type of evaporator I may have here? I'll email you a pic of it if anyone is interested..many thanks, Greg.

[maplehound]

Greg.
There should be a draw off valve on the front pan. So while you add fresh sap only to the back pan in the first bay it sets up a flowing river and you make syrup only inn the last bay of the front pan where the draw off valve is at. The big back pan with the flues is what most call a flue pan where most of the sap is evaporated off before being finished in the front pans. With the small amunt of trees that you have you whon't need that pan and you might be better off selling the whole thing or trading it in and buying a smaller rig. Although I am sure you could get something to work with those front pans.
Ron

[brookledge]

Welcome aboard.
What it sounds like is a 6'X16" evaporator with cross flow syrup pans. It would have a boiling capacity of around 300 to 350 GPH without any extras like a pre-heater of forced draft. If everything is in good shape and you only paid 100 for it you got a great deal.
However it is way to big for your 30-35 trees. What you need is a half pint or a 2X6 evaporator.
The flat syrup pans would work for you to boil on the few trees you have but you need to fabricate an arch to do so. I think you are better off selling the evaporator as a 6X16 rather than spending the $ to make an arch. If it is in good shape then you could get a few thousand for it. And on the flip side buy a good used 2X6 already to go for a $1,000 and have money left over. I would also recomend taking some digital pictures to post so we can help you determine the value.
As to how it works the big pan is a flue pan either a drop style or a raised style. If it is a drop style then the flues hang down in the middle about 7". If it is raised then the flues are built up in the pan.
When the sap leaves the flue pan it is going to enter the first syrup pan and weave its way through each pan until it reaches the third pan. When you have syrup you would draw it off at the end of the line. It should have a float and a regulator of some type to keep the same level in the pans at all times.
That is the basics.
Keith

[sslowpoke@charter.net]

hey guys, just registered on here. I've always been interested in making syrup, ive helped local producers here in ontario before but now I'm on my own. I don't know alot about equipment but I found a deal this weekend I couldn't refuse. I bought an evaporator out of an abonded sugar shack for $100. I'm not sure excatley what it is, there are 3 pans on the front. 2 feet wide by about 6 feet long with "Waterloo" on a sticker on them made in quebec ontario. Above these 3 pans is another HUGE pan with flues running front to back, i'm guess this pan is also around 6 feet wide by about 10 feet long. I don't need an evaporator this big, I don't even have enough trees to feed it sap. So, my plan is to build an evaporator from the front 2 pans. Both pans I think appear to be stainless, with pipes that join them together. Building an evaportor shouldn't be a problem with them, but one thing I've always wondered (dumb question) is how do you remove the syrup when done cooking without scorching then pan, do you leave syrup in it? flush it with sap? as its draining?? my only fear is burning these pans up.. I would love some ideas or hints on how to build this evaporator. I have about 30-35 trees so I don't an evaporator this big... I'm still not sure how I'm going to get it all out of the sugar shack Does anyone need any evaportor parts? doesn't anyone know what type of evaporator I may have here? I'll email you a pic of it if anyone is interested..many thanks, Greg.

My friend has an old Warren evaporator ( late 1800 or very early 1900's) and he tilts the last pan up in the air to drain the syrup, after plugging the other 3 pans off. After draining the syrup he pulls the plug which has blocks off the unfinished syrup and slowly lowers the pan over the heat as the unfinished syrup drains in from the other pans. Maybe yours does the same. It is important to not let the pan run dry under all that heat.

[bkyrdmpl]

Sounds to me like a re-sale is the way to go. This rig you bought is a beast for 35 trees! If it is in good shape you got quite a deal. Sell that baby, and buy a nice, new evaporator that will match your 35 trees.
I'm new at this game too, but we are doubling our taps this year. "Ramping it Up!" So beware that 35 trees in 2011 might be just the beginning!

Regards

[3rdgen.maple]

Umm you guys do realize this thread is 5 years old.

[thenewguy]

ummm agreed....thats were i started out over 5 years ago. production is now up over 100% from those first 35 taps.....

[Dean Hale]

So I'll ask,,,,,,,,, what did you end up doing with the beast?

[thenewguy]

took pictures of it, then scrapped it

[delta757and767pilot]

why did you scrap it?