smoky lake full pint

[Greenthumb]

After a week with the smoky lake full pint on the leader half pint.
It does have a higher boil rate than the half pint pan. I have not kept great track but I would feel safe saying I am averaging about 10 gph. My wood is not as as dry as I had hoped for some reason. I do have two concerns. I have yet to get the draw off section up to 219 and have any boil in that section. I also noticed yesterday the float box had sap that changed color even as the float was dripping sap from the feed line. I think with a blower I could increase the speed.

Also the drop flues have a lot of soot on them what the best way to clean those off. I'm sure that doesn't help with heat transfer.

[brass maple]

Green thumb

yes a blower done in the right way can help your evaporation rate.

There are brushes you can get to do the job. What size I don't know. They make them in 2 ways one where you flip pan over and brush them and one that Is long and and would alow you to brush them every day before firing up.

Matt

[buckeye gold]

Green Thumb,
I bought the full pint pan last year and ran it for 2014 season. I already had a blower in my half pint arch and it makes a big difference. I only have AOF but it works.

On the boil, I had the same problem last year and paying attention to how you fire helps, but won't solve it. You can load small wood and keep it forward and it helps but doesn't solve it. I tore my arch apart and extended it 8 inches this year and now I get a full boil in both front sections. You might consider that.

Your boil rate of 10 of GPH is a very good estimate and you will average 12-15 if you get the air added and fix the firebox layout. If I pay very close attention and keep small wood loaded often i can push 17GPH, but most of the time I'm kinda haphazard about my firing and average 12 GPH and at peak run 15. So there is room to do better.

I bought a wire grill brush at Lowes that work really well brushing my flues and I use a stiff flat brush on a handle for the bottom of my syrup pan. I will also use a hoe blade and scape it occassionally.

As far as finishing syrup, you will need to draw near syrup and finish or you'l make syrup all through the pan. Until you get the firing figured out don't wait just finish off the pan. The other thing you can do is shut off your inflow and watch it like a hawk until the front finishes and then open your float box a bunch and push the syrup, just be very vigilant if you do this or you'll burn the pan.

here's the grill brush http://www.lowes.com/pd_269455-47703-269455_0__?productId=4437145&Ntt=grill+brush&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dgrill%2Bbrush&facetInfo=

[Chris Zeger]

I'm planning on upgrading after this year it's my first boiling on a homemade evaporator a 2x3 pan looking at a full pint pan or building a new arch and getting a smoky lake hybrid 2x4 pan