Cleaning Spiles & Flues

[tappin&sappin]

I guess these questions fall under the "Buckets, Brix & Basics" category...

Q1: How does everyone that hangs buckets clean their spiles? I've heard dishwasher, boiling, wire brushing, but haven't determined what path to take yet. I think I'm leaning on wire brushing with a small brush like you get for cleaning rifle barrels and then boiling.

Q2: This will be my first year of running an evaporator w/ flues. Do the flues typically need cleaned throughout the season (I'm talking inside the pan)? And if so, what is used to clean them?

[maplehound]

When the piles stay in the woods on my tubing system we jsut dip them in water with whatever we are using that year to wash with. We have tried clorox, acid cleaner, and peroxide. All work but each has it's own downfalls. I am going to try alcohol next year. ( not making this year)
I clean my flue pan, only when we have a long warm spell in the middle of the year,and again at the end of the year. They do make a flue brush for the inside of the pan but I have had limited succes with them. I prefer a bottle brush or any small brush that will fit. Mostly though in the middle of the year you could get by just rinsing them with lots of clear water.

[Fred Henderson]

On a wood fire arch it is important to brush the fire side of your flues each day before start up. Soot builds up and act like an insulating factor.

[mountainvan]

Spiles I soak in 2% bleach water for awhile, and then rinse well with water. Inside flues I fill the pans with water, start a fire, get it so the water is hot to the touch, pour some water off of the evaporator in a bucket, add some powdered pan cleaner, add more water to the bucket, stir it up, pour it in the pans, let it soak for a couple hours, drain the pans, and then spray it out with a pressure washer. Gets them sparkling clean!!

[brookledge]

I only clean my flue pan during the season if it needs it or gets warm out. Keeping it clean helps keep the grades higher. You can get a flue brush but from personal expierience the flues them selves stay fairly clean. It is the sides above the liquid line that builds up from the minerals in the sap as it foams up. You can keep them in pretty good shape during the season by rubbing as needed with a scotch pad and let the sap You don't even need to dump out the sap or anything. As long as you stay with it just rub the sides down every day or so as the build up starts. I f you wait till it really builds up then I'd recommend draining the pan and giving it a good cleaning.
Keith

[maple flats]

I keep cleaning mine with a dishwashing type utility brush during boiling for what is above the sap level whenever it starts to look sticky. Before each day's start I brush the sap side of the flues with a brush the dealers sell for that purpose and I brush the fireside before each day's start. Just a quick brushing is all that is needed.

[ibby458]

I've always brushed my metal spouts with a brass brush, then boiled, rinsed and stored in a clean coffee can with the lid on. Put the can & spouts in the oven (lid off) for a couple hours at 200 degrees. Let cool until you can touch it, and snap the lids on. Clean, sterile spouts all ready for next season. (Label the outside of the can so you don't have to open it to see.)

I just bought a big bunch of cast iron Warner spouts that are pretty cruddy. I'm going to try a trick I heard of. Toss them in the cement mixer with a bucketfull of sharp sand and tumble until clean & shiney. We'll see how it works.

AS to cleaning the evaporator, I do it exactly like maple flats, and it only takes seconds and works great!

[H. Walker]

Most suppliers here in Canada carry a special brush for cleaning bucket spliles. 1 for a electic drill and 1 with a handle (elbow grease not included). You can check the brushes out at www.atkinsonmaple.com , they do ship but you should be able to buy local.

[tappin&sappin]

Thanks a lot for the replies guys. I think I will check into a brush for the spiles (the one for an electric drill), then boil and store in a coffee can like ibby.

I will also brush the evap as described by maple flats. Thanks for the help!