Wool Cone Vs Synthetic Cone for gravity

[antelope76]

I was wondering what type of filters folks are using to filter small batches using gravity only? I usually filter anywhere from 2 to 4 gallons at once. This year I was having trouble with the synthetic cone plugging up. I usually put 6 prefilters in it and pre-soak them, etc... etc...

I was going to get a wool cone filter next year and try that.

[maplerookie]

I was wondering what type of filters folks are using to filter small batches using gravity only? I usually filter anywhere from 2 to 4 gallons at once. This year I was having trouble with the synthetic cone plugging up. I usually put 6 prefilters in it and pre-soak them, etc... etc...

I was going to get a wool cone filter next year and try that. My first year I used a wool filter. this time around I used the synthetic. I don't think there was any difference. It seems as this year a lot of people are commenting about filtering issues.. It must be the weather I guess. I was talking to an old timer. he used to sugar/bottle/can with his dad he is now 65 or so.. anyway he said they would whip up a bunch of egg whites and add them to the hot syrup to help with clarity. stir it through the hot syrup them dip it off. I am not gonna try it ..just thought I would throw that out there.

[lpakiz]

Hey, hey, HEY, 65 is not an old timer.....

[maplerookie]

Hey, hey, HEY, 65 is not an old timer..... I meant he was an old time sugar maker. did it when he was a kid with his dad and grandpa. The "old timer" is my second cousin. Myself I am 60 yrs young.

[steve J]

I use wool with a paper filter and it works fine. I filter as I draw off and I filter when I dump it into a cone filter tank. When I bring it back up to temp and measure for density I than filter that 2 gallons inside were its warm when I use to filter it outside the syrup cooled to fast and did not filter out completely.

[lpakiz]

OK, OK, standing down. Whew! Had me worried there for a minute.

[adk1]

Don't mean to steal the thread here but has anyone noticed the quality of the prefilters are not the same as years past? Mine seem to be very thin and even have torn after a few filtering.

[maplerookie]

OK, OK, standing down. Whew! Had me worried there for a minute. Too funny. When I was a kid we used to vacation up in your area. St Regis falls area. my dad had a friend had a cabin in the woods. Wallace Winters and his wife they had several kids that they took care of. I think they got paid by the state to do it. anyway My best memory was of the old bath tub beside the road filling constantly from a spring piped from high up on the mountain ice cold and so good!

[Michael Greer]

Back to those wool filters. After reading an article about BSA plastics...and all other plastics, I've decided to get as far away from the stuff as possible. I'm using polyesther filters and prefilters right now, but I won't replace them. Tell me more about your experience with wool, and paper prefilters. Do they add any headaches?

[maplerookie]

Back to those wool filters. After reading an article about BSA plastics...and all other plastics, I've decided to get as far away from the stuff as possible. I'm using polyesther filters and prefilters right now, but I won't replace them. Tell me more about your experience with wool, and paper prefilters. Do they add any headaches? Mike they are all gonna plug up at some point. lots of opinions about filtering on this site. the wool works great. using several prefilters inside and pulling them out as they plug seems to me to be effective..all filtering takes time for us backyarders. I think the professional sugarers with their professional grade filter presses even have issues with filters plugging up at some point. I think the solution is to have enough filtering media on hand for the amount of syrup you plan to produce. The good thing is that the filters are washable in hot water and then can be re-used for a long time.

[smtwn94]

Don't mean to steal the thread here but has anyone noticed the quality of the prefilters are not the same as years past? Mine seem to be very thin and even have torn after a few filtering.

Yes. I noticed the same thing. The pre filters I got for this year also seemed to be made of a different material. Thinner and they had a different feel to them. I also had a problem with them giving on off flavor (filter flavor) to the first 3-4 gallons I ran through them. I boiled them in baking soda twice to finally get the off flavor to go away. I did manage to get about 45 gallons through the same five prefilters without tearing any, so maybe I got lucky on that part.

[NTBugtraq]

How do you take out a clogged pre-filter without it getting really messy? Every time I do it I end up with syrup all over the place. I'm just pulling it straight up and then quickly turning it over into the next pre-filter??

Cheers,
Russ

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Yes. I noticed the same thing. The pre filters I got for this year also seemed to be made of a different material. Thinner and they had a different feel to them. I also had a problem with them giving on off flavor (filter flavor) to the first 3-4 gallons I ran through them. I boiled them in baking soda twice to finally get the off flavor to go away. I did manage to get about 45 gallons through the same five prefilters without tearing any, so maybe I got lucky on that part.thought I messed up and gave the syrup off flavor did u get the off flavor out of the syrup?

[Big_Eddy]

How do you take out a clogged pre-filter without it getting really messy? Every time I do it I end up with syrup all over the place. I'm just pulling it straight up and then quickly turning it over into the next pre-filter??

Cheers,
Russ

I use a silicone oven mitt. It being waterproof, I just reach in and grab the prefilter half way down one side and lift and tip at the same time. I drop the pre-filter straight into the sink and rinse away the nitre.
The silicone oven mitt isn't much use for anything else - it's too stiff for grabbing pots out of the oven - but it works great for syrup.

[ryebrye]

Leader has an interesting note on their website about wool vs synthetic:



Wool filters are longer available. While researching purchasing options we were informed that the wool filters are not FDA approved for food use. We realize that sugarmakers have been using them for decades without harm, however industry trends led us to discontinue selling this product.


(they have a longer section prior to that skirting around the issue and basically saying "either one works fine")

It's in their http://www.leaderevaporator.com/t-Maple-Syrup-Sugarmaker-Information-Center.aspx# under the "Do I need a wool or synthetic filter?" link

[Michael Greer]

The FDA is going to have to back down on this issue. I'm switching TO wool next year, and away from all plastics that come into contact with hot liquids. There is plenty of research now to indicate that the plastics we're all used to using for everything are very bad.

[NTBugtraq]

So you've never bottled (nor will) into plastic bottles?

Cheers,
Russ

[NTBugtraq]

BTW, has anyone got a link to an FDA publication (preferably on an FDA site) that makes this distinction faring Orlon over Wool? I can find numerous references on the FDA site about Corning Glass Wool filtration material, but nothing about natural wool.

I just found Anderson Maple Syrup's (my dealer) bulk syrup purchasing policy as of March 2014, and they say that they will take syrup filtered in Orlon or wool...

Cheers,
Russ

[Michael Greer]

I have indeed bottled into plastic jugs, but I've decided no more after this year. I bought glass half-gallon jugs to finish up what I made this season...they look really nice. I also packed all of the smaller amounts in quart, pint, and half pint canning jars, and folks are buying them up. I give them a dollar off if they bring a jar to trade.
I ordered new wool filters just today after reading the mention that they might be banned.

[NTBugtraq]

So it seems there is no evidence that the FDA has said anything about the use of natural wool filters and maple syrup, so there is nothing for the FDA to back down from.

Michael, for me, and I only learned this after buying 100 plastic bottles, is that glass is cheaper than plastic...go figure. I never would have believed that but not only can I get glass cheaper from my same supplier than plastic, but you're right, syrup looks way better in glass. I thought customers would prefer plastic (can't break), but I got a repeat today who said; "where's those 500mL glass bottles?"...lolz

So, old school for packaging, wool filters and glass bottles...ftw

Cheers,
Russ