Cleaning an evaporator pan

[frosty mugs]

I just purchased a 2x4 hobby from mason custom welding. This is the first evaporator I have ever had or run. Any tips on cleaning and care for it would be appreciated.

[KenWP]

Usually what guys do is lend it to me for a year and let me break it in and then go from there. Other then that you have to try and keep the pans reasonably clean to keep it boiling right and try not to splash to much on the sides of it. Especially the arch part. Nothing like baked on sugar. Vinegar seem to take a lot of the nitre off the pans and elbob grease the rest.

[Haynes Forest Products]

After every batch fill 1/2 way with water and a few gallons of vinegar and put back on the fire and cover with plywood and go to bed next day drain and keep the liquid use over a few times. Pan should be clean and easy to brush clean with a food grade toilet brush. Scotch brite pads work fine get the grey ones for less scratching. Let the vinegar do the work. I clean the out side of the evap with oven cleaner to remove the soot. When you want to keep it shinny during the boil from spashing sap a rag with vinegar full strengh just wipe of the sugar and mineral stains. CLR works good also.

[frosty mugs]

Thanks for the great info. lookin forward to gettig started with my new toy. Good luck this season.

[3rdgen.maple]

I do the same as Haynes on the syrup pan. Drain a gallon of white vinegar couple gallons of water and put a peice of whatever on it and go to bed. The only problem I am having is I cannot find a food grade toilet brush anywheres. Haynes where did you get yours from?:D

[farmall h]

a food grade toilet brush. .[/QUOTE]

Say what??:lol:

[wnybassman]

a food grade toilet brush. .

I have to admit, I'm still chuckling with that phrase :lol: :lol:

[JuniperHillSugar]

Frosty,

I just bricked our new W. F. Mason 2x4 hobby evaporator, and it looks just great, Bill does nice work. We plan to take plenty of pictures with the young crew while the paint is fresh and new. I will try the vinegar solution as well to keep it clean. I'm planning on a new coat or hi heat paint when the original paint is faded or burned off.

Good Luck this year.

JuniperHillSugar

[3rdgen.maple]

Heck yeah we got food grade trash cans, food grade nails, food grade jb weld, food grade well you get the idea. Kinda been a running joke for the past month.

[farmall h]

wnybassman, how come we were the only two to catch that one??

3rdgen.maple...I hope the handle is not galvanized.;)

[red maples]

that was the first thing I saw was food grade toilet brush.

come on its used on a food grade toilet right???? doesn't anyone else have one of those???

[Z/MAN]

I'm still looking for the food grade radiator hose.:lol:

[3rdgen.maple]

farmhall you know what is funnier than that is we been sneaking food grade in front of alot of things since we have seen the food grade nails and food grade radiator hose post. Take a look back it still makes me laugh at some of it.

[farmall h]

I have missed an awful lot of "good-ones" since Theron drowned himself in that torrential flow of sap!

What was the verdict on the galvanized tanks...food grade? Ah, I don't want to start that up again.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Sounds funny but I found a good brush that has a second side brush for getting under the rim of the bowel and its great for getting under the divider over hangs. Now what really sucks is when the evap is full of cleaner and its boiling and your gloved up to your elbows and the thing slips off the divider and shoots hot viegar in your wifes eyes:o Dang thats funny when it happens:lol: :lol:

[frosty mugs]

hey, thanks for the great info. cant wait to get going this season. you should have seen the clerks face at bed bath and beyond when I asked for a food grade toilet brush! Priceless!!!:lol:

[vtsnowedin]

[QUOTE=red maples;94756]that was the first thing I saw was food grade toilet brush.

come on its used on a food grade toilet right???? doesn't anyone else have one of those???[/QUOTE
Hey my dog thinks the toilet is food grade. Isn't yours?

[KenWP]

Pretty soon guys will be selling food grade mersh. I asked for food grade ammonia once the lady thought I was nuts. We cooked with it lots as kids.

[smitty76]

face it guys, every thing is food grade in our world, isn't it??????????????????:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[3rdgen.maple]

Smitty with some of the question I have seen I think you just might be right on the money.

[Jeff E]

Oh yeah, the food grade toilet brush I have came with the food grade toilet. I think it can be used for making soup or something:rolleyes:

On the real thread content, milk stone remover works also for cleaning pans. Got mine at Farm and Fleet.
I use it to clean my syrup pan when needed.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Tractor supply also carries milkstone remover. The brand is Dairyland and it is in a 1 gallon jug and is orange and runs $ 11.29 @ gallon. It works good as I have used it!