evaporator pans

[syrup2make]

Do you think having pans made from 16 gauge SS would be a mistake and why?

[Bucket Head]

It would'nt be a mistake, but it would'nt be the best choice either. My pans are that thick and I've made a lot of syrup with them. However, you lose a lot of heat transfer with the thicker metal. You have to keep a pretty hot, well tended fire under them- hotter than what a thinner pan would have with the same boil going in them. I went with the thicker stuff because thats what was available to me, and I MIG welded it because I did'nt have a TIG welder at the time. There are pictures of it in my photobucket folder. If I had to do it again, thinner stainless would be the way to go. A lot more boil rate can be acheived with 20ga. stainless.