what is more important r/o or filter press?

[bowtie]

i am going to go bigger for 2013, more taps, new rig and equip. what would you consider a better purchase a filter press or small r/o? will most likley run 300-500 taps(buckets and yes, some tubing). i know i will eventually "need" both but this years budget will not allow it all. i guess i do not now what i would rather do, boil longer or mess with gravity filtering. i am leaning toward the filter press but like some input from guys that have one or the other or both.

[PerryW]

Why would a filter press be a necessity? I make 120 gallons of syrup in a typical year and have no problem using gravity flat filters/prefilters. I can usually put 5 gallons of syrup through my 2' x 3' flat filters before having to wash them and I do most of the washing while I'm boiling. An RO would save you hours and hours of boiling and hours and hours of putting up wood.

[ennismaple]

We have both but if I was forced to choose which one to keep I'd always pick the RO. It pays for itself in time and fuel savings very quickly. The filter press we lived without until we got the Force 5. Our last season with the old evaporator we made over 1100 gallons of syrup using flat filters.

[Maplewalnut]

Looking at your signature and assuming you make one upgrade a year heres what I would do. 1.) vacuum 2.) RO 3.) filter press

[5Gen]

We got a filter press three years ago, and the RO last year. Just so I'm totally clear here: my dad and I do the boiling, and my mom and wife do almost all of the filtering and canning.

With that said, I'd definitely buy the RO first. It has cut down the boiling time and fuel tremendously. Batches come off much more quickly now, and batches are bigger.

Yes, the filter press has been a great investment, too. Filtering is faster, and the syrup is clearer. But, the RO would be my first priority.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

What Maple Walnut said -- ROI is best on vacuum and then the RO, The press is easier than filters but w/o the ROI.