Evaporator Questions

[Whitetail24]

Hi

I am looking at buying a used 3x10 1980's model Waterloo wood fired evaporator that is in good to very good condition. There is also a 3x10 1980's oil fired unit available as well. Both have hoods and no preheater.
My Question is just what does a guy look at in terms of deceiding whether it is a good deal or not. I would be upgrading from a homemade 5 pan model.
The 7 inch raised flue pans are soldered and the sap pans are welded and no leaks. Grates are not warped and was last used this spring.
I am waiting on some pictures to help me in deciding, as they are located some distance away.

Thanks
Whitetail24

[vermaple]

Find out if the flue pans are lead free solder.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Asking what it will do for you is easy it will make you so dang happy you will sit and gaze at it till the wife calls you in for the 10th time. It will make syrup so fast you will wonder what you were thinking doing it on the 5 pan set up. I think you will know if its a good deal and will not break the bank and will speed up you life. It will launch you into the next level of sugering that is hard to explain.

[KenWP]

if these pans are in Ontario and where used in the last couple of years I would say they are probbably lead free unless the guy liked hideing his operation from the food inspectors.

[3rdgen.maple]

If it was built in the 80's more than likely it is lead soldered.Now remember though there are alot of rigs still making syrup with lead solder in them. Just don't clean the joints and let them sugar over and you should be fine. If it is a great deal I would do a little search to see how much a new flue pan cost and maybe save for a new pan in a few years. Regardless it will blow your mind the difference between what you have been using. Like Haynes said you are gonna just sit and stare at it for hours. Your gonna get thoughts about fall tapping cause you are not gonna be able to wait till spring.

[vermaple]

If it was built in the 80's more than likely it is lead soldered.Now remember though there are alot of rigs still making syrup with lead solder in them. Just don't clean the joints and let them sugar over and you should be fine. If it is a great deal I would do a little search to see how much a new flue pan cost and maybe save for a new pan in a few years. Regardless it will blow your mind the difference between what you have been using. Like Haynes said you are gonna just sit and stare at it for hours. Your gonna get thoughts about fall tapping cause you are not gonna be able to wait till spring.

This is correct, it was around 90-91 that the big push to eliminate lead happened. I think Leader tried to become lead free in 1991 and the Canadian Mfgs. followed shortly after.

[Whitetail24]

I seem to be more concerned with the condition of the arches than the pans with the deal. From what I can find out, both the front 2 foot syrup pans are tig welded and both the 8 foot flue pans were soldered, still unsure about the lead in the solder at this time. I had planed on upgrading the flue pans at some point in time down the road, if they contained any lead. The deal includes 20 feet of stainless stove pipe for both units. The steam hoods are aluminum and include the pipe.
Fire brick is in good shape. Also includes doors (new in a box) for the oil fired unit to convert it to wood.
I have looked at purchasing both the units as the price discussed seems reasonable.
Looking forward to no more 24 hr boils.

Whitetail24

[3rdgen.maple]

Whitetail if the arches are straight with no sags it is easy to replace the sheet metal if they are worn out. Sounds like to me you are on your way to the bigtime now.

[Whitetail24]

Update.

I decided to purchase both units as they ended up being in good shape.
They arrived last week and I have finally had time to sit and write.
Boy oh boy is there alot of stainless to sit and gaze at.

Now the only things I need to do: 1) Is find a Carlin 701 to go with the oil unit, the fella decided to keep it at the last minute, 2) Figure out how to fill in the floor of the wood fired unit and re-brick them both.

The other thing is both units do not fit in my wood floored 14x16 sugar shed so now the fun begins, which one to set in the shed and which one to put in a addition or do I build another new bigger shed (Things to ponder).

Whitetail24

[Dill]

Like Haynes said you are gonna just sit and stare at it for hours. Your gonna get thoughts about fall tapping cause you are not gonna be able to wait till spring.

Too funny. I just got my new to me rig, off Backyardsugarer. Staring at it, then caught myself looking at the maples in the yard at lunchtime, really working hard to talk myself out of tapping them.