Bottom of testing cup

[to100]

Has anyone tried putting something to pad the bottom that is food grade, like a plastic fiber screen?
It could be removed and cleaned after use. Might help not break hydrometer.

[DrTimPerkins]

Has anyone tried putting something to pad the bottom that is food grade, like a plastic fiber screen?
It could be removed and cleaned after use. Might help not break hydrometer.

We don't do this, but I'd think a small piece of SS screen material cut the right diameter with small projection-like "legs" would do it.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I ran the idea past a manufacture of using a pourable high heat silicon about a 3/8 thick on the bottom of the cup to keep the damage down.......crickets :(

I also would like someone to make a screened bottom hydro cup with a spring loaded bottom with a thumb lever so after you fill the cup and check the density you just push the thumb lever and the syrup dumps. No tilting and shooting the hydrometer into the draw off bucket.

Now this is the one I like. A glass hydro cup with a certified color tabs down the side so every time you check the density your also doing a quick check of the color. Now I know unfiltered syrup is not the same color as filtered but you will learn to compensate. This would help with batching your different grades throughout the day.

You could make the test strips that have adhesive on them so you can put on your site glass.

[to100]

I have seen cups that are tapered, would that help the shock?

[maple flats]

Just lower the hydrometer slowly and nothing special is needed. Not for that reason, but my sap test cup is just a piece of 1.5" PVC with a fernco type cap clamped on. But because that cap is not food grade, I just dump the sap after testing.

[to100]

I just looked at new hydrometer and there is a red line inside on the top and it ends at 45 Brix line for reference where paper goes. My old one does not have this line. The bulb is large diameter and weighs .5 oz more and fits tight in the tube so does not roll around. Paper is longer and Brix scale is longer by 3 lines than old one.
This should have been posted in “Testing sap hydrometer at home” where I said use a sharpie to make the plastic tube.

[to100]

What about cutting new green scrub Scotch-Brite cut into circle for syrup?

[sugarsand]

This is weird, as I was mentioning to my wife about putting something in our test cup to custion the bottom I happened on this post. I try to lower the hydrometer in careful but sometimes when in hurry it gets dropped in. We been using the Murphy cup for a few years now and wont be without one, but its a little to long and leaves only about 3/8 " of hydrometer above the top. Im thinking a 1/4 inch on padding would solve two problems at once.

[sap retreiver]

I haven't had many close calls but I would vote for the small stainless steel screen on the bottom

[mike z]

Thought I was being smart stuffing a section of kitchen paper towel down towards the bottom of the cup to cushion the hydrometer during quick transports out to the sugaring woods. One day I noticed this strange paper floating around my front pan near the draw off. I forgot the paper in the cup and tested with it several times that morning. Dang thing wedged itself under the temp. probe and... the pan scorched at the spot where the paper got stuck. I couldn't blame the helpers for that one.