Smokey Lake steam pan with Leader 16x16 filter canner ??

[tgormley358]

Upgrading this year from cone filters to flat filtering.

I have my eyes on a used 16x16 Leader flat filtering canner setup, but I also like Smokey lake's similar product because it has the steam pan option, to prevent hot spots. I'm thinking of buying the Smokey Lake 16x16 steam pan new for $150 to use with the used Leader unit, which together will cost significantly less than a new Smokey Lake complete system. Has anyone tried using these together? Being the same 16x16 size, in theory they should work. But is there any reason they won't? Obviously when you buy the complete Smokey Lake unit they fit together like a glove, whereas the two vendors' products might not. Thanks for any input.

[maple flats]

I'm not sure about those two matching up, but I know that Leader's sizes are not true. Case in point, I had an evaporator 3x8 from Leader, the tag on the syrup pan said 3'x2' and the tag on the flue pan said 3' x 6'. I ordered new pans based on those sizes but did not measure them. I ordered new pans from Thor in Quebec. When I got the new pans, I tried to put them on the arch, they were too long. The old Leader pans originally had a 1" thick gasket between the front and back pan, the new set had a 1/4" gasket, but the space for the pans on the arch was about 2" too short. I measured the new pans, the syrup pan was 36" x 36" exactly, and the flue pan was 36" x 60" exact. Since I had sold the old pans I could not measure them, but I had to change the part where the base stack sets to give me the needed space. I shortened up that area by making a new one that was 2" less in the length direction and for the rim that holds the base stack I lessened it 2" in that direction and stretched it so as to give me a good fit.
I figured Leader had undersized the pan sizes by a combined 2.5-2.75" in combined length.
If that's the same for mating a Leader canner to a Smoky Lake steam pan you will not be happy, the fit will be grossly unmatched. In my experience Smoky Lake sizes are exact +/- maybe 1/16 " but I know Leader's are not, theirs can be off 2" give or take..

[tgormley358]

Thanks Dave. Sorry you had to go through that with your Leader equipment. That's precisely my concern -- things are not always what they seem. I looked at the Leader product and the thermometer port is lower than on the Smokey Lake version, so that may take an adjustment. But if the dimensions are off, that would be a bigger issue. I checked with SL that I can return the steam pan if it doesn't fit. What i could do first though is call both vendors and ask them for exact measurements. I think that's my next step.

[maple flats]

Good luck!

[lakeview maple]

I bought my steam pan from smoke lake for my Leader canner, all I did was measure and order to fit , I sent a diagram of the cutouts for the thermometer and the draw off valve. it fits great ,very happy with the results and no hot spots in the canner.