Can anyone identify this setup?

[Clan Delaney]

I stumbled across this evap for sale. I want to say it looks like a Leader Half-pint. What do you think? If I knew what it was, I'd have a better idea of whether or not the asking price ($850, never used) was reasonable. My gut is saying, "Buy it!"

Experts, chime in!

http://images.craigslist.org/1f912b1313k73o93l08br73530fae7ce11ff7.jpg

[Homestead Maple]

It's around a late 90's half pint. The pan is the same in a 97-99 Leader catalog but the 92 catalog shows a totally different pan on the Half-pint, well I shouldn't say totally but it is somewhat different. The fire box is a little different, than the Leader pictures, so it could be a Grimm model. If it's never been used, it's a good buy.

[Brent]

If it's not a Leader half pint it sure is a close knock off.

Looking at the pictures of your sugar shack I wonder if this would be worthy of sitting in your palace.

Because the bottom of the pan has no flues, you don't get much throughput and eat a LOT of wood for what you boil. A small pan with flues will get a lot more boiling per cord of wood . I just graduated from a Half Pint to a 2 x 6 and I think I get 2 to 2 1/2 times the boil per cord.

I think a new Leader is about $ 1300

[Clan Delaney]

Thanks guys.

Palace, Brent? LOL.

A Half-Pint is designed to be bricked, right?

[Dave Y]

Clan
All eveorators should be bricked. It helps force the heat up to the pans where it is needed.

[3% Solution]

Hey Clan,
You got the extra cash??
Is it better than you have now??
If the answer to both these questions are "YES", why isn't it in your little sugar shack????

Dave

[Clan Delaney]

Hey Clan,
You got the extra cash??
Is it better than you have now??
If the answer to both these questions are "YES", why isn't it in your little sugar shack????

Dave

Kinda.
And anything's better than nothing.

I'm a sucker for efficiency.

[white mt]

Thats a nice looking little unit. I dose look like a half pint. If it checks out with your inpection. buy it. Dan

[PatS]

I saw the same picture on ebay last summer. I think there's a guy making them & pans to order. I'm pretty sure the guy was selling it (them) for around $850. could be wrong about making the pans, but the picture & price should be accurate, memory isn't what it used to be.

[Amber Gold]

I'm pretty sure it's a product of Bill Mason. He's on the 'Trader as W.F. Mason. Send him a PM to get more infor or send me a PM and I'll get you his contact info.

[adk1]

hMMM...yeah, definatly looks like the Half Pint. I would be interested in looking at them too if you can give me the contact

[Uncle Tucker]

Clan,
That is definitely not a Half Pint. I boiled on an older Half pint for 8 years. This was the four-section solder pan. They did change the pan when they started welding them. They went to a three-section pan that has to be spun around to reveres the flow, instead of changing a valve. The one thing that has not changed is the draw off is still connected to the pan. The picture shows a box that the draw off is connected to.
The Half Pint arch is square and the ash pit is incorporated in the arch. The picture shows tapered sides and an ash pit that hangs below the door.
In my opinion, I would say this evaporator would work very similar to the Half Pint. Same GPH, same amount of taps, same amount of wood. The biggest difference is the price; I would go with the one in the picture.

I think this a Mason evaporator.

I have bough Bill stuff before, and he dose a grate job and I highly recommend his equipment.

[mapleman3]

Patrick, Thats not a bad unit! I can help you set up a blower for it and you could crank out much more syrup than your used to! plus it's the right size for your shack. the next step up from that would be a 2x4 which would give you maybe a 50% increase than the half pint. it's a good start

I had a half pint and made good syrup with it. no more batch boils!

[mapleman3]

Clan,

The Half Pint arch is square and the ash pit is incorporated in the arch. The picture shows tapered sides and an ash pit that hangs below the door.


I agree, the ashpan below is a super feature. plus you can add the blower below whatever grates are there and from the back underneath out of the way like the bigger evaps!!

[MapleME]

Im pretty sure that is a WF Mason. Sure as hell looks like the same door set up as my 2x6 and even one of his stickers on the preheater. Quality stuff.

what are they looking to get for it????

[Clan Delaney]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I'm thinking that this might be the one. I'd thought from the ad for this that it was something someone bought and then never used and was just trying to unload it. I'm really glad to hear it's likely a member of the Trader, and one that's got high praise (http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=4909) in the past.

I want something that will handle more than I'm doing at the moment, you know? Brent's comments made me wonder if I should look for something bigger, but I'm starting the think that with a blower and a steam hood pre-heater, I could make that thing crank.

Looks like it's time to take a closer look at the budget. Good thing for the kids we've already done their x-mas shopping!

[MapleME]

clan, whats the asking price for that WF Hobby?
p.s. tough to tell but if you look at my avatar, is the 2x6 version of Bills stuff. same thing, but bigger with more of a traditional arch setup.
Bills just about the nicest guy around. if you get that and grow out of it, he is usually willing to take them back in trade for something bigger. (i.e. if you want to go to a 2x6 hobby arch)

MapleME

[brookledge]

I'd be willing to bet that pan design is the same as a barrel evaporator. Looks to be like a second generation with more of an arch than a 55 gal drum. The half pint is like a newer generation from that.
Keith

[Clan Delaney]

clan, whats the asking price for that WF Hobby?
p.s. tough to tell but if you look at my avatar, is the 2x6 version of Bills stuff. same thing, but bigger with more of a traditional arch setup.
Bills just about the nicest guy around. if you get that and grow out of it, he is usually willing to take them back in trade for something bigger. (i.e. if you want to go to a 2x6 hobby arch)

MapleME

Asking $850.

I've sent an email to whomever posted the listing on Craigslist. I'll know if it's Bill soon enough.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I think the design of this unit is much better than 1/2 pint, at least the firebox part of it with an ashpan, etc. For $ 850, you won't go wrong especially if WF made.

[NH Maplemaker]

Clan, good luck!! Nothing like buying your first evaporator!! You maybe surprised, Kids may think of it as another Christmas present as well !! That's how this addiction starts!!! ONE PERSON AT A TIME. Jim L.

NH Maplemaker

[MapleME]

clan, i bet it is Bill. If its not, email bill and find out if he has any in stock. Probably him. Look at

http://www.baconfarmmaple.com/

VERY TOP menu, sugaring supplies-scroll down. Bill also makes the last picture-really nice canner/finisher I have.
mapleme

[Uncle Tucker]

Clan,
I modified my Half Pint over the years.
Food for though.

Evaporator Construction: The arch is bricked on all sides with a wall about 2” from the back wall and 2” from the top; a ¼-inch steal triangle placed at the top of the wall behind the grates, forces heat against the pan distributing heat to all corners allowing for an even boil (see pictures). At the front of the arch, a two-inch ceramic blanket surrounds the door, insulating the areas the brick does not cover. To aid combustion, a steel plate was added between the door and the grates to push air through the fire rather than bypassing the grates in front of the door. The door is insulated with two-inch fireproof insulation and metal secures the insulation in place as well as protects it from wood.
To stop the condensation from dripping back into the syrup pan, the preheater pan has been attached to the back of the syrup pan. The first couple of years I attached ½ inch aluminum angle iron to the top of the pan to place the “preheater” pan witch is really a feed tank behind the syrup pan. This stops drips from landing in the syrup. Later I moved the pan down and added a float, which automatically controls the level of both pans. I also put rope gasket on the door to seal it from leaks, as well as a toggle clamp to latch the door closed.
The stove averages 6-8 gallons per hour evaporating an estimated 60 taps worth of sap (without a blower). For questions, please PM me. For Pictures click on my signature.

[Clan Delaney]

It is indeed Bill. Got an email today. Thanks for all the networking guys.

I'm checking out your pics, Tucker. Nice stuff! You don't fool around with making all that heat work for you, do ya?

[MapleME]

clan, just a thought- you should ask bill if he has any used stuff. Your money would go much further.
MapleMe

[Clan Delaney]

clan, just a thought- you should ask bill if he has any used stuff. Your money would go much further.
MapleMe

Oh, hey, yeah! I'm a bit drunk on the "brand new" thing at the moment. Thanks for shaking me out.

[MapleME]

well its a helluva deal for 850. Nice 5 gallon pre heater, plus I think its a 3 section pan which is nice. You can always trade up when your hobby gets more out of control like the rest of us!

[Daryl]

Clan,
That evaporator is a W.F.Mason evaporator. I just bought mine, 1st,
from Bill.
I had him weld in another take off box on the back opposite corner an a 2nd fitting on the preheater pan to pipe to the front on the left side. I just finished with the bricking. I also put casters on the legs to move about.