Best option for new syrup pan for Leader evap.

[Sengelaub Farms]

I'm looking to buy a new syrup pan for My 30 X 10 Leader evap. Any advice would be helpful.

[whalems]

I cant not recommend Smoky Lake Maple products highly enough! Excellent service and UNBELIEVALBLE craftsmanship! And great pricing!! http://www.smokylakemaple.com/

[500592]

I would o with the revolution. Easy to reverse an good quality.

[whalems]

Jim has a very similar option for his pans reverse flow same side draw off. Beautiful!!

[Sengelaub Farms]

I sent a request to Smokey Lake.

[SadSams]

Jim made my pans and i'm very happy. You can't go wrong. Good luck.

[maple flats]

Thor Equipment made mine. Welded, super workmanship, priced less that half compared to Leader, bright shiney SS and they had my pans ready ahead of promised date.

[Sengelaub Farms]

I see Thor is in QC. Maybe schedule a snowmobile trip and pick them up? Of course N Wisc isn't bad sledding either. LOL

[sg5054]

I have a 2x3 Mason I bought last year. I sold my flat pan that came with it and just received my 2x3 hybrid from Smokey Lake. A beautiful piece of work EXCEPT..... It doesn't fit. At the back of the pan the flues extend all the way to the rear edge of the pan. What this means is that there isn't a lip across the back of the pan to sit on the edge of the fire box where the perimeter gasket sits. The way it is built there isn't any way for the back of the pan to seal against/ sit on a gasket. I have an email sent to them yesterday but have yet to receive a reply. With my original pan now gone I am a bit uncomfortable....
79277928

[500592]

I would just cut a piece of metal and put it in between wih some ceramic blanket it should seal it up pretty good.

[sg5054]

Can't. The front edge of the pan won't drop down to sit on the perimeter gasket. The fire box has a lip front and rear to keep the pan from sliding fore and aft. The flues are touching the rear wall fire board. I already removed the fire brick to see how close I could get. What you see is all I get....

[500592]

Just stick a piece of metal in there and wedge omgasket material the metal and the pan.

[Sengelaub Farms]

Did They build it off Your old pan?
Can't. The front edge of the pan won't drop down to sit on the perimeter gasket. The fire box has a lip front and rear to keep the pan from sliding fore and aft. The flues are touching the rear wall fire board. I already removed the fire brick to see how close I could get. What you see is all I get....

[maple flats]

My pan from Thor also did not fit, but it was all my fault. My mistake was believing the sizes on the Leader pans, they were labeled 3' x 2' and 3' x 6'. Without measuring I ordered a 3x3 and a 3x5 (with 10" tall raised flues. When I went to set them on my arch the combination was 1.5" too long. I measured the new pans and they were exactly 3x3 and 3x5. I removed the base stack collar, set the pans on and made a new collar to fit. This worked very well. Maybe you can do something similar. My base stack fits as well as the original collar, I just have slightly less extra space around the edge of the stack. The stack is also the same distance from the flues pan as the original, the difference is slightly less rounded ends on the oval and 1/4" less open space at the rear edge. The base stack sat on as easily as it had on the original collar, no forcing needed.
On Leader's original pans they apparently sized them like the modern lumber, a 2x4 measures 1.5 x 3.5. Leaders pans also had a 1" thick gasket between them, the new pans have a woven gasket about 1/4" thick between them. My best guess is that the Leader original pans (Grimm) were about 3" short of stated in combined length.

[Spanielslovesappin]

Leader Pans for a Leader Arch; get a revolution syrup pan thats fits and can be easily reversed, set it on and be done with it! Or hunt down a used leader pan... There is a reason for the price differential; you simply cannot beat their quality fit and finish.

[sg5054]

I told Jim when I inquired and then ordered that I had a 2x3 Mason. Mason's std 2x3 set up is a flat pan. This was a pan he had in already built. There won't be any way to get a good gasket seal with this arrangement. The gasket would have to seat against the back wall of the pan itself. You couldn't get a decent seal against heat or smoke.
Still no word from Jim ....

[whalems]

I think I would mark where the flues hit the back on arch and cut the angle iron out of the way.

[mapleack]

Sg5054, I'd say you're looking at modifying your arch to make it work. Welcome to sugaring. If you bought a prebuilt standard pan from Jim to go on an arch he didnt build I don't think you should hold him responsible for the issue, modify your arch and enjoy that new pan next season!

[sugarsand]

I don't understand your problem, our flue pan has no frame work beneath the end and is sealed with gasket on on the end vertical area. As for Smokey Lake pans, they are top notch, every bit as good or better than leader and less money.

Sugarsand

[lpakiz]

Yes, my pan also, has no front or rear ledge to set on. It is only supported by the two side rails. As someone else recommended, can you re-fabricate the stack base? My base has a flange turned up on the pan side. It is about an inch high. I butt my pan up to it, with a thin strip of pan gasket between the end of the pan and the stack base flange. A set of forcing screws above the door forces all the pans together, thus making it a smoke-tight joint.

[Sengelaub Farms]

If the pan is really nice I would refab My arch till it fit. Sounds like a winter project.

[filb972]

I would think you could take the pan to a weld shop and have a SS angle TIG welded on the end for a flange.

[lpakiz]

The post (#9) said the pan was too long for the arch.. It dont fit into the space available.

[filb972]

From my understanding in post #9 the indication is that it does not have a sealing flange at the back of the pan... rather than being too long for the arch.:)

[lpakiz]

Whoops, sorry, I mentioned the wrong post. Check #11. He says the flues extend to the extreme rear of the pan and the flues themselves are too long to let the pan drop in on the door end. On my setup, I use a piece of pan rail gasket, pinched between the end of the pan and the base stack adaptor plate, and also between the flue pan and the syrup pan. I have 2 forcing screws above the door that bear against a piece of angle iron, which then bears against the syrup pan, which squeezes all the pans and gaskets tight. I have quite a bit of pressure in the arch from the 1/2 HP blower, and don't have a bit of smoke leaking from these areas.

[SapZilla]

There is a reason for the price differential; you simply cannot beat their quality fit and finish.

You are completely wrong. Smoky Lake uses better (thinner) stainless which is difficult to weld, they make it look better, and pack WAY more flues into their pans then Leader or any other manufacturer. I am a producer who owns and uses both products. Both products are good, Smoky lake is just better.

As far as the Hybrid pan not fitting, it is your responsibility to know if it would fit or not. They didn't even build your arch, all of Smoky lake's ads have tons of detailed pictures of their products. Also, the flues of pretty much all drop flue pans run all the way to the rear.

You can go wrong buying from Smoky Lake.