Bubblemaster 1.0!

[Russell Lampron]

I use the filter that is in the shop vac. I bought the shop vac brand new and it's only used for the bubblemaster.

[heus]

Russ another question. How do you keep the tubes up off the bottom of the pan? I'm really looking into making one of these for my flue pan next year.

[Sugarmaker]

Russ,
Yes this is a good thread. I am more interested in keeping the tough dark brown niter build up off the front pan than making light syrup. No one wants light syrup anymore! Not sure why we are trying so hard to make it? That will change again in two generations when the new grading system has been set in kids minds they will long for the "golden delicate" maple syrup!
Anyway I wonder if I could branch off of my blower for the steam away, it is very close to where you have your blower connection to the back pan. Come down into the front pan with a smaller manifold and throttle valve and tubes. I have to get under the back of my front hood.
You mentioned about not having bubbler holes near the draw off? I would like to get as close as possible. I would like to have the front pan with minimal niter build up that would be awesome.
Lighter syrup would just be a bonus.
Regards,
Chris

[Russell Lampron]

Russ another question. How do you keep the tubes up off the bottom of the pan? I'm really looking into making one of these for my flue pan next year.

I put the bend in the tube at the manifold end so that it holds the tube a 1/2" off of the bottom of the pan. On the other end I crimped and soldered the end of the tube and bent it down to hold the tube off of the bottom.

Russ,
Yes this is a good thread. I am more interested in keeping the tough dark brown niter build up off the front pan than making light syrup. No one wants light syrup anymore! Not sure why we are trying so hard to make it? That will change again in two generations when the new grading system has been set in kids minds they will long for the "golden delicate" maple syrup!
Anyway I wonder if I could branch off of my blower for the steam away, it is very close to where you have your blower connection to the back pan. Come down into the front pan with a smaller manifold and throttle valve and tubes. I have to get under the back of my front hood.
You mentioned about not having bubbler holes near the draw off? I would like to get as close as possible. I would like to have the front pan with minimal niter build up that would be awesome.
Lighter syrup would just be a bonus.
Regards,
Chris

The blower for the steamaway should work for you. I was trying to figure out a way to use some of the air off of my blower for the evaporator but filtering it was too much of a challenge in the amount of time that I had to get the Bubblemaster built. You're still going to get some nitre build up on the pan surfaces that aren't directly under the bubbler tubes. The holes in the tubes need to be about a foot away from your thermometer stem so that the cold air doesn't affect the reading.

[HHM-07]

I use the filter that is in the shop vac. I bought the shop vac brand new and it's only used for the bubblemaster.

Russ Do you put a single pipe in the center of the sections in the front pans? how do you keep it one inch off the bottom

[Russell Lampron]

Russ Do you put a single pipe in the center of the sections in the front pans? how do you keep it one inch off the bottom

Hi Dick, I run 2 tubes in each channel of the front pan. The manifold rest on top of the pan dividers and the tubes are bent so that they are a 1/2" off of the bottom of the pan at that end. On the end of the tubes I crimped them and bent them down at a 90* angle so that ends are held a 1/2" off of the bottom.

[Hop Kiln Road]

Hi Russ! A little more description of the manifold. The threaded end of the 3/8" compression fitting is soldered into a hole drilled in the 1" pipe? Is this a difficult soldering job? Thanks, Bruce

[OldManMaple]

0324131549.jpgAs fittings are expensive, I drilled the manifold and soldered the 1/2" pipe directly into it. Also I soldered 3/8" across the bottom to space up it off of the pan.

[Russell Lampron]

Hi Russ! A little more description of the manifold. The threaded end of the 3/8" compression fitting is soldered into a hole drilled in the 1" pipe? Is this a difficult soldering job? Thanks, Bruce

Hi Bruce, Drilling the holes in the manifold for the fittings was the hardest part. If they are too egg shaped it is difficult to fill the hole with solder. The soldering itself is fairly easy. Making it so that the tubes are removable makes it easier to put the tubes into the pan and then attach them to the manifold. If the tubes and manifold were all soldered together I wouldn't be able to get it into my flue pan.

[HHM-07]

When you make one of these bubblers is it ok if the pipe touches the pan on the sides of the flues??

Thanks Dick