Leaders finishing pan

[tonka]

I just bought a 2x6 gas finisher from leader and was wonder if anyone else has a gas finisher and if you are using 20 lb/100lb/250lb tank to use on the finisher?

[maple flats]

I have one, it runs off a small bulk tank. I think it is a 50 gal tank. The finisher, my tankless water heater, my weed burner torch (for lighting the arch) and a wall furnace all run of it. A few years ago, I also ran a propane fired bottler off it too, but then I got a water jacketed bottler which is electric.

[upsmapleman]

The bigger the tank the better it will run. I ran mine on a 100# tank. It will run on a smaller tank but take longer. I switched mine to natural gas and the difference is like day and night. The first time I had it on gas I boiled the syrup over as it only took about 1/2 as long to heat up.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We run a 2 by 4 on a 100 pound tank and have another tank full to swap out.

[Haynes Forest Products]

There are pros and cons to running off a tank verses a bottle. I run my shack off a 250 gallon TANK because of the volume I use and the convenience of having a truck pull up and fill it. Now if I let my tank run out completely I have to pay $50.00 testing fee before the tank can be refilled. My supplier is required by law to do this because of an incident where a gas station blew up because the gas company filled an empty tank with a underground leak and things went Skyward with a few people after they filled it.

Having the individual large bottles lets you run and get what you want when you want but that can be a PITA. You can get the same set up as a camper and have 2 bottles set up with a switching valve for ease of switching.

[tonka]

Thanks guys! I will use my 100 lb tank that I have. I was thinking about getting a 250 tank but due to my sugar house being not finished (will be adding on the east end of my sugar house eventually) I don't want something permanent and have to deal with it later while building.

Upsmapleman: About how many hours do you think a 100 lb tank last?

[maple flats]

I have 2 of those 50 gal tanks, one for the sugarhouse and one for a 5th wheel camper that is permanently parked about 200' from the sugarhouse. I have moved the RV one in the past. I had the RV in a different location and moved it. To move the tank (with the gas companies approval) I just closed the valve, unhooked it and lifted it with a sling strap under the excavator bucket, carried it vertically. Just drove slow, no problem, moved about 200', from 200 west of the sugarhouse to 200' SE of it.. Had no problems and it was full.
I suspect what others call a 250 is what my gas supplier calls a 50 gal. If you are going to move their tank, ask them if you can first. Some propane companies may not want you to move it.

[tonka]

The 100 lber I have, I got from Menards, about 4 1/2 - 5' tall 14" diameter. I've loaded it up on my truck to get filled a couple times since I've bought it, strap it to a dolly cart with a ratchet strap and I can move it where ever I want.