What brand

[Fred Henderson]

Due to the fact that I am buying a new evaporater, I would like some input on what brand names you guy are using. D&G seems to be big in here, any others.

[maplehound]

I have a Dellair 3X8 raised flue. It has more flues than most others. I mine has 15 flues most have 12) This increases rate of boiling. It also makes it harder to brush the flues out since they are so tight.
Ron

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Lapiere seems to have the best prices and maple guys are offering 12%, something to think about.

In service, Leader is second to none and their quality is as good or better than anyone else's in my opinion. :? I have a 2x8 and love it! :D

[Fred Henderson]

I just returned from a D&G dealer and he it going to get me a price in a 3x6 drop flue. I am still planning on going to Leader's open house on the 28 of this month.

[nmerritt]

Good luck with leader, spoke with them earlier today and everything I needed was not going to be on sale. They seem to be apart from everyone else. Make sure you ask before you purchase during their spring sale.

[sweetwoodmaple]

Yes, leader has the best service. On the small evaporators, don't plan on any discounts. 5% if you are lucky.

[nmerritt]

I think leader should watch what they do, CDL has moved into St. Albans and I hear a lot of people pleased with their service and prices. Large operations have decided to change over. Too bad, be nice to keep it local but when your talking about 5-30% price differences its hard to do just that.

[royalmaple]

nmerritt-

Did you drive your truck through the legend, heck of a hole in the side of that guy. Muzzle loader? Bet it just buckled in its tracks.

Nice to see them cartwheel.
:lol: :lol: 8O

[TWhite]

Speaking of discounts I read that Bascom's open house was the 21st and 22nd of this month is it worthwhile to make a trip and come out for that. We made a fast road trip to buy our evaporator used there earlier this spring and thought we might like to see the country that we could not see through the snow whiteouts.

[brookledge]

They have some good seminars and reps from different companies are there. Bascoms carries almost every brand so you can see side by side the differences in some of the products. They are offering the same deal they always do, 10% off.
But a better deal is to buy from mapleguys at 15% off
Keith

[maplwrks]

Dallaire is the Cadillac of the industry right now, Lapierre is #2. Go with cross flow pans and you will love it . Stay away from Leader(their name should really be Follower) they are JUNK! THEY DON'T DO ANY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ON ANY THING THEY MAKE, THEY RELY ON SUGARMAKERS TO DO IT FOR THEM!!

[Russell Lampron]

Fred, how come you only want a 6 foot evaporator? A longer one would have a better evaporation rate especially with 3 foot wide pans.

I've been trying to stay out of this one but the other day I was a local dealer where they had a brand new Leader 2x6 on the floor. I was surprised to see how low the sides of the pans were. It looks like they are cutting corners to save money on stainless steel.

Russ

[Fred Henderson]

I want a 6 footer because when I want to do less taps I will not have to look for a smaller rig. Its not a 2x6 that I want it is a 3x6, which has a much bigger fire box. I may have to go with a 3x8. My D&G dealer is checking on whether I can even get a 3x6 and the Leader dealer never got back to me.
I want to be able to help in the bush and then boiler for just a few hours, not 10 or 12 hrs. Russell I am glad that you have some in put into this. What my original ? was, was what rig do each of you have and why do you like it pro's and con's.So far D&G has really got my attention, but on the other hand I know that Leader will make any size pan that I want. Leader's pans(20gage) are all cut with a plasma cutter and welded. D&G pans are 22 gage and are pressed in a die. When pressed the corners stretch and are therefore no longer 22 gage at that point. I am sure that the D&G rig will last me for as long as I am able to make syrup.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Leader is junk and don't do any research, Hmm. 8O Guess they are the only ones coming out with 11" flues in their evaporators. I think the revolution is way better than any cross flue.

Least they are smart enough not to sell RO's that will run sap way past where it should be and even smarter to tell people not too. :roll: :roll: :roll:

Are they overpriced, well maybe, but look at the socialist mess north of the border. Can't make but what syrup they allow you too which is around 75% of you normal crop this year! 8O Same reason why China stuff costs less is the same reason every other evaporator costs less! :idea:

Like they say, everyone has an opinion and a belly button. :roll: :roll: :roll:

[hard maple]

the revolution is a fad. Their way of pulling back some of the would be cross flow customers. But it does win the award for the most cold syrup hanging off the side of the pan, with all those silly valves and pipes. and once again drawing from the hottest part of the pan. way to go leader, I mean follower.

[Fred Henderson]

Could someone please explain the difference of reverse flow and cross flow to me? Can a cross flow pan be reversed without turning the pan around.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

When did the sides of a syrup pan become the hottest part of the evaporator?? The center sections, very hot, the sides, not even close. :idea: :idea: :idea:

[forester1]

The reverse flow is one big syrup pan in front. It is designed so you can plug one inlet hole in the flue pan so the sap inlet goes to the opposite side of the flue pan and turn a couple valves on the inlet and drawoff to the syrup pan and then drawoff is on the opposite side from what it was before. The flow is reversed throughout the evaporator.

The cross flow has two equal sized syrup pans. Syrup is taken off the same side. Pans can be switched. A lot of people buy an extra pan so one can always be off being cleaned. They can be reversed but you have to remove them.

[hard maple]

the back of the pan, close to the flue, hot. front of the pan close to the casting, not as hot. hence, hottest part of pan. I didn't say side of pan.

[Banjo]

Lets see if I've got this right ... the hottest part of the pan is back near the flue? If this is the case, then is this suggesting that the hot flue gasses do the best job of transferring heat, rather than the flames "licking" under the pan?

I'm thinking about evaporator design (even when I perhaps should have other priorities :lol: ) and am thinking that perhaps there's some benefit in having a separate, well insulated, firebox and then run the output from that into the "heat exchanger" section (arch? not sure what the right term is there) under the pans. Would give a bit longer total unit, but maybe you'd get better heat transfer to the pans, and maybe a bit more tolerance to firing?

cheers, Andrew

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Let each buy what he wants to buy and leave it at that, don't go criticizing someone else or what they bought. Freedom of choice is what makes this country great! :D :D :D

[Fred Henderson]

The dealer from D&G called today with his price for a 3x6 and the 3x8 was only 300 bucks more. I am going for the 3x6 and with my well built parallel heater it will surpass a 3x8.

[sweetwoodmaple]

Brandon - don't say that too loud, those bumper sticker producers love these Ford vs. Chevy rivalries. :wink:

Heck, that would cut 1/2 the vendors at the flea market!

[brookledge]

I have a revolution set of pans and would never think of going to cross flow pans especially if I had to lift them off to turn them around. As far as a fad I don't think so. The time to reverse flow takes me about 5 seconds and that is when I'm not rushing. Other nice features are nothing but stainless, no rubber hoses for conectors.
You do not need alot of room in the sugarhouse because the side you don't draw off can be close to the wall. And on mine I never have any problem keeping the boil going on the sap as is enters the syrup pan. If you have alot of time and labor hanging around when its time to lift the pans off and reverse the flow go with the cross flow.
Keith