No, seriously. Marbles in the pans.

[Clan Delaney]

I've been checking the levels in my pans with a scrap piece of tubing - drop it all the way down into the pan, put my finger over the top, then lift it out. The sap/syrup stays in the tubing and I can tell by hash marks I made on it how deep my pans are.

Now, I told you that story so I can tell you this one: whenever and whereever i put that tubing down into the pan, there's a massive surge of boiling that spouts up around it. I believe this is from nucleation - giving the bubbles in the boil a place to form. So it got me thinking....

What if I put a bag of glass marbles into the pans? I'd be wiling to bet that wherever they touch the bottom of the pan, they'll induce boiling. And I think the action of boiling will move them around at the same time, keeping the boil somewhat even.

I'm gonna try this, and report back.

[Haynes Forest Products]

You need to open all the doors and window in the shack. This type of thinking can only come from smoke inhalation. What happend to all the record keeping.

[KenWP]

I use a wooden stick with a couple balck lines on it to check depth and found the same thing when I stick it in the boil increases. If a guy could find SS marbles they might be better as they wouldn't chip. Have to try and see what happens Clan and report back.
I am wondering just what your burning in that evaporator. You never had plants with funny pointed leaves did you that your throwing in there.

[mtbguy]

Clan besides the doubts about your sobriety or sanity, would the sudden boil stop when the marbles warm up to sap temp?

[mtbguy]

I'm just curious too are Ken and Haynes in competition for posting #'s. I've noticed they're staying pretty close.

[wnybassman]

If a guy could find SS marbles they might be better as they wouldn't chip.

cough***ball bearings***cough ;)

[Goggleeye]

ss marbles? Just give some old ball bearings a good cleaning:lol:

[KenWP]

I was a champion marble player as a kid. We called metal marbles steelies. So I guess ball bearings work but marbles sounds better especially with Clan as he lost his years ago me thinks.

[wnybassman]

I was a champion marble player as a kid. We called metal marbles steelies. So I guess ball bearings work but marbles sounds better especially with Clan as he lost his years ago me thinks.

But his pan will really have balls then!! :lol:

[Doc]

Clan,
You're certainly taking "the heat" for this post. It actually makes sense and am anxious to hear if it works or not. Good observation.
Now...are they food grade!!??
ARGH!!!!
:)

[Groves]

I thought we covered all this in the "food grade nails" thread?

[mapleman3]

Pat... you better fix that gasket.. lots of smoke in there! LOL just kidding

[Clan Delaney]

Go ahead and laugh! When I discover the legendary "maple catalyst" I'm gonna patent it and retire!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[KenWP]

But his pan will really have balls then!! :lol:

Has anybody have one of those dangly things for trucks attached to there evaporator or are they all females.

I just know that the stick brings the boil up pretty good.

[KenWP]

I am waiting on the marbles report over Clan. What happened.

[red maples]

I don't think the SS marbles will do anything. but there is such a thing as boiling chips usually made of ceramic. they will help your boil stay more contant.

[Clan Delaney]

I am waiting on the marbles report over Clan. What happened.

Bought 'em, but haven't boiled again yet. I've still got the door to my evap to fix, and I've got some time to do it. Weather's supposed to deliver another 4 day dry spell, so I'm relaxin' and repairin', will boil this weekend when the trees go all uncooperative.

I didn't find marbles, but went instead with these decorative "glass gems". Like these (http://www.michaels.com/online/product/DisplayEnlargedImage.jsp?imageName=fl0803.jpg). They have flat bottoms, like the end of my piece of tubing or your stick, Ken. My wife pointed out that I needed to make sure I was getting plain glass. Lots of these things are colored after the fact, or have a pearly sheen that's also painted on, and that could come off in the boil. Don't want that.

If I dump these in my pans and the boil explodes over the sides, you all owe me a boiling soda! Fair warning! :lol:

[3rdgen.maple]

Clan you need more sap. If you want some steel ball bearings I have quite a collection of them from this peice of crap john deere sitting in my garage. Another alternative for you is to just buy a whole bunch of eggs and throw them in the pan and when they are done throw in some more and then when you have a few hundred dozen you can put them on a road side stand and sell them as maple eggs:D . I just might buy you some boiling soda's and come drink them with you during the up and coming dry spell. I am thinking we could invent a maple drinking game like bouncing marbles of the edge of your pan and when one lands in the pan the other guy has to drink up. That way we could get the marbles in the pans while we lose our marbles drinking.

[Clan Delaney]

The marbles! They do nothing!

But they sound great. Soooo, there's that.

[KenWP]

See another mystery solved. I wonder if the what ever in the pan broke the surface of the sap it would make it roll more. But if they are bounceing around in the pan they must be doing something maybe.

[Doc]

Whew...I can sleep now. (I'm the one with big bags under his eyes awaiting the news of the "Delaney Code." :lol:
Honestly....Thanks!!!
That's how Edison got started.
:)

[Haynes Forest Products]

Now put the marbles back in the bag and hang on the rafters so you can show people that you still have them. Im glad the doc is out in the field so he can read this thread:lol:

[dano2840]

Has anybody have one of those dangly things for trucks attached to there evaporator or are they all females.

I just know that the stick brings the boil up pretty good.

my rig is female i talk to her all the time, i like her better than my girl friend except my evap is kind of a s!ut......a wood s!t :lol: :lol: :lol: