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Thread: Messy smokey pans

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    Fitzwilliam NH
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    30

    Default Messy smokey pans

    Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum and making syrup but I'm hooked on both! I have been reading and learning a ton! It's time to start asking questions. So here is the first of many many to come. I have a 55 gallon drum with a stove kit and 2 food warming pans. It's works pretty good, about 1.5 gal per hour on my first run and less than a gal on my second(wood issues). It works fine for me now the problem is the pans are a pain at the end of the boil. Smoke everywhere ash flying it was terrible the first time. I have a little cover now but it's a stretch with one person( beer is gone everyone leaves me haha). I am wondering if buying a better pan 2x2 flat pan with a drain port would be worth it to keep everything clean and easier to use, or suck it up this year and just do a real arch later. I have a lot of trees for expansion and plans to upgrade my shed to a part time sugar shack. Thanks for the help!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Birdsboro PA
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    1,326

    Default

    You've got room for expansion so I'd say build or buy a real arch. Maybe 2 2' pans. If you don't have enough sap to run both, you can just run water in one.
    first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.

    2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.

    2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.

    http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
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    6,390

    Default

    Maybe use some pan gasket material to try to keep the ash from coming out around your pans.

    https://www.bascommaple.com/item/apgas1/gasket/
    Please note this is an example and not an endorsement of any particular maple supplier.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Fitzwilliam NH
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    Default

    Thanks for the input! The pans have a nice seal when they are set in the drum it's when i take them out to pour them into a pot finish the syrup.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Walpole, NH
    Posts
    1,363

    Default

    How many taps are you boiling from?
    Sugaring for 45+ years
    New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
    New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
    2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
    250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
    1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
    2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Fitzwilliam NH
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    Default

    14 Buckets with probably 120 tapable trees on my property

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Winfield, Iowa
    Posts
    397

    Default

    I don't want to come off like a jerk, that's truly not the intent, but let me ask, is the fire still going when you remove the pan or pans? If so you might want to let the fire die down or go out to avoid the problems you listed. Ted

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Fitzwilliam NH
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    30

    Default

    No worries it's a reasonable question yeah i did let it die down probably not enough I'll admit but I was running out of time. As soon as I pulled the pan off I got a back draft enough to blow ash and smoke inside. The reality is I'm still in the learning curve of using that setup and it is getting smoother. I guess I should have asked would be worth it to get a flat pan with drain ports and fit it with the setup I have or use it the way it is and upgrade later. I don't want to waste a pile of money buying a 250$ pan to just turn around and change it again.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Winfield, Iowa
    Posts
    397

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    If you go with a new pan with draw off valve, make sure your rig is cooled down BEFORE you empty it. Doing otherwise is a good way to scorch your pan. Don't ask how I know that. If it were me I'd wait till next year for the new gear. That's just me. You can and should order early for next season to avoid missing out because of waiting lists. If you are going to build your own you'll have more time after this season. Think to the future expansion and order/build appropriatly, if not bigger. Have fun! Ted

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Old Lyme, CT
    Posts
    272

    Default

    I also built a barrel stove and started with steam pans.

    Partly because of the reasons you cite in your OP, I had a custom flat pan built. See below:

    stove 2.jpg pan 1.jpg

    The custom pan cost me about $240 I think. I only used it for a year and bought a 2X4 evaporator the next year.

    If I had to do it again, I'd probably not have a custom pan made and should have just stuck with the steam pans. I did sell the barrel stove and pan, but didn't get anywhere near my money back. Would have been better to put the $240 into a new evaporator and/or sugar shack expense.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Mark
    Mason 2x4 w/raised flue pan, 240 gal. sap tank, 80 Reds on 5/16 tubing and Lunchbox releaser/pump, 20 sugars on buckets

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