The Scoop

[GeneralStark]

How many of you use a scoop when boiling? Why and how do you use it? I used to use one when boiling on a hobby rig to skim foam, but now I just use it for mixing DE into the syrup prior to filtering.

Does anyone ever use one to scoop niter scale out of the pans?

[nymapleguy607]

I started using one this year, I use it to sheet the syrup to know when to draw off. I still have my thermometer setup but tend to use the scoop when I reverse the flow. Also if there is a lot of foaming the thermometer sometimes reads below the draw off temp, but the syrup sheets off the scoop so I would draw off then. I'm not sure if its the right way of doing it but the syrup was always within a point of proper density when I checked it in the finisher. In fact I would usually need to cut it some.

[Tweegs]

We used ours to fish the occasional suicidal fly or mosquito out of the syrup pan, or to retrieve a fumbled bottle of defoamer.

Hoods on both pans now, don’t think I’ve washed or even touched the scoop since the start of the season.

[billyinvt]

I use it to confirm or deny what my thermometer is telling me and to scrape some niter scale out of the syrup pan. I have a perforated scoop to get any scuzzy looking foam out of the flue pan.

[Russell Lampron]

Most of the time mine just hangs on the wall but occasionally I use it to scoop a little syrup out of the finisher to taste it or check the color.

[RUNOFBANK]

I use a skimmer scoop to remove the occasional foam or insect.

As for the scoop. When I was still a toddler I remember My grandfather boiling on a 4x10 english tin Vermont three pan over a brick arch with three guns under it and a thermometer that was less than accurate. He would always scoop and check for sheeting and occasionally reach for the hydrometer cup. Like it was yesterday, I remember him always passing the scoop for everyone to a taste. He would tell visitors that he knew when the season was about over because his lower lip would be taking on the square shape of the scoop corner. "Yup thats from suckin on the scoop".

Years later when I was about 12 I had my own 2x6 small brothers lightning with a less than accurate thermometer. One afternoon after school while hastily grabbing some gathering pails, I knocked over the hydrometer cup and broke the only hydrometer I had ever had. I didn't know what I was going to do. Trying to rely on the thermometer I drew some syrup knowing it was light. Luckily, grandpa showed up and taught me how to look for the sheeting. After all those years I thought he was always playing with the scoop.

Short story long. Even today some 27 years later when boiling on our new Intens-o-fire with auto draw, I scoop and sheet, scoop and sheet. I don't even realize it most of the time. As I did, my kids (all four of them) love to pass the scoop to sample and best of all scrape syrup scale off the scoop. Makes for good conversation and understanding of the density differences in the front partitions when entertaining visitors too.

OTHER USES:
I once witnessed my cousin throw a scoop clear across his sap house at a mouse and cut its head clean off. TRUE STORY

I once visited a sap house only to find the proud owner of the evaporator using the scoop to fish cooking eggs and hot dogs out of the syrup pan. I must admit they were very good hot dogs. I didn't get around to trying the syrup. TRUE STORY TOO

[madmapler]

I use a perforated scoop to remove any scum when I begin boiling and yes, sometimes when I reverse flow the niter breaks up and starts coming out the drain. I'll then use it to get rid of some of it.

[hambone]

Perforated to scoop foam out of flue pan and solid one to check sheeting. We use them all the time. It tells us if we are near draw off.

[bigschuss]

Sounds like I need to drill some holes in my scoop to perforate it, because I have never quite figured out what the thing is good for.