Cleaning filter plates

[Bricklayer]

I just picked up an older wesfab 7” filter press
Press has been sitting for 2 years without being used.
Everything is perfect except for the aluminum plates have a bit of oxidization on them.
I was thinking of just bringing a pot of vinegar up to a boil and dipping the plates in the vinegar to clean off the oxidization.
Anyone ever done this. ?
I know there’s a ton of ways to restore cast aluminum but they all involve chemicals that are obviously not ok for anything food related.

[Windy Acres]

I would try some warm water with a new stainless brush and lots of baking soda

[Russell Lampron]

The acid in the vinegar will make the plates oxidize more so don't do that. I use Scotch Brite pads and hot water to clean mine and it makes them look like new.

[Bricklayer]

I’ll try the scotch bright and a little elbow grease option.

[Bricklayer]

Kinda off topic of my original question but it’s stiil a filter press question
My press is a 7” full stack. Fairly oversized for the 15-20 gallons the press would be seeing per day. But I figured it’s better to go bigger then too small and regret it.
If I shortened the stack and put spacers on the bolts what would be a proper amount of plates. 3?

[motowbrowne]

Kinda off topic of my original question but it’s stiil a filter press question
My press is a 7” full stack. Fairly oversized for the 15-20 gallons the press would be seeing per day. But I figured it’s better to go bigger then too small and regret it.
If I shortened the stack and put spacers on the bolts what would be a proper amount of plates. 3?

It'll depend greatly on the syrup. At the beginning of the season I hear people say 50 gallons through a 7" full bank is easy, so yeah, 3 should do the job for 15-20 gallons. At the end of the season it'll be more. Another option is to use more plates, all of them even, and not take it apart every day. I wouldn't want to leave syrup in there for more than a day or two, but if you know you'll be cooking again the next day, it'd be an option. You can also flush with hot sap or water if you're using this method, but be careful to avoid freezing it if it's full of anything other than syrup.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

If its a gear pump like ours, you will be hard pressed to get syrup to heat back up and get through once the press cools down with the full stack. That may work with a shorter stack, never tried it. We break ours down every time. Just open the press up slowly and you can salvage most of the syrup without mixing in DE and reuse in the next batch unless grades are different and you care about that. We have also flushed with hot sap after we were done filtering syrup and that works good too. Its a matter of when you end up filtering.

[Bricklayer]

Got the plates nice and clean. Course bristled brush and dipped it in vinegar every now and then and a light wash off with the pressure washer.

Next question
The filter press frame and the 2 main bolts running through the plates are a bit rusted. I sandblasted the frame right down to bare metal. Should I do the main bolts too. Don’t want them to rust.
Any thoughts on what paint to use. Colour dosnt matter. I would assume there isn’t a “food grade” paint
It was originally blue paint on it.

[claystroup]

I would recommend have it powdercoated.

[Bricklayer]

Would it be a good idea to get the 2 main bolts that the plates sit on powder coated too?

[claystroup]

you could powdercoat the bolts but not the threaded areas as long as they are not a super tight fit thru the plates as the powdercoating will add a certain amount of thickness to them.

[regor0]

Just get some stainless bolts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Russell Lampron]

Clean the threads with a wire brush and use mineral oil to keep them from rusting again.

[n8hutch]

You could spray it down with food grade silicon. That should keep it from rusting.

[Bricklayer]

I’m gonna get the bottom frame and the wing nuts powder coated. Plate bolts I’m just going to use pure mineral oil on.
Thanks for the ideas.