Maple sugar machine

[S.S.S]

Hello everyone, Iam looking at purchasing a larger machine to make maple sugar then my current little kitchen aide mixer. Looking at either a 20-30quart Hobart mixer or a cdl sugar machine. Looking to get your thoughts on which is the better machine to buy and why.

Merry Christmas
Thanks, Jon

[Sugarmaker]

S.S.S,
We use a good used 18 qt Hobart. Works good for us. Lots less work for gallon batches of syrup compared to stirring by hand. Havn't tried a Kitchen Aid.
https://i.imgur.com/0yr4EXJ.jpg
Regards,
Chris

[S.S.S]

Hi Chris, thanks for the reply. How many pounds of sugar can you make at a time with your machine?

Thanks, Jon

[DaveB]

Hi Jon, I have a double CDL machine and typically make about 20lbs of granulated sugar give or take each batch. I say give or take because part of the batch are clumps or sugar rocks that need to be reprocessed. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do that. I can either add them to more syrup or pure water. Either way, I don't get the 35lbs that CDL states I should be getting. It's probably 35lbs if I include the rocks but my customers are looking for granulated sugar, not sugar rocks. Each batch is 4 gallons of syrup. A single machine would be about half of that.

I too am curious too how much is made in the mixer....

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Sorry I am not on as much as I used to be.
Biggest batch I ever made was a little over a gallon (7-8 lbs of sugar). I think you could make 2 gallons, which should be 15-16 lbs. I just never boil up this much at one time. I dont usually have any lumps and or hard sugar pieces. I havent had to strain or sift any sugar.
Regards,
Chris

[S.S.S]

Thanks a lot Chris really appreciate your input.

Thanks,Jon

[upsmapleman]

I use a old style cream machine with paddles. Usually do 3 plus gallon to a batch and end up with a little over 20# of sugar.

[DaveB]

I use a old style cream machine with paddles. Usually do 3 plus gallon to a batch and end up with a little over 20# of sugar.

Is that the Leader cream machine?

https://www.leaderevaporator.com/p-139-maple-cream-machine.aspx

I'm curious what that machine can produce in sugar. 20lbs would be pretty good. How about hard pieces? Do you get a lot of those?

[upsmapleman]

It is like that. I made mine using a motor from a bulk tank, But yes it looks like that. Mine runs from 220 current and is direct drive.

[Sugarmaker]

Couple things you will notice as you make more sugar, or any sugar. It releases a lot of steam and you want to minimize that condensate from dripping back into the sugar. Also use good fresh early run syrup if possible, it seems to make the best sugar.
Next heat your syrup to 250 deg F, This works best for me. Be careful not to over mix the sugar it can make it too fine.
Get this down pat and you will join the ranks of sugarmakers. We sell a lot of sugar with a recipe on the label to make a maple flavored whip for fresh fruit.
Some trivia: So why do they call us syrup makers sugarmakers? Well prior to refrigeration (mid 1800's) the only way to store and or transport maple product was in sugar or block form. Therefore they made sugar not syrup as we do today.

I have written stories from my greatgrandfather J.R.King about his family making sugar in the mid 1800's.
Regards,
Chris

[Amber Gold]

I use a Kitchen-aid stand mixer. I started with the standard model, and made a lot of sugar with it, but it eventually burnt out. I then got the professional model, and it's doing fine. It's either 0.5 or 0.75 gal batches.

[S.S.S]

Hi Chris, have you ever used the wisk instead of the paddle?

Thanks,Jon

[Sugarmaker]

Jon,
I have never tried the wisk to make sugar. It might work too? I have one. My thought is the as it begins to make sugar it may stick inside the wisk??? In a lump?? let me know how it works! Good luck with your 'sugarmakin'!
Happy New Year!
As we move int January in a couple days I start to begin to think about sugarin activities. Lots of work in the sugarhouse and getting the sugarbush lines re-set.
Regards,
Chris

[S.S.S]

Hi Chris, happy new year to you as well. The reason I ask about the paddle is I found on the little 5qt kitchen aide mixer the wisk would make better sugar. Last week I bit the bullet and bought a 20qt mixer with wisk and when I tried it the otherday I noticed some syrup that stayed on bottom of bowl that didn't get mixed up, unlike the little 5qt I never had that. Wondering how the paddle works with yours if you get that at all.

Thanks, Jon

[Sugarmaker]

S.S.S.,
I usually have a small amount of sugar stick to the pan in areas that the paddle does not touch. I try to stop several times and scrape the bowl.
Regards,
Chris

[Abattoir]

Has anyone used one of the CDL sugar machines? Thinking of getting one but want to get some opinions first. Also does anyone know if there is a video of the unit working?

[S.S.S]

I Had no luck finding any videos of the unit in operation. I really thought about the cdl machine but the price turned me away and i purchased a hobart mixer. I have made about 50 pounds of sugar so far and love it. Before this i just used a kitchen aide mixer but just out grow it.

[Louie]

I tried to find a video also. Called CDL Vermont asking for one with no luck. I looked at the instructions for it and it had a long cycle time. I asked about that and he snapped back that you can't make nice sugar fast. It is getting a little harder to part with money to just get disappointed so I will wait to see one run.

[DaveB]

Has anyone used one of the CDL sugar machines? Thinking of getting one but want to get some opinions first. Also does anyone know if there is a video of the unit working?

I can try and put one together for you. I have a double machine that I actually have for sale. I should be making some sugar this week and will post it when I do.

It's basically a horizontal mixer as opposed to a vertical hobart or kitchen aide. You pour the syrup in and start it on the automated cycle and it starts churning one way for five minutes and the other way for five minutes and then stops. You then clear the paddles and then it start it again. By the time it stops the first time you basically have sugar but it needs to mix and dry some more. When you start it the second time, it will mix basically one way but automatically pause and spin the other way for a minute before going back the other way again.

I will spin for a while but I have not noticed a huge difference between the way the sugar comes out at 30 minutes as opposed to 60 minutes like the manual states so I just dump it after about 30 minutes. You just spin the dump and it gravity dumps into a bin. You can sift it from the bin.

Timing wise that is about the same as other mixers. With a double machine I can put 2 gallons or so in each side so I'm mixing 4 gallons of syrup at a time. It's like having 2 hobart mixers for the price of one (used). The paddles are plastic and do break but are easily replaced.

I'll try and get the video together this week but if you have any specific questions just let me know. I have my machine listed as best offer so I'm open to any offers.

[GeneralStark]

Hey DaveB. How much sugar can you make with your double in an eight hour day of doing nothing else? I'll pm you

[DaveB]

Hey DaveB. How much sugar can you make with your double in an eight hour day of doing nothing else? I'll pm you

Sorry I missed this or would have added it to the PM. Using the machine you can easily continuously do batches. While one batch is on the machine you can have another one boiling. You take the first batch off the machine and pour the next batch in. I've done that for several days so it does work. Doing it that way you can make about 5-6 batches in 8 hours. Each batch is about 30-34lbs so you could make about 150-200lbs in 8 hours.