Yes, you can use fewer plates and add spacers to make up the space. As far as cleaning, you should clean it after every use, but when you clean it, you don't have to lose the syrup in the press, save it in a refrigerator, then heat it when ready to filter next time and put it thru the filter press.
When you say the clientele want the syrup thick enough to glue dentures in, that is not a good idea. You want to use a hydrometer properly and only go to 66.9 to maybe 67.1 or 67.2% sugar. Thicker than that the syrup will then have sugar crystals settle out in the bottom of the container.
To salvage most of the syrup in the filter, when finished filtering, as soon as it cools to just feel warm to the touch, open the filter and catch all of the drippings and save them for next time. Most of the filter aid DE and niter will remain stuck on the filter papers. If some of that falls off, just mix it in with the syrup. Store that at 35F or under and mix it into the next batch of syrup to filter.
If you reduce to too few sets of plates the pressure will go too high, to control that just have a bypass line from the pump line back to the mixing tank and attach a food safe hose with a ball valve. Then open that valve just enough to hold the pressure under 40 psi max, over 40 you could blow a hole in the papers catching the DE and niter.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.