English tin?

[MainelyMaple]

i am getting a really good deal on a 4x12 evaporator from a farmer. the front pan is stainless but the back pan is english tin. what are the disadvantages of english tin? does it effect grade and/or taste? can syrup still be sold if it is boiled in an english tin flue pan? thanks for your input

[ridgerunner farm]

english tin is still used, its what was the greatest back in its day. it can boil syrup just fine and does not change flavor or grade. the disadvantage is its soldered in the seams not welded like most new ss. it can b resoldered if it does leak, and it could have many years of boiling to come too.

[Whitfield]

I think the biggest hazard from all old equipment is lead contamination. Not sure of the rules in Maine, but here in Ontario the Agriculture branch of the government is very active in taking syrup samples for lead. If over 0.5 ppm they sieze your syrup. Not sure if the English tin contains lead, but the solder joints almost certainly do. I replaced all my equipment with welded stainless steel 5 or 6 years ago.

[TapME]

Didn't someone on here have a paper about the transfer of lead from tin pans into maple syrup? That would be helpful to post that again. Thanks TapME

Have you told Sunny that you want that evap yet Scott? And it is a great deal.

[MainelyMaple]

yeah i went to check it out yesterday, we are gonna get it but we have to wait til the ground hardens up a bit. my buddy wants to get a stainless pan but i think it might be tough since the flue is a 4x6. i called leader and they want over $7600 to have a new one made. we might just be sticking it out with the tin for next year.

[GregMVT]

You might want to check Bascom's site. Their used equipment changes constantly and you might get the pan you need at a lot better price.

Greg