Copper Evaporator Pans?

[Clarkfield Farms]

Just curious, does anyone use copper instead of stainless? Is there a reason (other than possibly cost, and mirror finish) that few or none are using copper?

I have an old copper 2.5'X3' copper flat pan that I bought a couple of years back from a fellow in his early 90's, and he said it was "old" when he got it. I've only boiled water with it but it's crazy fast, significantly faster than any stainless. All the pre-heaters out there are copper, with good reason, so again I'm just curious.

Thanks,
- Tim

[unc23win]

I might be wrong, but I was thinking I saw one that Patrick Phaneuf made and the whole thing was copper.

[Bucket Head]

Hi Tim,

I forget who now, but there was a user on this site that had (still has?) an all copper, factory built set of pans. I could'nt tell you how old the set was but they looked awesome polished up! Maybe someone can remember who it was?

I guess it was common way back when copper was inexpensive. I want to say it was around a 3'x8' size evaporator.

Steve

[wiam]

Old copper pan probably has lead solder. All preheaters a are not copper. Most companies make stainless ones now.

[BreezyHill]

The first evap my dad made for the 1971 season was all copper. It was a fast boiling unit. Was leaded back then. One could make one now and just use silver solder.
By the end of the project I guarantee you will be a solder pro.

[morningstarfarm]

2 main reasons that copper went out...first is cost...then second was that back in the day they didn't make raised flu pans...on a drop flu pan with a sloped back arch the problem was sugar makers chucking wood in and mashing the flus.

[Sugarmaker]

My 2 cents is that the copper will work real well to boil sap and make syrup. But as mentioned the old pan may have lead solder. That you can work around by not leaving the sap/syrup in the pan for a extended period of time. The other reason they moved away from these is the long term care. The copper probably needs more cleaning to make them look good.
Regards,
Chris

[bowtie]

copper does transfer heat better than ss but is softer and more apt to damage and keeping clean is a little harder. they do look really good when new or cleaned up though.

[maple flats]

One advantage to copper besides boil rate is that copper has an antibacterial property. The lead could be an issue, just don't clean it to a shine. Many years ago, Leader made some copper evaporators but they were in the lead solder days.

[mellondome]

they do look nice


10513
http://mapletrader.com/maplegallery/member-galleries/p257-copper-2x6.html

[DrTimPerkins]

One advantage to copper besides boil rate is that copper has an antibacterial property.

While that sounds good, I'm not sure there is much benefit to having an antimicrobial evaporator when you're going to boil the sap until everything is absolutely dead anyhow. Perhaps in-between boils there might be a very slight positive effect, but it would be teeny-tiny given the surface area to sap volume.

[Edson jones]

For this years upgrade we went from a 2 x 9 ( 3 - 36inch pans ) flat bottom stainless to a stainless front pan, a copper 36inch drop flue evaporator pan and a 3rd copper preheater pan with 24inch drop flue with oil fire .We built the entire rig arch and pans our self just for cost reasons . There are several people around here that boil on copper pans.I was checking online the top 20 metals for heat transfer copper is #1 stainless is #19 also copper most people can work with .

[motowbrowne]

For this years upgrade we went from a 2 x 9 ( 3 - 36inch pans ) flat bottom stainless to a stainless front pan, a copper 36inch drop flue evaporator pan and a 3rd copper preheater pan with 24inch drop flue with oil fire .We built the entire rig arch and pans our self just for cost reasons . There are several people around here that boil on copper pans.I was checking online the top 20 metals for heat transfer copper is #1 stainless is #19 also copper most people can work with .

Welcome to the forum. We'd love to see some pics of that rig!!

[Daveg]

"A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined; to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite; and their safety and interest require that they should promote such manufactories as tend to render them independent of others for essential, particularly military, supplies."
George Wasington

[bodine mt maple]

We boil on a 2.5 x 8 leader all copper . It was built in the early 90's and is lead free. We run it at around 65 gph 5 of that is finish coming off. It will do more but that is most comfortable.

[Edson jones]

We made a 2x3 drop flue this year with a 24 x 32 inch pre heater out of copper and had a 2x3 stainless finishpan with oil. Start up to syrup in about 25 minutes putting sweet back in just when it starts to boil. We been adjusting things to fine tune it and were seeing any where from 37.5 gallons an hour too 46 gallons an hour evap rate. Way better than predicted I talked to a local fabricator who has made several out of copper for tips on best way to make them he said to me that on the top 20 metals list for heat transfer that stainless was #19 and copper was #1.If I had a method to do stainless I probly would still do copper for heat transfer , yes it was made with silver solder.

[treehugger]

That copper rig is my old rig that I sold 2 years ago. It's weird that its in PA now. I sold it to a couple near lake george. Its a gh grimm 2x6.

[treehugger]

Its a good rig. Just a pain to keep clean.