Dreams Dashed

[SeanD]

A long story short - the homemade flue pan is not gonna happen this time around. The the brakes just couldn't make it happen and the instructors had a low confidence level on the project, so I ended up making a flat pan for the back. It's nice, but I probably don't have to explain how it's just not the same.

Now that I have a flat sap pan, is it worth while to add dividers? I have three dividers/four channels in my syrup pan. Is there anything gained by dividing up the sap end?

I also have a bunch of extra stainless, now. I could make a new 18 ga. syrup pan to replace my current 16 ga. pan and either sell the old one or keep it as a backup. Would there be any noticeable improvement from the 16 ga. to 18 ga.?

Another option would be to keep my current syrup pan and make a preheater to sit on the back of the sap pan. I can make a 1' x 2' up to 12" deep. Is that too big?

Sorry to waste all that great flue pan advice. I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks,
Sean

[RileySugarbush]

That's a shame Sean. But you will eventually be able to sell that and get the flue pan you want.

A single divider may be useful to keep the sap from short cutting across from inlet to the syrup pan connection. Plus is stiffens things up.

You might want to look at adding drop tube flues if you can find a cheap source of 1" copper water hammer arrestors. Very easy to solder in to the bottom of the pan.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I would go for the dividers and spend the time at the brake making nice strong ones plus take the time to make a float box and valve box for positive drain. Its fun work and will add value to the pan for later resale.

[SeanD]

That thought crossed my mind. I always admired that steam/flue pan design you came up with.

[KenWP]

I seen a picture on here of a pan with copper tubes attached to the bottom of it. Has anybody have any idea what they were or where I seen the picture. I would like to copy it some how if I knew where to find the tubes and how they were attached to the pan.
I found the thread with the pictures of the pan. Now to find the tubes and the hole cutter. Used to have a set of those years ago when I did electrical work. Where would one buy them nowadays.

[WF MASON]

Going from 16ga. to 18ga. would be a 'big' jump in the right direction. If your taking a class or have the instruction to make another pan to replace the 16ga. one , do it.

[twobears1224]

anybody got a link to the drop flue sap pan your talking about?? i,de like to see that.

delbert

[KenWP]

See if this works http://web.mac.com/jabushey/iWeb/Riley%20Retreat/Maple%20Sugaring.html I am not really computer adapet on this thing.

[RileySugarbush]

KenWP,

That's the right link. Click on the box "link to sap pan construction" for details. The only downside is the cost of the tubes that I used. They are water hammer arrestors I bought at Home Depot, and they are spun closed for you already on one end. If you were willing to pinch and solder them closed, leaving a little gap that would be hard to clean, you could make them very cheaply out of copper tubing.


The hole punch I used is called a Greenlee punch and I was using an air impact wrench to turn them, though you could do it with any socket wrench.

I bet you could rent them at a tool rental.

This pan really worked well.

[twobears1224]

not far from here theres a very old stone arch and a pan made like that or used to be anyhow i always wondered how well it worked.
if i remember right it was made from english tin and atleast 4x16 ??.if i get a chance i,ll walk back in there and take a pic if it,s still there and still in one piece..

delbert

[RileySugarbush]

2bears,

I'd love to see a photo of that.

[PeddlerLakeSapper]

Why not just connect the drop tubes with T's and elbows making a grid, or just solder caps on them?

[RileySugarbush]

I put caps on my first version. The caps added a lot of cost. I had to solder them on last sine the tubes were flanged and had to drop through the bottom. I thought about connecting them with elbows but didn't do it. It would add area and efficiency, but be tough to clean. Try it!

[SeanD]

Thanks for all the advice. I've opted to go with the 18 ga. sap pan. Bill, you know stainless pans, so that's good enough for me.

I will definitely put one divider in, but have stainless for more if it's worth it. My syrup pan has three dividers. Should I do that in the back pan, too?

Haynes, what's positive drain and how do the boxes create it?

Sean

[KenWP]

I am wondering if you would even have to solder them if you bent the ends of the tubes over and pounded them flat. After the first boil they would be sealed tight.

[Haynes Forest Products]

SeanD Look at PATherons potos of his pans there similar to mine as far as the valve and transfer box on the side of the pans. They allow the sap/syrup to drain from the very bottom of the pan. On my Waterloo Small pans my finish pans have a small step that is about 1/2" lower than the bottom of the cooking surface of the pans. That allows all the liquid to drain from the pan when the valves open. You will see them on most rigs and would be easy to bend out of scrap SS 12x12"