Pot Watcher for flat pan batches

[Jim Powell]

I did a search here and couldn't find where anyone had posted anything about this gizmo, so if they have, sorry. My mother gave me several of these things last year, but I really didn't get around to using them. They are called Pot Watchers, and they are glass disc's that help even out boiling in pots. I used to be a chemist, and understand the concept of "boiling chips" etc. I put six of them in my 2 X 4 pan today. Other and making it sound like a freight train, I think they really helped.

I also took some photos of the first run, and put them on a flicker account as well.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=sets

[RileySugarbush]

I forgot about boiling chips from chemistry class! Were they meant to speed boiling or tame it?

By the way Jim, we will be boiling tomorrow night if you want to stop by after dinner. We have over 200 gallons in barrels and on the trees in sacks. Plus it should run some tomorrow.

[Jim Powell]

ooops.... I think this link might work:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maple2008/

I'm hoping to get ahead of things tomorrow, after a very long day today, although I do want to come by and see your operation. Is this your second or first boil?

Boiling chips were mainly to prevent "bumping" in flasks which is micro super heating in a spot, that erupts in the flask and messes you up! I ordered 10 more today. They certainly make the pan boil under them very quickly. Today I had to relearn some things from last year! I overfilled the pan and ran for a couple of hours before I figured that out.

time for advil

[RileySugarbush]

Nice photos. You look to be more organized, or at least more orderly, then we do!

This will be boil number two. Monday we sweetened the pan and drew off a gallon in about 4 hours. Tonight we fixed a few leaks in the plumbing and patched some insulation in the arch, repaired the collection tractor and took off the blower and cab since they say the storm is going to miss us. Probably guaranteed 6" by morning

Here are some photos from Monday by Dave (RileySugarbushSouth):

http://FloMan.smugmug.com/gallery/4585120_NoNMp

[twigbender]

Hey Jim, thanks for the info on the Pot Watchers. Nice photos, you're making me jealous -- it was 7 degrees this morning here. Isn't going to run much today either. I was wondering, do those two Pot Lickers (the black and yellow) you have hanging around the sugar shack help much with the boiling?

[Jim Powell]

Twig,

If you look close at the titles of the photos you can see they are in the "upper managment" here. So being good managers, they delegate to those who know how to do something, unfortunately, the default is ME!

They are 'good kids'.