Rust on Steel Pan!!!

[Elwood]

I have the opportunity to buy a full arch with stainless preheater pan, steel driectional pan and stainless syruping off pan. The steel pan has rust in it, my question is can it be cleaned up in anyway??? Lots of work? The arch looks in good shape but not been used for several years. I think it will be overkill for the amount of sap I have the arch is 7 or 8 x 3.

Let me know what you think

Thanks


Trying to upgrade from turkey fryer

[brookledge]

When you say steel, Do you mean plain steel like mild steel?
Or is it English Tin, that will rust a little bit and it should be ok
If it is plain mild steel I wouldn't buy it myself. remember you are making a food product. Think about how you would feel if you walked into a restaurant etc. and saw rusty equipment. you probably wouldn't go back and you would tell others.
I know a sugarhouse isn't the same as a restaurant but you want people to see and know you are making a good product or else it will be hard to sell.
Keith

[Elwood]

I'll have to ask, the guy who showed it to me wasn't the owner. I never thought english tin thou, could have been. I think about it now and can't think it would be plain steel would it??? The evaporator wasn't homemade, would they use mild steel??

[hard maple]

What Keith said
people taste with their eyes before the product even gets close to their mouthes.
Anything with rust on it has little value for maple production.
That being said, I would only purchase s.s. or food grade plastic.

[hard maple]

what do you mean by PLAIN steel and MILD steel?
if you can provide the year and make we can tell you if it's 300 series or 400 series s.s. or if it's tin.

[brookledge]

Plain steel or mild steel is what is normaly used as your ordinary angle iron, flat stock, sheet metal etc. It is not coated or treated with anything.
If the pan was made buy one of the manufactuers it is likely English tin which is an aloy. It is not galvanized but it has more resistance to rusting than plain steel
Keith