Pans

[Dlee]

Am fairly new to the maple syrup production . I have a homemade evaporator it is made out an oil drum works well, has two pans the front one is 2ft x 1ft the back is 2ft x 3ft they are stainless steel with no baffles, was wondering if anyone could tell me what the difference would be if my back pan had those channels in it would it boil off more sap then my regular pan if so what would be the difference. Right now I can get about 10 gal an hr.

[ecolbeck]

Am fairly new to the maple syrup production . I have a homemade evaporator it is made out an oil drum works well, has two pans the front one is 2ft x 1ft the back is 2ft x 3ft they are stainless steel with no baffles, was wondering if anyone could tell me what the difference would be if my back pan had those channels in it would it boil off more sap then my regular pan if so what would be the difference. Right now I can get about 10 gal an hr.

Someone with more experience will chime in soon, but I would bet that with a pan with flues you could boost your evap rate to 15 or maybe 20 gph. A blower would certainly help too. maybe check out the hybrid pans from Smoky Lake.

[Dlee]

Thanks for the info do you mean a blower on the stove. I like the sound of 20 gph I have about 130 taps and was hoping to cut down on the boiling time it takes a lot of wood lol.

[Clinkis]

Flues and Channels are 2 different things. Channels or baffles do not increase your surface area thus they will not increase your boiling rate. They allow you to make syrup in a continueos flow, meaning you add sap on one end and draw off syrup at the other. Flues on the other hand, which is when then bottom of the pan is not flat but goes up and down which creates a greater surface area and thus higher boiling rate. Channels are relatively easy to add but flues are not. Typically flues need to be part of the initial pan design and build.

[motowbrowne]

I think you guys are talking about different things. No, channels or dividers in the pan won't increase your evaporation rate. Flues, which replace the flat bottom of your pan with dropped or raised corrugations and dramatically increase the amount of surface area of your pan which is exposed to the flame, will greatly improve both your evaporation rate and fuel efficiency.. Unfortunately they aren't cheap or easy to add.

[Haynes Forest Products]

OH heck lets get a little more deep into the technicality of the maple world.

Baffles are what create a channel.

A releaser is a mechanical device that holds and then RELEASES the sap in a controlled manner.

A sure flow pump is not a releaser.

The flue pan is the one closest to the Flue pipe hence its name.

The word Flue as in raised Flue verses drop Flue most likely came about because the pan got its name being closest to the Flue stack/pipe. So now we call the areas that extends down as Flues. OR up depending on how you look at it. :lol: :lol: :lol: I wonder are the Flues the things that go up or the ones that go down :confused: PCCYPJGBITH

[Haynes Forest Products]

Please Chuck Could You Please Just Go Back In The House :mad:

[Super Sapper]

Chuck, you forgot about explaining gradient. Just kidding.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If I get on that rant you wont see me back until 2020

[Dlee]

Ok thanks for the info guys you have answered my thoughts will just stick with my flat pan.

[Marvel26]

I have a SL 2X5 Hybrid Pan, back section is 2X3 with drop flues, front section is divided into two and flat bottomed for finishing syrup. My arch is a poorly manufactured homemade oil tank version with a blower, I made it so I know just how bad the build went. ;) I get max 20 gal an hr if my wood is perfect. it takes ALOT of sap to get the continuous flow started but when it does its awesome. I highly recommend SL. Their quality and after purchase service is second to none.

[Dlee]

Well my arch is made from a oil tank to I have lined it with fire bricks and put a grate in it and it has two pans back one is 2x3 front is 1x2 I think I get about 10gph so it sounds like a pan with drop flues would double my boil which would be great. What is the cost of a pan like yours, thanks for the info. I have about the same amount of taps as you and to date have made 9.5 gal of syrup

[Marvel26]

https://www.smokylakemaple.com/product/customize-a-hybrid-hobby-pro-pan

This is mine. its was ~$200 cheaper when i bought it. I sold a pile of fishing and hunting gear to offset the cost. I STILL caught flack when she-who-must-be-obeyed found out the price. Her exact words were, "We could have bought a new COUCH!" My reply of, "I wouldn't sell my gear to buy a couch" was wrong....very very wrong.... ;-)

[Wannabe]

https://www.smokylakemaple.com/product/customize-a-hybrid-hobby-pro-pan
Her exact words were, "We could have bought a new COUCH!" My reply of, "I wouldn't sell my gear to buy a couch" was wrong....very very wrong.... ;-)

Tell her she's got the rest of her life to get over it...lol

[Haynes Forest Products]

Or tell her what what I said to my third wife........................My forth wife hasn't been born yet. :o OK I'm sorry that's plain wrong.

[Dlee]

Well just looked at the pan nice looking yes a bit pricey I am sure there would be some talk around here to if I came home with one of those pans. Maybe I will sell my bike and get one and by the way we could do with a new couch to lol . I guess they would get over it or be mad a long time. Thanks Marvel:lol

[Wannabe]

. I guess they would get over it or be mad a long time.

Exactly!!!lol

Why are divorces so expensive?? Because they're worth it....

(sorry for turning this thread, and yes I'm happily married. I just like good jokes..)

[Marvel26]

I'm happily married as well....how do I know....she tells me I am ;-) lol

Dlee: No problem, it is definitely an investment in the addiction but if you have a pile of sap the boil rate of a larger pan is great.