I have now used the "Optimizer" on 2 occasions and cannot be happier. I drove to Pat's home to pick up a cone filter rack (9 inch square version) in March. Pat gave me personal instruction on how to set up the rack. His simple user manual was very helpful -- I learned a few more tricks about some of the finer points of using a cone filter.
The filter rack is a neat and very effective modification of the cone filter system which makes fuller use of the cone's surface area. The pre-filters are obviously essential and fold into the contour of the rack system quite easily. Removing the pre-filters is a snap, with the bottom of the pre-filter being available to quickly filter the syrup that was no longer dripping through the folded pre-filter. The clean-up also seems to be much less of a problem -- not all of the niter is clogged up at the bottom of the filters. This was one of the best $50 I have invested in my sugaring operations.
I've attached 3 different views of the completed rack system suspended over my finishing pan, getting hot and moist, in anticipation of some hot syrup!
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