homemade plug.

[bairdswift]

Looking for ideas on a plug to stop the flowt from my flu pan to my syrup pan. Between the pans is a 1in pipe with no valve. I would like to plug to stop the two pans from mixing together when shutting down. My thought is a maple sapling that's 1in as the plug and use a branch as the handle. Could widdle it down to fit nicely and the handle (branch) would be built right in. A pic of what you made would help

[maple flats]

Likely not a good idea. The wood will swell and you could damage the fitting or at least have a super hard time removing it. I have a plug for my pans for when I change front pans (I have valves in the lines), but the separation clamp is before the valves, so I got the plug. It has a steel handle, the hooks over the top edge of the flues pan and the plug hangs directly in line with the outgoing fitting. The plug is SS (as is the handle) and it has a groove around it with an O ring in the groove. I can just push it in by pushing on the handle and it seals. Then I can remove my syrup pan for washing and connect my spare syrup pan. Nice and easy (and effective).

[eschoon]

Do not use the wooden plugs. Been there, Done that, learned a lesson- even turned ironwood plugs will swell and be nearly impossible to remove. I had some SS pieces on them for handles. I then ordered some silicone plugs from a lab ware site that were FDA approved for food use and would fit my pipe fittings (3/4") and put my stainless handles on to them and they work very well. You would just need to know the inside dimension of your fittings and order accordingly. I drilled my SS handle pieces with a 3/16 bit (may need cobalt bit) and drilled the length of the plugs and used a #10 SS machine screw, a washer and nut to attach them.