Pan Repair

[Parker]

I was cleaning up the sap pan that I got and there are quite a few holes,,a few are big enough to stick a pencil thru these are in the very bottom of the flues,,along the edge of the pan where it sits on the evap. rails there seems to be a thinning of the metal and a few worn thru spots how big a hole can be re-solderd......most of the pan looks fine,,,its just along the very bottom of the flues and the edges that need repair ,,,Ideas??

[brookledge]

From my experience with solder it is mostly used to bond two pieces together not to be used as a hole filler. If the metal is real thin and old, the holes are likely to get bigger when you put heat to it to try and solder. If you do try it I would use an iron instead of a torch. I personally think you should take it to a professional or you may end up making it worse and wish you hadn't tried. Maybe some one else can help you more, if it were one or two holes I think an amature could do it but it sounds like your pan is tired. I know of a person locally that has old pans and has taken them to Leader and they have done some remakable soldering. Of course that what they do for 40 hrs. a week and they have all the right equipment. Wish you luck.
Keith

[sugaring42long]

Parker, Is the pan tin or stainless? Raised flue or drop flue and how big is the pan? Can you post any pictures? The reason I ask if its stainless is it will hold a repair better than tin. Stainless pans tend to pit and spot corrode where as tin pans the whole area will be thin and by the time you get it clean enough to solder theres nothing left. In acts of desperation I have seen people use fiberglass body filler and even aluminum foil pushed down in flues to seal it up until the sugar seals it up. I don't reccomend either and i think syrup quality would suffer but maybe it will give you a laugh.

[Parker]

It is a 5'x10' tin raised flue grimm pan,,I found a fellow that does quite a bit of work on pans ,,,he looked at it a nd said it might be salvegable,,mabey work for a season,,wont really know till he starts on it,,

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Might want to keep a watch out at Bascoms as they sometimes have that size flue pan in case this isn't repairable or for next season. :?

[Parker]

I am hopeing I can get to Bascomes by the end of the week,,their web site says they have a set of S.S. pans that size,,,I would like to take a look at them and see what kind of shape they are in,,,eventualley I would like to have a stainless flue pan