Do you really need the hydrometer cup?

[sap seeker]

Or would something else that already lying around the house work just as good for your hydrometer? Thank you.

[StewieSugar]

I took some 1 1/2" PVC pipe from my plumbing box, put a cap on one end, and used pipe clamps to attach a handle. Works great.

[maple flats]

If you use something else try to make it big enough or the temperature changes too fast to be accurate enough. Plastic that can take the heat would insulate to hold an even temp better. Stainless cleans up better for long term use.

[danno]

Actually, you don't need a cup at all. When I'm drawing off, hydrometer goes right into my drawoff pail. As long as there is enough syrup in the pail to float, I'm good to go. If I think the syrup temp has dropped too much, I just take the temp of the syrup in the pail and use the brix/temp conversion chart to check for syrup.

I got this idea one year when I went to sell 5 gallons containers to my dealer. He just set the hydrometer into the 5 gallon pail and checked density using the cold syrup line.

Sooo - anything that will hold syrup deep enough to float the hydrometer will work.

[markct]

i didnt want to spend the 50 bucks on a cup either so my first one when i had the small evap was just a stainless 1 inch diameter tube, the drawtube from a keg, that i mig welded a base and handle onto. then this year i progressed up to a section of 2 inch diameter pool ladder stainless tubing tig welded to a base and a handle tig welded on the side

[Bucket Head]

Now how are the neighbors supposed to get in and out of their pool this summer?