Using a coffee can to add sap to boiling trays

[Run Forest Run!]

I read an idea about punching a small hole in either the bottom or the lower side of a coffee can to allow sap to slowly, and constantly, drip into a boiling sap tray. The thought behind it is that the very slow addition of sap won't bring down the boil of the hot sap. I've got an empty giant coffee can from Costco and I think it would do a great job if this is something worth trying.

I'm using stainless steel steamer trays this year and I'd love to hear your ideas as to how to secure the can to the tray. Perhaps it might be better to try to rig up some kind of stand that I can place next to the trays? I definitely don't want to see my sap dumping on the ground due to poor planning.

It would be really easy to keep the coffee can topped up, unless of course this method is more trouble than its worth.

Karen

[Kyle Baker]

It must be a pretty small hole if its a constant drip thing. It would be handy to put a little valve on a can so you could control the feed rate. I even thought about a container with copper tubing that wraps around something hot with a little valve. Although the coffee can idea is cheaper!

[Run Forest Run!]

Yes, apparently the hole is supposed to be quite small so things don't cool off too quickly.

[Sweet Shady Lane]

What i did was get a clear four gallon tote and drilled a hole in the bottom of it, Then i got some 1/2" pvc pipe fittings and a shut off valve and a four foot copper pipe hooked it all together and ran it to my steam pans, With the shut off valve you can adjust the flow into the pan

[Z/MAN]

I did the coffee can and small hole on my first rig. It works fine but the flow changes with the amount of sap in the can. Full can= fast flow and as the sap in the can goes down so does the amount of sap flowing into the pan.

[Run Forest Run!]

Thanks for the tips Kyle, kjb and Z/MAN.

[PapaSmiff]

I have used, and plan to continue to use, the coffee can pre-heater method. It worked well for me, although you need to fill the can frequently.

[Run Forest Run!]

Bill, where did you put the coffee can? Did you afix it somehow to the evaporator pan? I'm looking for ideas.

I'm pleased to hear that you not only like that method, but are planning to continue to do it.

Karen



I have used, and plan to continue to use, the coffee can pre-heater method. It worked well for me, although you need to fill the can frequently.