Vacuum filter press

[mspina14]

I am so tired of the filtering process.

I use a cone filter off the evaporator. Then I reheat and filter in a water jacketed flat filter for canning.

Filters always seem to clog up. I use a felt filter with several prefilters. Every time I filter a batch, I remove the top filter after it gets clogged and pour the hot, backed-up syrup into the next pre-filter. No matter how many times I've done this, I never fail to spill filtered niter into the clean syrup, burn my hands, or both.

Last night, after a full day of boiling, a pre-filter ripped during a filter change and spilled niter into the clean syrup batch.

Wasn't happy.

I know the answer is a filter press. But they are expensive.

Anybody have any experience using a vacuum filter press like the one in the video below?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDWZWj-CUyo

Thanks

Mark

[Mr Goodwrench]

Total rookie here. Last year was our first year and used 2 turkey fryers for 50 taps. All went well until it came to filtering. That took all the fun out of it. This year we have 24x22 sugar shack and a 2x6 raised flue. We made a vacuum filter out of a 10 quart double steamer. We use 2 layers of polyester felt and now this is fun again. I think early in the year our syrup is fairly clean ( not much sugar sand ) but’s this seems too easy. Paid $60 for steamer. We have crystal clear syrup in minutes.

[mspina14]

Thanks.

What did you use to create the vacuum in your double steamer filter rig?

Mark

[Mr Goodwrench]

Ihave a hvac vacuum pump for refridgeration service that I put on an old 10 gal air compressor. I put a vacuum on the tank and then use it as a resivoir. I checked our bottles again last night and no settling just crystal clear syrup.

[fisheatingbagel]

Sounds great! Would like to see some photos of your rig if you have any...

[Mr Goodwrench]

I have some pictures on my phone but am new to the Internet forum. Don’t know how to post them. I would love to share with other small producers. I searched YouTube for vacuum filtering maple syrup to get the idea. I can’t take any credit. I just used someone else’s idea.

[mudr]

I'm resurrecting this thread rather than starting my own. I have the same questions, maybe someone new has experience that they can comment on this rig.

I notice CDL now has what appears to be the exact same rig. At least the photos on CDL's and Bilodeau's website look the same. Anyone have any experience with them? Bilodeau's website has the 12 inch (7 gal capacity) for $888 Canadian, which is about $670 US. I do not see a price for CDL. On one hand, this can put more syrup through than a small press and will do it for less money. There are fewer parts to clean too. But I'd need to get a source of vacuum, and while I have a shop vac but feel like that is one more thing to trip over in the shack. Ideally, I'd like to be able to bottle from it too. If you can't or if it is a hassle it would be a deal breaker.

Any thoughts or experience to share?

[fred]

The cdl 9" run about $450. 12" about $1000. You can bottle from it but the fitting they send will have to be necked down and can be heated from the bottom

[Paddymountain]

Two quick questions about the cdl vacuum press;

1) The 9" is rated at 3.6 gal. Is that how much syrup you can filter on one set of papers?

2) If you use a air conditioning vacuum pump to you need a tank for more volume,
or just by itself?

[n8hutch]

Theres a pretty good u tube video on these units, just search CDL on Utube and it comes up. I think that you could get more through it if you wanted just by watching the video. Check it out.

[Amber Gold]

Funny this comes up now because I was recently thinking about converting my 15 gallon lapierre drawoff tank (14" dia.) into a vacuum press. Any idea how much syrup you can actually filter through them before it needs to be broken down? My thought was to keep it as a drawoff, but filter it and then pump into the canner. Do you need the ring and clamps to get it to seal properly?

I have a 7" CI press I'm looking to upgrade. I was going to go with a full 7" aluminum press, but thinking about this as an alternative. Typically, I can go all night without breaking my press down, which I like, but the vacuum press looks like this would be pretty quick turnaround if needed.

[Helicopter Seeds]

Bascom had the price for 9 inch at $445, he had the 12 inch in his truck for the CT meeting Saturday, but we did not get a chance to see it. I was interested to see if it appeared well made, as there are upsides to a quality made unit versus a DIY from stock pots. The Canadian unit does not list a 9 inch, not sure how much shipping would be. a 12 inch would be too big for my needs at moment.

[fred]

the 9" is just going into production last week. the first ones will be in stores by end of the month. my guess is they will be similar to a cone filter but go through the papers very fast. the 12" are in stores now and the sides are thick so they don't collapse

[fisheatingbagel]

I think a nice advantage of this design will be the quick setup, teardown and cleanup. I've been thinking of making a vacuum press using a coffee urn as the base, and a tapered SS bucket that fits in the top, and seats itself tight. I'm not sure how best to open the bottom of the bucket to allow flow through - maybe just drill a bunch of holes?

Also, does anyone know what CDL is recommending to use for filter media? Flat felt material, or papers with DE?

[fred]

we have a special round filter that fits on the inside top

[needmoremaples]

Make your own "special round filter" with a 36x36 peice of flat orlon. Makes 4 for this setup. I turn on the vac with the white switch on the floor in the top pic. Top pot has a cone prefilter attached and the bottom of the pot is cut out. No DE needed. Dont put in more than you can get into the lower pot.19272

19273

Secret is to build your own. Made this before ever seeing a commercially produced one. Maybe spent 100? Vac is 6.5 hp but too much suction so I reccomend something smaller

[jdircksen]

Anyone thinking about a new vacuum filter for 2020? Filtering was my biggest hassle last season, and from what I am reading, the CDL 9" vac filter would be an improvement. Is that the best of the shelf product for a small hobby producer?

[Jtheisen]

I’m in the air between the Cdl vacuum and Wes fab 7” press. I plan on doing 75 to 100 gal a season with it


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[canaanmaple]

I’m in the air between the Cdl vacuum and Wes fab 7” press. I plan on doing 75 to 100 gal a season with it


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the vacuum filter is nice because it's also a bottling unit. I have one, but cone filter off the evaporator as close to syrup as I can first. then before bottling, bring to temp to finish and double check density and then put in vacuum filter and bottle right from it. works awesome, never have to clean the filter even after 10 gallons. good unit, only complaint is very sharp edges on it! I need to sand em or file em, been cut already! a very sloppy finished product cosmetically which was surprising coming from cdl.

[fishman]

I bought the vacuum filter last year. Best investment I’ve made for syrup. No more cone filter for me. No more hassles. That was the worst part of syruping.