Press by Daryl

Next year I'm going to change the way I press:

1. No charge. Instead, I'm going to heat all of the filter press plates in a pot of boiling water just before I put them and the filter papers in my press. And I'll put together my press just before I filter. I'll get my press very hot without diluting my sap with charge water.
2. Press at 210 degrees. I'll put all 4 cups of the D.E. into the syrup as soon as it becomes syrup then I'll press as soon as it gets down to 210 degrees. It will lose another 10 degrees while being pressed, but should still be hot enough for the jars without any reheating.
3. Heating empty jars. I'll warm my empty jars in the oven while I press. That way they won't much cool the syrup that gets put into them.
4. Bulkhead on my collection pot. I'll put a stainless steel bulkhead with a downward pointing stainless steel elbow an inch and a half from the bottom of my 10 gallon collection pot. Then I'll use the valve on the bulkhead like a faucet in order to quickly put the syrup into jars while it's hot.

There was maybe 4 gals in that batch.
I also used 3 pint mason jars full of filter aid.
It has been like this for me for about the last 2 weeks. At the beginning of the season I was able to get over 6 thru it with out any problem and it took well under 5 min. With this last batch it took at least 5 min for that 4 gals.
I still have the end of the season syrup to finish and filter yet and it is some really nasty dirty looking stuff. I am tempted to try the precharge thing with water and filter aid. The way I have the filter press made up with the gear pump I should have no problems getting most of the water out before pushing the syrup thru.
Otherwise it will have to be multiple batches with tear downs in between.

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When you draw off do you use a pre filter before running it through the press?

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No I do not, but I am thinking that I should. It might be one of the changes that I make for next season. I just have to reconfigure my drawoff setup to be able to have the filter under the drawoff spout and the small syrup tank I am using.

Dennis H.,

6 cups of filter aid in one batch! I didn't know that would work. We're really testing what people say about using this press!

We have a 15 gallon gallon leader canner that we use with daryl's press. We draw off the evaporator at syrup and dump into the canner. Canner has a screen on top that holds paper filters. We use 2 paper prefilters for each pail of syrup into the canner. The prefilters take out a whole bunch of niter. When the canner is totally full we bring it up to 219 and connect the inlet side of the press to the outlet of the canner. The press is charged with 3 cups of de and about a gallon of syrup. We bottle right off the outlet of the press - the canner burner stays on and maintains maintains 210+ through the batch. Got over 17 gallons through the press yesterday using this method.

We set the prefilters covered in niter and syrup aside, later rinsing with hot sap in 5 gallon pail. When all syrup is pressed, dump this pail into the canner and press out. Pushes last bit of syrup out of press and captures sugar off prefilters. Dump this pressed sap back into back pan, or front. It's high in sugar content.

Oh, it fits but just. All the plates are basically filled. Maybe a 1/16" gap in between the cakes.

Howard, I really like your scientific approach to our problem. Thanks for your testing ideas. Thanks to others as well. We have a full range of ideas here--from no DE in the heating of the press, to charging it with 3 cups DE. Maybe it all works--to a point. Seems like most of us can't get more than about 4 gallons of late syrup through. It's hard to believe that the press can hold 6 cups of DE. One of my last batches I used Howard's approach of 1/2 cup of DE in hot water to charge, then 3.5 cups in the batch of 4.5 gallons of syrup. Barely got all through. But then the next batch of 3.5 gallons would not go through--very dirty, I guess. One thing I try to do is let my syrup settle at least overnight, then pour it off the dregs, leaving the sediment behind. It seems to help a little. But next year I will try Howard's latest idea of not charging the press, but simply heating the plates in hot water (I have those Orca gloves which should help handling).

One big improvement I made this year was to upgrade my hoses. No more clear hose with the white fiber in it. That lousy stuff collapses and kinks. I got the milk transfer hose, 5/8" ID. Great stuff, may be silicone. No kinks or collapse. Very flexible as well.

I still don't understand how Bosworth can charge as much for upgrade parts as they can for a full new pump. It guess it's like cars. Maybe Daryl can buy a bunch wholesale and give us a deal. Daryl, are you listening? :) Still, I'm disappointed that I can't get more than 3 or 4 gallons of late season syrup through. Hoping for more ideas to come. Thanks all.

I just filtered the last syrup of the season and decided to try to precharge the press by running water with filter aid thru it first.
For me I did not get good results.
Since I have an oven in my sugarhouse I threw the filter press plates into the oven set at 200 degrees. I then precharged with 2 cups of DE with nice hot clear water.
And since all my hoses have camlock I was able to drain off most of the water before filtering the syrup.
I then put about 2 cups of DE into about 3 gals of syrup and filtered, It almost did not make it all thru.

I took the filter press apart and got it ready for my second batch of 3 gals of syrup, this time I took 6 cups of DE and mixed it into the syrup directly.
While keeping it mixed I ran all 3 gals thru it without any problems.

The second way that I did it I can tell you that the plates were completely full and the DE looked the same color thru out. The 1st batch I ran thru had very dark sediment right next too the papers.
Maybe I should have put more DE into the 1st batch after precharging, not sure but Since it was still another step that I had to do I most likely will continue with placing the DE directly into the syrup and keeping it mixed as I am filtering.

maple marc,

I've never heard of orca gloves. Can you tell me where you get them? I went through three different pairs of waterproof gloves this year.

I have had my press for 2 years now all I do is add 3 cups of De to anywhere from 2 to 3 gallons of syrup circulate till syrup is clear then put in canner just did last 2 gallons no problem make sure syrup is hot

This is our second season and we don't do quite as many gallons as most. Instead of charging with water we charge with the syrup we are about to filter. Our process is 2 cups of DE into our syrup which is at 219F and circulate it back into syrup pot for until the syrup in the pot starts to clear up. we then add somewhere between a 1/2 cup and 1 cup of DE per gallon we are filtering and move the hose from our syrup pot to a new pot to hold the filtered syrup.

Love the press, just need to figure out where to source the filter papers for Daryl's press. I don't really need any yet, but just curious if I need to get them through Daryl of if they are readily available through other supply houses. Does anyone with Daryl's Press know about the filter papers?

CDL cares them, in boxes of 200 papers.

Either thru Daryl or CDL dealer

I just pressed through 5.5 gallons no problem. Basically, I heated the plates to boiling. Built the press. Did not charge the press. Then I pressed through the hot syrup mixed with 4.5 cups of filter aid heated to 208 degrees. It took me 10 minutes to pump it through.

I did have a problem earlier this year. Turns out that not all food grade diatomaceous earth is the same. The food grade diatomacous earth that I showed in my posted picture in this thread doesn't work well because it is too finely ground. Even though I posted it in my picture, I didn't actually use it last year. (I had it in reserve in case I ran out.) When I tried it, I discovered that the texture was much more fine. Pumping through it in the press was a real chore and my post-mortem revealed that the diatomaceous earth didn't properly spread out to fill up the gaps in the press. So, the moral is: Be sure to buy your filter aid from a maple syrup supply store, not from ebay!

In summary:

1. The purpose of charging is to heat the press. But you don't need to heat it if you put it together with the plates hot.

2. The filter aid keeps the filtered particles from clumping. So my wife stirs it constantly in the syrup while I press.

3. 4.5 cups of my filter aid (Dicalite diatomite purchased from Leader Evaporator) completely fills the five spacers -- that's just under 1 cup per spacer.

Good info right there.

The purpose of charging is to coat the papers with DE so that it starts the filtering process. Before a layer is created, fine particles of DE will actually pass through the papers. The filteraide doesnt keep anything from clumping. It creates the effect of layering filters. As it layers its self inside the press, it is creating new filter surface. Stirring while filtering will keep the DE in suspension which helps to constistantly build the filtering layer inside the press.
Do not charge with water. Doing so will allow the DE to fall away from the paper between charging and running syrup. Rhis will cause the first filtered syrup to be cloudy as well as watered down.

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Originally Posted by mellondome

The purpose of charging is to coat the papers with DE so that it starts the filtering process. Before a layer is created, fine particles of DE will actually pass through the papers

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I just held up a couple of jars of the syrup I filtered last night (without charging) and there isn't even a hint of any precipitate in that crystal clear syrup. The papers in the filter press are sufficient by themselves to keep out every particle of precipitate from the filtered syrup. The challenge is to keep them from getting clogged by a gooey coating of precipitate. When the D.E. enters the press in a mix with the precipitate particles, it keeps the precipitate particles separated from each other so that the liquid can continue to flow and reach the papers. Here's how the Dicalcite website describes the structure of D.E. and why it is helpful:

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Diatomite is more than just a crystal or mineral that formed in a rock. It consists of delicately constructed silica skeletons grown by uncounted microscopic organisms, each with its own design. Deposits of these skeletons are collection of solid and perforated rods, disks and hemispheres, crescents and polygons. Because of their unusual physical structure the particles interlace and overlay in a random, three-dimensional matrix which stiffens, reinforces and improves the durability of filled systems....

Filtration is the separation of solids from liquids by forcing the liquid to flow through a porous medium and depositing the solids on the medium. A filter aid is a finely divided material which, when added to the liquor to be filtered, helps control flow and solids removal. The septum, usually screen or cloth, serves principally as a support for the cake. The filter aid forms a porous layer on the septum and thus the filter aid is the filtering medium that traps the solids being removed and prevents them from blinding the septum. Filter aid filtration is mechanical, not chemical in nature. Irregularly shaped particles interlace and overlay in a fashion that leaves 85 to 95 % voids or open spaces. These voids form billions of microscopically fine interstices between the filter aid particles. The size of these openings is so minute that the unwanted solids are strained from the liquid. The vast number of openings compensates for their small size resulting in fast flowrates and brilliant clarity.

Good filter aids are light in weight, chemically inert and form high porosity filter cakes to maintain free flow of the liquid. The structure of the particles must be such that they will not pack too closely. This not only permits high initial liquid flow but also provides pore spaces to trap and contain the filterable solids and leave a high percentage of channels remaining open for flow. Particle size distribution must be tailored to permit precoating on coarse wire and yet give the desired flow rate and clarity.

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I just finished up the 2017 season. The press only clogged once. It happened during the biggest run of the year. The syrup was dark, but not as dark as end-of-the-year syrup. I was putting through a batch of 7.5 gallons and got hung up after 7 gallons. So I saved the last half gallon of sap-diatomaceous earth mixture and pressed it through as part of the next batch. The next batch was just as big, so I broke it up into two batches and pressed them separately. Here's my current recipe:

1. Heat 1 gallon of permeate water (or sap) in small stainless steel pot. Keep it on simmer until it is needed.

2. Put plates of the filter press into boiling water to heat them.

3. Heat syrup up to 212 degrees.

4. Build filter press using hot plates. (I wear rubber gloves so that I can do this.) Double check the ridge on one side of each plate to make sure all plates are lined up correctly. Also make sure that the filter papers between the plates have their two holes at bottom. Hand tighten the nuts with handles on the filter press as tightly as possible.

5. Stir the diatomaceous earth into the syrup (1 cup per filter press spacer), causing the syrup temperature to fall to between 206 and 210 degrees. (Pressing through syrup that is 212 degrees or higher could ruin the filter press pump's diaphragm.)

6. Pump the syrup through the filter press using long-steady strokes with my wife stirring constantly to keep the diatomaceous earth evenly distributed in the syrup. This step takes 10 to 12 minutes.

7. If the filter press clogs (pumping slows to a trickle), don't keep pumping or you could break the filter press pump's diaphragm. Instead, save the remaining syrup-diatomaceous earth mixture, and throw it into your next batch. (If you anticipate this problem, avoid it by breaking a huge batch into two smaller batches so that you don't lose the quart or so of syrup that is in the filter press when you get stuck.)

8. When filter press starts sucking in air, pour the 1 gallon of simmering permeate water (or sap) into the remaining syrup-diatomaceous earth mixture and pump the diluted syrup through the filter press in order to capture the last quart or so of syrup that is in the filter press so that it can be added to the next syrup batch before pressing.

9. If the syrup has cooled too much, heat it on the stove to the canning temperature (180 to 212 degrees). Can the syrup by pouring it into clean containers whose lids that seal when they cool.

This whole process takes me about an hour and 15 minutes. Most people preheat the filter press by charging it. Instead, I preheat press by heating the plates in boiling water just before I put it together. I have yet to see a speck of precipitate in my clear glass jars of syrup.

Howard--thanks for your detailed description. Interesting to hear how you do not charge. You indicate you are using "one cup per spacer." Not sure what you mean here. Not a function of total syrup to filter? If you are using a full bank (9 papers), how much DE are you using? And how much syrup are you getting through with that setup?

This year with my Daryl press, with a 6.5 gallon batch of syrup, I charged with 1.5 cups of DE in a gallon of hot syrup. Then added 2.5 cups of DE into the syrup before running it all through the press. Bingo--piece of cake.

You really need to ditch that hand pump. Life is so much better with my air pump.

Marc,

If I go with a full press, I use 10 filter papers, one on each side of each spacer. Since I use 1 cup of DE per spacer, I use 5 cups of DE for the full press. If I use 3 spacers for a small batch of syrup, I'll use 3 cups of DE. So my DE use is based upon the number of spacers, not the total amount of syrup. However, the number of spacers is related to the amount of syrup, though I tend to use more spacers than I strictly need -- because I hate clogs.

We do things in different ways. You use an air pump, while I use a hand pump. You precharge the press, while I simply preheat the plates. But we've both worked things out to our own satisfaction.

HowardR, when you start to pump the de /syrup mix do you recirculate it back to your de syrup tank until clear or do you send it straight to the bottler. Thanks.

I spoke with Daryl today and ordered my 5" hand pump. The information i have read on this thread is invaluable! Thank you to all, I can't wait to start using the pump this weekend. I'll let you know my process and post results.

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Originally Posted by cabinetcap

HowardR, when you start to pump the de /syrup mix do you recirculate it back to your de syrup tank until clear or do you send it straight to the bottler. Thanks.

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I don't recirculate anything. I just send everything straight to the pot that I use for bottling.

Ok thanks Howard, it was late season and I did not have time to practice with the 5” hand pump last year, I wound up plugging it up with de. I’m going to try your one cup per cake plate ratio and see how that fills. Also has anyone upgraded the Bosworth hand pump with the aluminum housing and long handle and is it worth it or make a difference. Thanks

I did get the aluminum top ring and the long handle upgrade.
The Aluminum ring is worth it but I found that unless you clamp the entire filter press down there is just way too much leverage and when the filtering starts to get hard you will just tip over the filter press instead of pushing down on the handle.

So I just used the short handle with the aluminum ring and all was good. Well until I put a gear pump on it!

BTW the reason I did the upgrade was after a bunch of uses I was noticing that I was starting to pull the threaded inserts out of the bottom on the side where the handle hinge is.

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Originally Posted by cabinetcap

[H]as anyone upgraded the Bosworth hand pump with the aluminum housing and long handle and is it worth it or make a difference. Thanks

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I upgraded. Daryl now has his press available with the aluminum pump option, and I think that pump is worth the extra cost. The stem of the plastic pump tended to go down at an angle, which was one of the reasons why diaphragms would break, but the aluminum pump always goes straight up and down. Also, as Dennis H. points out in Comment 65, the threaded inserts tend to pull out of the plastic pump, while the aluminum pump is made to last.

The only part of the pump that is aluminum is the clamp ring that holds the diaphragm in the press. It guides a shaft to make the diaphragm go up and down straight and not to allow the diaphragm to rock. Bosworth does not make a aluminum pump body.

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Originally Posted by Dennis H.

I found that unless you clamp the entire filter press down there is just way too much leverage and when the filtering starts to get hard you will just tip over the filter press instead of pushing down on the handle.

So I just used the short handle with the aluminum ring and all was good.

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I have no problem with leverage because I connect my press directly to the 15 gallon pot that contains the syrup that I am pressing. When I press down on the long handle of the filter press, the heavy pot stabilizes holds the left side of the press in place. Here's a photo showing the pot on the left connected with the filter press on the right. Coming out of the pot is a bulkhead, then a valve, then a short length of flexible pipe, then a quick connector. On the inlet side of the filter press is the other half of the quick connector. (It only takes a few seconds, and doesn't require any tools, to connect the two sides of the quick connector together.)

Attachment 17776

By the way, the thermometer at the bottom of the pot is a great help when making syrup in the pot. I got the pot from a beer supply store. It came with the thermometer and bulkhead already attached, but I had to move the thermometer so that it would be closer to the bottom of the pot.

How many gallons can I expect to get through the press. I’m thinking 3-5 gallon batches. I hate to do more knowing how hard it is at the end and do not want to tear down halfway. Also on small batches I would think that precharging is not nessesary. Thanks for your thoughts.

How much are they


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I recommend to precharge the press before use. if you don't, you will plug the press faster.

The press sell for $825.00 delivered in the US.

I just purchased one of these presses from Daryl. Today I ordered stainless quick disconnect fittings, but I'm wondering what hose people use between the syrup and the press. I went to a farm store who sells hoses for dairy operations, but they were hesitant to sell me anything because they weren't sure their hoses could withstand heat (i.e. 210 degrees).

Cdl has the clear hose for these, it's thick wall and will take over 100 c

I have never had a failure with the thick wall hose. Now I have closed off both discharge valves and had thin wall hoses bulge under 90 PSI.

I scrolled through a bunch of the pages on this and did not see a picture. A couple questions, Daryl what are you making the press out of Alum. ? Stainless? or?
and I take it from the dialog that 5 filters are the max #. ? the current price does have me intrigued since a press is in my near future.

The press is made out of aluminum. It has 4 wafer plates and 5 hollow plates which use a total of 10 filter papers.
The hand press does not make the high pressure that the air diaphragm or gear pumps that are used on the larger presses so special hoses are not needed.
Problems which I have seen is people try to be cheap and use food grade nonmaple DE with the press or low temperature syrup thru the press. The pumps are made to handle the hot syrup if you use common sense with the handle pressure.
Any questions, please call me @ 814-337-0103

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Originally Posted by marlmucker

I just purchased one of these presses from Daryl. Today I ordered stainless quick disconnect fittings, but I'm wondering what hose people use between the syrup and the press. I went to a farm store who sells hoses for dairy operations, but they were hesitant to sell me anything because they weren't sure their hoses could withstand heat (i.e. 210 degrees).

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Pictures per your request ...
Attachment 18154Attachment 18155Attachment 18156Attachment 18157

thank you Daryl! I do believe yours will be my first press.

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Originally Posted by marlmucker

I just purchased one of these presses from Daryl. Today I ordered stainless quick disconnect fittings, but I'm wondering what hose people use between the syrup and the press. I went to a farm store who sells hoses for dairy operations, but they were hesitant to sell me anything because they weren't sure their hoses could withstand heat (i.e. 210 degrees).

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I bought braid reinforced 1/2" inner diameter, thick wall silicone tubing from NY Brew Supply. The cost for 1 foot, including shipping, was less than $10. In general, I've found beer brewers' supply stores to be excellent sources of maple syrup plumbing. They have good prices and low shipping costs.