Stainless Steam Pan

[lynxridge]

I am a newbie to this whole sugarin' thing and am looking into getting a couple of stainless buffet steam pans. I have noticed that they all vary in gauge. Does it matter a whole lot what gauge it is? Thanks

[RileySugarbush]

They will all work. Thinner will boil a little better.

[smokeyamber]

Welcome to the fun !!! Restaraunt pans are a very good way to start, with a block arch if outside is the cheapest. Lots of great info here on them so you will do well. I ordered mine online and just went for the cheapest I could find, go full size and 6" deep to allow plenty of depth for sap. Make a frame if possible to support them it you are using a block setup since blocks move a bit.

[lynxridge]

Thanks for the advice! How do you go about making a frame? I don't own any welding tools, so is there a way to make a frame another way? Without handles, what is the best way to get the syrup transferred from pan to pan or into a finishing pan?

[RileySugarbush]

You can just hang them from there lips on the blocks. If possible, lay a strip of steel across between the pans, to fill in the gap. The whole rig will move around and the pans will gap some. Run them as deep as you can without too much splashing loss.

A small saucepan works well as ladle.

[lynxridge]

Thanks I'll see if I can dig up some steel pieces to fill the gaps.

[Maplehobbyist]

Lynxridge,

I'm not a welder either, so when I made my block arch this summer I just cut, tapped and screwed together some steel angle iron and flat stock that I got at Lowes and made a frame that laid on top of my blocks that held my buffet pans. I tried to post the link to that thread; not sure if it worked. It's in the Homemade Maple Equipment forum titled "? about stack size and placement on block and brick arch." There are some pictures that you might find helpful.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?13932-about-stack-size-amp-placement-on-block-brick-arch

[mike z]

For my first setup, I found an old cattle watering tank, welded up a rebar frame and set it on top. I cut one end of the tank out for the door, and put a stove pipe on the other end. Held 5 steam table pans. Didn't stand there freezing to death either. Without fire brick that thing threw heat. I think my syrup tasted better coming off that system then the one I currently use. Probably because the small batches. I was always surprised that no matter how bad the sides of the pan would burn, the syrup came out real light with no burnt taste. Make sure to put some kind of handles on the pan if you plan to set them down in anything. Also, try create an arch with sand to push the flames up to the back pans. Good luck to you.

[Etown Maple Syrup]

I bought my pans at http://www.webstaurantstore.com/search/spillage%20pan.html Stainless steel steam table spillage pan 6" deep. They work great! Here is a picture or two of them in use. 51185119

[spencer11]

heres a link to my oil tank with steam table pans build. i got mine from sams club. i dont know how thick they are and seemed fairly cheap. the six inch deep ones seemed pretty expensive so i went with 4 inch deep ones.
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?14862-275-gallon-oil-tank-evaporator-pan-question/page2

spencer

[lynxridge]

Thanks guys for all your ideas!! Do you think it makes more sense to do a block arch or getting a 55gal barrel and a kit. My FIL thinks it will be easier and cheaper to do the barrel with the kit but I am kind of leaning towards a block arch and trying to put together some sort of frame like Tracy mentioned. They just look more efficient than the small barrels. I don't really know what the heck I am talking about so any insight is helpful! :D
This is going to be inside of an old horse lean-to with a dirt floor and I am hoping to get some heat out of it so we don't freeze standing there all day and night. I know the barrels throw the heat, but I have never been around a block contraption.

[mike z]

I think the block setup would be the easiest and cheapest way to start. I would expect the blocks to break apart with the high temps after a while, but you might get through this season ok.

[Mikeh]

I got my steam pans on Amazon.com for a pretty good price. This year I welded up a frame but last year I just set the pans down inside the cinderblock arch and let them sit on the lip of the pans. My blocks were laid out on frozen ground so when they heated up they moved so i had to watch to make sure they didn't drop into the fire:o. Your dirt floor should work out better. Search around on this site for "block arch" and there are some photos of several ways to assemble them. I copied one where you use the blocks as the chimney too. Later in the season I made a stove pipe chimney that is also shown in the photo.

The price was right, a couple of pans and 40 cinderblocks.

As for the heat, the blocks don't let too much heat through. You can stick your hand down in the holes for a few seconds. I didn't have a door though so plenty of heat radiated out the front5130

[lynxridge]

I am definitely leaning towards the block arch. Sounds like less work to get it together and cheaper than trying to retrofit a barrel. My lean-to is, or will be, enclosed (6-mil plastic door and windows), so I should be all set. I found these pans online so I think I may pick up a couple.

http://www.akitchen.com/store/product196.html

They are 24 gauge..... is that thick enough or should I try and find a thicker steel?

Thanks for all your help!

[wiam]

24 gauge should be fine.

[RileySugarbush]

One thing I did with my block arch was to line the inside with sheet metal, using rectangular snap together duct work from Home Depot. Two pieces make a section of duct and they are L shaped, about 2.5 x 15. I hung them from the 2.5 inch lip and down the inside of my blocks. This did two things, It helped protect the block from some of the heat and made them last much longer and it helped cut down on some of the air infiltration through the blocks. I never filled my blocks with sand as some do. I don't think that helps anything.

I used the ladle method, using a saucepan. Gives the kids something to do ( if they are old enough to do it safely) and dribbled in to the back pan working forward to get near finished, and sometimes past finished.

By the end of my batch cooking days I had four pans, two with drop tubes, and an electric leaf blower for under fire air.

I agree it was the best tasting syrup I ever made, though a little darker.

[lynxridge]

So you didnt line it with fire brick? You don't happen to have any pictures of that setup do you? Thanks!!

[RileySugarbush]

Firebrick splits are better. Even then, they are so narrow they want to fall in and adding these sheets will help keep things stable.

I have photos somewhere, but can't dig them out right now.