Small Filtering Rig

[Dennis H.]

In between finishing up the sugar shack mods and getting the Honey-Do list done I have been trying to come up with a small syrup filtering rig.

A small filter press right now is out of the question because of the price. I was orginally going to use flat filters laid in a perferated steam pan that was set on top of another 6" deep steam pan. Then I was looking around and saw those bag filters, some of the dealers of maple products sell them also.

I looked at McMaster-Carr and found that they have bag filters that will filter down to 1 micron. Now here is a question, down to what size do you want to finish filter the syrup?
Another question is will the bag filter work at all with filter aid added.
I was looking at adding a small hand pump that I also seen at McMaster-Carr, it looks just like the one that you see on all those 7" hand pump filter presses.
I would hook the hand pump up to the bag filter using one of those adpters that fit into the top of the bag filter.

[3% Solution]

Dennis,
I had a filter/canner made last year and it works great.
It holds about 5 gallons.
It is water jacket and uses flat filters, we also put a bit of filter aide in.
I heat the water using a propane camp stove.
Works good for 130 taps.
We have used the cone filters in the past, we like the flat filters.

Dave

[tuckermtn]

make sure the filter in McMaster will be able to take hot liquids...want to filter as hot a possible...say 219deg..

we use flats and will probably stay that way...we also filter as we draw-off in a paper cone "pre filter" We don't do glass, so no issues from customers

[tessiersfarm]

I filter in the cone filter when I draw off of the evaporator, then finish on a turkey cooker. I then filter with another cone filter when I bottle. I made a rack out of stainless rods that holds the filter high enough to filter into a small pot.