Hand Pump Filter Press for the small producer

[Bill Southern NH]

We make about 30 gallons of syrup a year. My wife and I are getting tired of using flat filters to clean our syrup. We have been looking into small filter presses but not sure if we want to spend the money yet. We have looked at the maple jet filter press from the maple guys, and the Wes Fab filter press. We are looking to see what people think of the maple jet filter press and if they are satisfied with the results. I like the Wes Fab short bank press, but I think it may be too big for the amount of syrup we filter. Would we be able to remove one set of plates? We only filter about 2-6 gallons at a time.

Thanks.

[BAP]

I would look at a Vacuum Filter from CDL. I bought a 12” one and used it last year and it works great. I used a shop vacuum for a vacuum source. It’s simple and easy to use and the syrup comes out clear.

[minehart gap]

Another option to look at may be Daryl Sheets 5" hand pump filter press. You could adjust the number of plates according to your batch size and at a pretty fair price. Our first year we made 40 gallon and it was the perfect size with room to grow.

[CTSap4Maple]

BAP, can you give us some details on your experience with the CDL 12” vacuum filter? Does it need DE, or do the filters give clear syrup?

[Russell Lampron]

The Wes Fab would be perfect for the amount of syrup you produce. If the syrup isn't too dirty you can get about 6 gallons through it with no trouble. You can remove plates for smaller batches.

[BAP]

BAP, can you give us some details on your experience with the CDL 12” vacuum filter? Does it need DE, or do the filters give clear syrup?
I use filter aid with it. The syrup comes out very clean. After experimenting with it, I found that I add filter aid to the hot syrup, run it threw the filter, unclamp the top ring and pull off the prefilter with the filter aid cake on it and dump it off. Then put the filter back on and ready to go. I have tried putting 2-3 batches threw before dumping it, but found that the filters and the filter aid cake cooled down too much and made it hard to get more syrup to pass threw. Dumping the cake each time, which only takes about 30 seconds, makes the syrup filter fast. Usually it takes 1-2 minutes running the shop vacuum to get the syrup filtered. After getting a bunch filtered, I move it over to my canner so I can heat it up to proper temperature for canning. It works great, much better than the flat filter that I used to use. I put 142 gallons threw it last season and have no regrets buying it.

[3% Solution]

Bill,
We have a Daryl Sheets 5" press and love the thing ….
Best investment we have made … other than the RO …
If needed I would buy another one ….
We can get 8.5 gallons through with a set of papers …

Dave

[pobryan]

Bill,
I'd like to offer an alternative. Check out this thread in this forum.
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?29404-How-to-use-ALL-of-a-cone-filter

If your heart is set on a filter press then that is what you should get but the Optimizer works quite well and it is a heck of a lot less expensive. I have 500 taps on vacuum and I wouldn't even consider a filter press, the Optimizer works that good.
Pat

[DocsMapleSyrup]

There's a Bagerland filter press that would work well for you as well.