I am getting ready to use my brand new shiny 2x6 Smoky Lake Hybrid Hobby pan this season! I am looking for some practical advice/instructions on how to use it - I know the basics , I suppose, but it's all head knowledge with no experience and I'm hoping that I can learn some tips/tricks/procedures from others who have this pan so I can start off on the right foot. No detail is too small for me at this point, so how you go about producing your syrup using this pan from filling, starting the fire, to drawing off, etc, etc, would be greatly appreciated!

This is will be my second season making syrup so I am still new to this. Last year I used a 1x2 pan on a box wood stove, outdoors and made about 2.5 gallons of syrup. It was really difficult keeping a boil on that box stove and I froze. This year, I will be inside my new sap shack, using the 2x6 pan with float box and a homemade arch with air under. I have a steam pan / filter / bottler on order, too.

Maybe this can be a good thread for others who have this pan too, to share experiences...

Thanks!