Screaning sugar

[tonka]

I'm looking to make a large screener/sive for maple sugar. Thinking about buying a piece of perforated stainless with 1/16" or 1/8" holes. Will 1/8" holes be too big?

[GeneralStark]

It depends upon your process and the texture of the sugar you want. For fine granulated 1/8" is probably a bit too big and 1/16" is probably good.

I use a fine sieve about 1/16" mesh and that makes a consistent fine granulated. I also use two larger sieves for screening larger chunks which I also sell.

[tonka]

I typically get a finer sugar and grind up any clumps that I get. I tried selling the clumps but didn't go over that well. Thanks for the response.

[Sappy Camper]

I don't have much trouble with chunks. I boil to 260 and mix in commercial mixer until outside of bowl is cool enough to touch. Use only finished syrup that has been properly filtered, and don't make it on humid days. If I do have a few chunks, I can break them up with a potato masher or screen them out with a large kitchen sieve and put them into a candy batch. I make about a gallon at a time.