For my adapted and homemade Ashforth's I simply use PVA to seal.
Finally got around to making my sump pump syrup mixer...and boy does it work well.
You just add everything and let it get on with it....not sure how long it took to dissolve 25kg sugar in 17 litres of water, but dissolve it it did....for the more mathematical you will notice it's not quite 2:1....but near enough.
And with a "Y" connector with taps I can pump all but the very last bit directly into containers.
Couple of small issues to deal with like the mark I put to show the fill levels disappeared during the mixing.....and being cack handed I over filled one container....fortunately was on a concrete floor so easy to hose down and a bit tricky getting last drops out, but if I add a small tap at the bottom that will sort that issue.
For anyone interested the set up is a water barrel (or similar) a sump pump sat in bottom and hose from outlet of sump pump to "Y" connector and one hose back into barrel to recirculate everything and the other to fill containers with when dissolved (all held in place with jubilee clips and cable ties.
What had become an annual chore is now going to be a relatively simple job....only another 175kg of sugar to go .
Cost...was around £50 for parts and £88 for 200kg of sugar. Still far cheaper than buying than invert at whatever price you can get it for....although I was tempted.