Where do we go next?

[Big Stoney]

We have 325 taps on natural vacuum. We have a 30"x8' evaporator and a 200gph RO. We try to take the syrup off the evaporator either right on or a little heavy. We have to finish bottling and filtering on the stove. We are using cone filters. What is the next move to make the finishing, filtering and bottling easier. We made 43 gallons last year, but have a few more taps and feel we should be making at least 80 gallons. We do not plan on getting a lot larger (maybe 500-600 taps). Should we be looking for a finishing pan, filter press, canner? We would prefer to purchase something that we would be able to use for quite awhile and would make this finishing-filtering- bottling easier. We have been filtering the syrup directly off the evaporator and then again when we reheat it to check the density and bottle. We would like to do this in as few as steps as possible. Thanks for your help.

[wiam]

We draw from the evaporator a tad heavy into two connected containers. These containers are connected to the filter press. We adjust density in these containers by adding permeate. Then through the press into a water jacket canning tank. https://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/18/Honey-Harvesting/Honey-House-Processing/4705/Water-Jacketed-Double-Boiler-Tank

[Sugarmaker]

Sounds to me, for the size of your operation your doing everything right! When you increase the tap count and have more syrup you will find the areas that need improvements or enhancements. I did not get a filter press till the year we did 250 gallons of syrup. I just could not get it filtered fast enough. A canner, maybe a 10 gallon, would be my next suggestion. You shouldn't have to filter it again during canning, except maybe at the spout of the canner.
You can set up two containers to filter coming off the evaporator, if you don't have that already. (sounds like you not filtering coming off the rig??? Look at that first. That would save you trying to do it during bottling process.)
With your rig size and R.O. you are set to do 1000 taps. At that time you might need a filter press.
Do you have a auto draw off on the evaporator?
Regards,
Chris

[Big Stoney]

I was not sure if we needed a finishing pan, canner or filter press. It sounds like I can wait on the filter press. We do filter coming off the rig and then I have filtered again when I bottled the syrup later. I was not sure if I could take the syrup off of the evaporator and run it to the canner for bottling. I am a little concerned about controlling the temperature so that I do not create more niter. Can I draw it off the evaporator(filter it as I do so), double check the density, send it to the canner and bottle? It seems like maybe I should filter one more time with paper filters.
I appreciate your response. I am just trying to make this job as efficient as possible without wasting money on items that I will not need.

[wiam]

I was not sure if we needed a finishing pan, canner or filter press. It sounds like I can wait on the filter press. We do filter coming off the rig and then I have filtered again when I bottled the syrup later. I was not sure if I could take the syrup off of the evaporator and run it to the canner for bottling. I am a little concerned about controlling the temperature so that I do not create more niter. Can I draw it off the evaporator(filter it as I do so), double check the density, send it to the canner and bottle? It seems like maybe I should filter one more time with paper filters.
I appreciate your response. I am just trying to make this job as efficient as possible without wasting money on items that I will not need.

It will cool too much to bottle.