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Thread: Clear Leader filter press

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Fulton, NY
    Posts
    1,374

    Default Clear Leader filter press

    Anybody try one of these? Pros/cons?
    Tim Whitens
    Willow Creek Farm
    Fulton, NY

    3000 on vacuum, 3hp 3ph Busch pump, 2567 Gast
    30X8 Leader oil-fired evap. w/ steamaway
    Airablo 1000 RO
    6 Alpacas

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Plymouth WI
    Posts
    142

    Default

    I heard the newer units have ss pumps that do not contain heavy metals.
    2x6 Smokey Lake raised flue w/AUF
    16x30 Sugar Shack
    7" SL SS filter press
    Smokey Lake water jacketed finish pan & bottler
    350 RO
    517 taps and I seem to keep finding more!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    northfield, CT
    Posts
    1,526

    Default

    Heres my thoughts. I love the concept but the odd size papers concern me a little bit i know they are same price now but down the road if these arnt popular they could be hard to get and cost more. Second thing is that a sugarmaker not far from me had one plate break and blow out the side. Luckly he had just stepped out of the room and heard the pop and looked back to find syrup all over. Maybe just a bad plate etc but imagine the severe burns had him or a customer been watching the syrup flow thru the nice clear plates. Maybe just a one in a million thing, maybe leader updated plate design now i dont know but still would concern me a bit.
    11x29 sugarhouse
    2x8 airtight arch homemade with waterloo flue pan, welded syrup pan and parallel flow preheater hood
    250gph cdl ro
    1100+ taps for 2014, approx 1000 of them vac
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crowh...5582993?ref=hl

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Fulton, NY
    Posts
    1,374

    Default

    I appreciate the input. That busted plate sounds suspect to me. Never know with new concepts like this.

    Thanks
    Tim Whitens
    Willow Creek Farm
    Fulton, NY

    3000 on vacuum, 3hp 3ph Busch pump, 2567 Gast
    30X8 Leader oil-fired evap. w/ steamaway
    Airablo 1000 RO
    6 Alpacas

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    northfield, CT
    Posts
    1,526

    Default

    Yea that worried me too. Now that was maybe 2 years ago so maybe improvements have been made or just a casting flaw etc but i gota admit a blown paper is dangerous and messy enough i hate to see a plate itself blow out.
    11x29 sugarhouse
    2x8 airtight arch homemade with waterloo flue pan, welded syrup pan and parallel flow preheater hood
    250gph cdl ro
    1100+ taps for 2014, approx 1000 of them vac
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crowh...5582993?ref=hl

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,390

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by markct View Post
    Now that was maybe 2 years ago so maybe improvements have been made ....
    I don't recall the exact specifics, but I think after a few of the early models had problems, Leader redesigned the clear press frames and added reinforcement to prevent such occurrences. I'm pretty sure they replaced all the early presses free of charge once this change was adopted.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    northfield, CT
    Posts
    1,526

    Default

    Good to know thank you Dr Tim
    11x29 sugarhouse
    2x8 airtight arch homemade with waterloo flue pan, welded syrup pan and parallel flow preheater hood
    250gph cdl ro
    1100+ taps for 2014, approx 1000 of them vac
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crowh...5582993?ref=hl

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Fairfax, VT
    Posts
    5

    Default

    I personally will never stray from cast iron due to the dependability, but it retains heat for such a long time.
    I've heard those plastic plates dissipate heat extremely well; sure beats being quick-fingered though!

    I'm glad leaders got that sorted out. Sounds like a nightmare, markct.
    Buck Hollow Maple
    tech.BuckHollowMaple.com
    www.BuckHollowMaple.com
    Facebook, Twitter & Youtube
    2,500 'taps over 150 acres of Maple woodland
    Mostly pipeline & some buckets

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Elmwood WI
    Posts
    2

    Default

    first year with 15 frame clear pres with air pump .wow! this thing rocks !!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Lake County Ohio
    Posts
    1,628

    Default

    Same over here, got a Leader Clear Press from Richards in Chardon this year and used it for the first time last night (if 11:59 PM still qualifies as night)

    Never having run a plate press; I wasn't too sure what to expect and checked and re-checked everything twice. The pneumatic pump is a thing of beauty...easy to control speed and was able to empty the press of all but a few drops of syrup.

    Clean up was a piece of cake (pun intended) as that's all that was left in there...

    I spoke to a Leader rep in Albion last year. He said that they had re-called all of the early plates to be exchanged with the new design and new orders were on hold until that campaign had been completed. THAT is customer service!
    John Allin

    14x18 Hemlock Timber Frame Sugar House 2009
    Leader 2x6 w/Patriot Raised Flue Pan 2009
    Leader Steam Hood 2014 - Clear Filter Press 2015
    Leader Revolution Pan and SS Pre-Heater 2016
    CDL Hobby RO & Air Tech L25 Hi Vac Pump 2019
    06' Gator HPX to collect wood & sap
    14' Ski-Doo Tundra for winter work in the woods
    Great Family 3 grown kids+spouses and 7 grand kids who like the woods
    7th Gen Born in Canada - Raised in Chardon Ohio - Maple Capital of the World..<grin>.

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