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Thread: Cleaning bottom of pan?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Middlesex, Vermont
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    320

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    Quote Originally Posted by DrTimPerkins View Post
    The "Soot-Eater"...coming soon to a maple equipment store near you.
    Where theres a commercial theres a sale....


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    Mead Maple "It's for the kids..."
    Paul Cerminara
    2019 - First season ever
    -Goal: 3 gallons
    -Season Total: 7.5 gallons - pulled taps after running out of firewood and time
    2020
    Built 2'x8' Oil Fired with Thor drop flue pans
    -Goal: 20 gallons
    -Season Total: 55 gallons

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Middlesex, Vermont
    Posts
    320

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    Quote Originally Posted by mainebackswoodssyrup View Post
    HAHA! Peel the Stihl stickers off it, throw on any maple supplier logo and watch the price double
    Once I got into maple I said if its shiny or has maple leaf imprint just go ahead and assume the price is double!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Mead Maple "It's for the kids..."
    Paul Cerminara
    2019 - First season ever
    -Goal: 3 gallons
    -Season Total: 7.5 gallons - pulled taps after running out of firewood and time
    2020
    Built 2'x8' Oil Fired with Thor drop flue pans
    -Goal: 20 gallons
    -Season Total: 55 gallons

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    mauston Wi
    Posts
    424

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    Been using a pressure washer for years..its messy..not worried to get it spotless

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Cornish,NH
    Posts
    712

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Puhl View Post
    Been using a pressure washer for years..its messy..not worried to get it spotless
    I do the same as Dave. Been doing it for years also. Hardest part is getting everyone here to help take them off and then back on when clean.
    3x10 Dallalre, oil fired, Stainless steel.
    Steam hoods front and rear with preheater.
    1500 taps on vac, right to sugar house.
    900 on Gravity
    New Busch 3 Phase Vacuum. (2010)
    Lapierre 600 Turbo with 2 - 8" posts
    36 years of MAPLE ENJOYMENT!!
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hills...93710737313171

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Upper Valley, NH
    Posts
    146

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    Easy Off and a pressure washer.
    2023: Award Winning Maple Syrup and Honey!
    2023: 200 Taps on 3/16" "natural vac"
    2022: 150 Taps on 3/16" "natural vac"
    2022: Lapierre Vision 2x6 with Preheater & Marcland Autodraw
    2022: Brand new post and beam sugar house
    2022: 4"x40" RO
    Kubota L4701, Kubota BX2380
    2 Black Rescue Dogs, 2 Livestock Guardian Dogs, Many Bee Hives, A Flock of Icelandic Chickens
    30 Acres of Wooded Bliss
    vikingmadeforge: Artist Blacksmithing & Bladesmithing
    https://blackdogbeesandmapletrees.com

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

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    Ima try a peroxide, baking soda, dish soap paste this year
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    26

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    Glass cleaner for wood stoves etc. from Rutland works good on soot buildup. Not sure om the real thick stuff though.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Westfield, MA
    Posts
    175

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    Oh good, the soot is A) normal, and B) OK to leave on for the season. Just finished my third test boil and panicked that was what people meant by burning the pan. After a good 45 minutes with 2 brillo pads, Dad came along with a mini-paint scraper and I was done with the pan in a couple minutes.
    2024 - Starting with the 25 then more late Feb.
    2023 - 25 taps on 11 trees to focus on the process. 9 Gallons and lots of sugar sand. 35 people over for breakfast in April
    2022 - 8 x 14 sugarhouse and a steam bottler. 50 buckets! 9 Gallons syrup and 4 pounds of sugar
    2021 - 20 x 30 divided pan on a Mason arch, 34 taps and 8 gallons for family and friends to judge. Dad hooked as well.
    2020 - 2 taps, 1/2 pint on a turkey fryer, About 3/4 pint syrup in two weeks - Proof of concept!

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Southern Ohio
    Posts
    1,349

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    Aaron, you don't need to get all the hard creosote off until after season, but you'll want to brush the soot off the bottom of the pan everyday or two before firing up. It will help your boil. I use a grill brush I got at Lowes. You may need to put a long handle on it. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weber-Grill-Brush/50330231

    In mid season I pull the pan and scrub inside and out. On the bottom I just use a putty knife or a flat piece of copper. I don't put a lot of pressure on the putty knife as I'm only looking to get the worse of it off. Inside the pan a vinegar soak and then a Mr clean magic eraser does wonders. A copious bleach solution rinse followed by a clean water rinse and I'm back in business. At the season end I let sap ferment for about 6-8 weeks and then power wash and clean it to a shine . At that time I'll use some oven cleaner on the bottom (fire side) and wash after I scrape off the heavy stuff.
    125-150 taps
    Smokey Lakes Full pint Hybrid pan
    Modified half pint arch
    Air over fire
    All 3/16 tubing
    Southern Ohio

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peru, Maine
    Posts
    1,045

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    Oven cleaner and pressure washers do wonders for soot. That’s what we use at the end of the season. Very little wiping with oven cleaner and paper towels to what little bit is left off.
    305 taps on 2 Shurflo's, 31 taps on 3/16" and 229 taps on gravity. 565 in all
    Mountain Maple S3 controller for 145 of the vacuum taps
    2x6 Darveau Mystique Oil Fired Evaporator w/ Smoky Lake Simplicity Auto Draw
    Wesfab 7” filter press

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