Wes Fab 7" short stack filter press
Looking to upgrade to a filter press for next season. I'm not a big producer (20-30 gallons a season) and have been considering the wes fab 7" short stack with gear pump, since I like to bottle almost all of my syrup in glass. Just curious if anyone has used one and how they like it. Thanks.
2019 99 taps on buckets (95 red & 4 sugar)
W.F. Mason 2x4 XL
We got ours years ago at our dealer days with a discount. Best money we ever spent. You will love it!
Jal bear. I heard webbs in Bangor has the 7" short stacks for 909.00 on sale this month. That's with a hand pump but might be an option for 20-30 gallons. I have been thinking about one myself.
Nate Hutchins
Nate & Kate's Maple
2022 1000 taps?
3x10 Intensofire
20x36 sugarhouse
CDL 600gph RO
A wife and 2 kids.
We have one and wouldn't go without it. Simply amazing how they clean the syrup.
West Sumner Sugar House
West Sumner, ME
500 +/- Taps - 2 x 8 CDL Venturi - 3 Shurflo Solar Systems - MES Dolly 300
https://www.facebook.com/WestSumnerSugarHouse
This was our second year with a 7" short bank like you are considering and only wish we had gotten one sooner. We bottle everything in glass and it sparkles.
Gary
16' X 24' Sugarhouse
2' X 6' Leader Inferno Arch with Revolution Raised-Flue Pans, Smoky Lake preheater and hood
Deer Run Maple gas-powered 250 RO
WesFab 7" filter press
Kubota 1100 RTV with tracks and 125 gallon tank for transporting sap
800 taps on gravity and vacuum
Very supportive wife who is the best coworker
http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...ing-Sugarhouse
We got an amazing deal on a used 7" short bank. We only make 20-30 gallons/year but it was the best investment we ever made. I wouldn't go without one again, that's for sure!
I have that exact one from Wes Fab. Had it about 8 or 9 seasons and it works perfectly. Get the gear pump. Worth the extra.
We have been using a Wes Fab 7" short stack for about 3 years now. What a difference it makes. If you can find one in your price range or close enough you'll kick yourself for not doing it sooner.
Mike
Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.
We like ours that has been chugging away for about 15 years on about 125gal/yr. The only issue I remember is the time a hungry bear, after the season, ripped the sugarhouse door off and decided to give the press a thorough cleaning. There must have been a few drops on the belt guard so he tore it off to get a few licks!!!
If you have filtered by other methods in the past and upgraded to a filter press the initial response will be wow this is a great investment.
Now keep in mind that there will definitely be a learning curve to mitigate losses of syrup at the end of each filtering session. There are posts on this site explaining how to add the DE and Get every oz of syrup out at the end of the filtering session.
We batch filter 5 to 15 gallons at a time in the sugar house while cooking syrup so the filtered sweet we chase out gets added right back into the evaporator eliminating losses.
Enjoy!
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!
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