Cleaning up old spiles?

[GeorgeQ]

Hello all. Newbie here. Been backyard boiling for a few years with a friend. This year we are stepping up with a new arch and more taps. Anywho...we have about 500 old spiles from my friend's great grandfather's syrup operation. They are pretty rusty, so we are trying to figure out the best way to clean them up. Any suggestions? Thanks ahead of time.

[antelope76]

Vinegar may cut thought the rust for you. I use a vinegar/water mix to shine up my stainless pans at the beginning of the year.

[happy thoughts]

If it were me I wouldn't use them at all. Some older steel spiles may contain lead. I wouldn't want to risk that in my syrup. New plastic spiles are cheap especially in bulk. Many newer spiles both plastic and metal are smaller in diameter and less damaging to the tree as well.

[lpakiz]

I agree in principal with Happy Thoughts.
But If you want to remove the rust, didn't Coca-Cola cut rust in grade school science? Maybe the same process as the vinegar.

[Snappyssweets]

Old taps rusty?

Well I would use them. I would likely go to the hardware with a tap. Find a wire adapter that fits into my drill. That is long enough and buy about three of them. Then I would buy a couple more sit down and drill out the taps with the wire brush. Then go over the outside of them with the other one. Ending with a nice vinegar water bath.

At end of season do the same we do with our muzzle loaders. Wash them out with a small bottle brush with really hot water soapy water and then rinse with boiling water. Lay them on a dry cloth and the heat from the metal will dry the taps complete so you will not have rust again. Store in a dry place to avoid surface rust in the future. A bed of rice in a bucket with a lid would help keep moisture out.


Again I admit I do things a tad different then most. :D

[GeorgeQ]

Thanks for all the input. Lots of good ideas. As for how safe they are? If we run them, we will submit our results for a lead test for sure.

[saphound]

Hello George,
It would be a little late then, wouldn't it? What if your syrup tests positive for lead? All that time and work wasted and worst of all, no syrup! :o
I'm with happy thoughts. Don't know how many you need but bite the bullet and buy new 5/16 plastic spiles and maybe some tubing for drop lines. The smaller holes are better for your trees and they will last forever and never rust. Those old rusty spiles could be 100 years old. I wouldn't mess with them... but if you do you should have them tested for lead before you use them.

[Pibster]

I wouldn't use them either. New taps are $0.15 each and much easier on the tree.

[old tom]

Yes but can you hang a 5 gallon pail form them? Your talking over 40# when full.

[GeorgeQ]

Thanks all. We ordered new spiles and decided to pass on the old ones. It's just money, right? ;)

[happy thoughts]

Good :) You can't put a price on health. I'm sure all the folks in Flint, MI will agree, too. I've read those old steel spiles were often coated with terneplate, an alloy of tin and up to 80% lead.

Have a great season and happy sugaring!

[saphound]

Yes but can you hang a 5 gallon pail form them? Your talking over 40# when full.

They are strong enough to hold a pail but I wouldn't risk it..some have had trouble with them getting pulled out of the tree with buckets on them. Just run a drop tube into a bucket on the ground, tubing is cheap. Or buy new 5\16 metal spiles if you prefer to hang your buckets (much pricier). I still don't know how many trees they plan to tap, or which taps they ordered, but if they decide to go with a tubing system in the future, they'll be all set with new plastic spiles.

[psparr]

I hung 5 gallon buckets from the clear polycarbonate ones with no trouble. Was a pain removing the bucket, but no issues with the spiles.

[Sycamore]

I have rolled steel spouts (This type (http://mapletrader.com/traderclassifieds/bulk-syrup-2f-sap/p2424-rolled-spouts-236.html)) that had developed some rust. I immersed them in white vinegar for a few days, cleaned them up with a small wire brush and they are now bright, (somewhat) shiny and clean…But..
..anything that can rust, will rust and, as soon as existing corrosion is removed, the oxidation process immediately begins again. After cleaning guns, machinery, engines, etc. one can paint or blue them, apply rust inhibitor, oil, grease or other lubrication, etc. (I’m aware of “Camcote Clear Coating” which doesn’t seem cost effective, in my situation). Cookie sheets, cast-iron cookware, one “seasons” with oil, lard, schmaltz, etc. I've been unable to find any information of this but I'm wondering: After cleaning up what were once rusted spiles, is it possible to protect or “rust proof” by wiping them down with a light coating of something like mineral oil, for example, which won’t go rancid as does other “food grade” oils or perhaps bee’s wax?

Is there another type of food grade rust proofing?

Obviously, whether and how this might contaminate the sap is a concern.

Thanks