Hobby sized drop flues

[500592]

You may want to look at mason 2x3 if you plan on only doing 1 gallon batches but if you plan on going bigger next year you should look at maybe the next size up or if you know how many taps you will have next year almost all evaporators are rated for a certain number of taps

[xyz5150]

BryanEx
Okay... so I guess the next part to my question would be if it's better to change out a hobby flat pan to a flue or go to the next size evaporator (not figuring in any future growth). Help me out with the numbers if you can...

Are you the only person running this rig or are weekend warriors going to run it ? If guests are going to run it unsupervised at times a simple flat pan is a no brainer, but if you want speed without a lot space or sap requirement i really like the 2x4 with a 18" syrup pan and a 30" flue pan with ten flues that both Jim and Patrick are making. This setup should run with about any 8 flue 2x6 out there.

[Brent]

Curios to know if anybody knows what Patrick is doing different than Leader to get so much more gph?

Patricks flues are deeper and there are more of them.
More surface area.
And at prices lower than most, better value.

Patrick is also doing a 2 in 1 budget pan set for smaller sugarmakers that has drop flues and
syrup pan as one piece.
see http://www.maplesyrupevaporators.com/2_in_1/two_in_one_evaporator_pans.html

[xyz5150]

Brent

Patrick is also doing a 2 in 1 budget pan set for smaller sugarmakers that has drop flues and
syrup pan as one piece.

I know we aren't all made of money, but to be able to remove the front pan for cleaning is priceless.

[BryanEx]

Are you the only person running this rig or are weekend warriors going to run it ?

This is a good question but I don't want to get too far off topic so i will simply say... I'm running the evaporator. Brent raises a good issue about the flues though and I will have to check what depth I have available.

- Bryan Ex

[wiam]

I know we aren't all made of money, but to be able to remove the front pan for cleaning is priceless.

This would not be a game changer in my mind. I cleaned my 2x2 front pan in place last year every day I boiled. A good shut off between pans is more important.