aluminum sap buckets

[gi53]

I was just wondering if the aluminum sap buckets are any good or just junk.I have a chance to get some. I there any pros, or cons to them? thanks

[Brad W Wi]

I use them (400) I like them there is no solder to worry about (lead in the solder) They are light and easy to keep clean.

[Cardigan99]

I hang a bunch every year. Easy cleaning, no rust.

[BryanEx]

Only disadvantage I know of is they can dent easily if banged around too much (like dropping a full one on a concrete slab). :rolleyes:

[ADKMAPLE]

others will say that they tend to blow off the trees withou any sap in them cause they are so light.

[BryanEx]

others will say that they tend to blow off the trees withou any sap in them cause they are so light.

That's true... but the ones with the small grommets are much better in that regard. Not nearly as much pail-chasin on (very) cold windy days with small hanging grommets as compared to the large ones.

[heus]

One beef I have with them is that they stick together when stacked. I still have about 30 that I still haven't gotten around to getting apart. Any suggestions? I dont want to beat them apart because they dent so easily.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Rubber mallet and beat around the rim with the mallet is how I get them apart when I have ones that stick and won't damage them.

[Z/MAN]

I just blow some compressed air between the pails and they come right apart!

[3rdgen.maple]

Zman I was just going to say that. Works pretty slick. When that fails I use an open hand and just spin the bucket and slap it till it comes apart. I learned after the first year to just stick a 1 inch scrap of wood in the bottom and they dont stick anymore. I love the aluminum better than the old steel one which by the way stick together just as bad.

[tuckermtn]

they are smaller in capacity...9 quart maybe? not sure if there are bigger ones...

I hang them in sheltered locations...

[mike z]

I agree, after a while you get very good at getting them apart. It is easy to carry 30 or so at a time into the woods with one arm. I think easy to clean. You do have to stay on top of emptying them though as they can run over during good runs. I had a few I would empty twice a day and still had them running over. Not usually the case though. I don't like paying 2.50 for covers. Does anyone just hang them without covers? Seems like if they were emptied every day, what would it matter.

[3rdgen.maple]

Yep I got really sick of dealing with the dome covers about 2 years ago. If I see rain in the forcast and the sap has a potential to run I will put them on and throw them back on the ground around the bottom of the tree after. I hate the dome ones. The flat ones that hang of the taps are the way to go. But I have a mix of 50/50 so half stay off most of the season.

[Maple Ridge]

I learned to put paper between them after cleaning. I agree with everyone else, easy to clean, and light weight.

[Potters3]

May your buckets always be at LEAST 1/2 full of sap

[danno]

Also, once stacked, if you lay the stack on their side rather than upright, they are less likely to "compress" together and stick. I like the air compressor idea, never tried that to seperate buckets but seems like it should work.

I like the aluminum, but they do tend to blow off my field trees where the wind is worse. Not as much of a problem in my sheltered woods trees.

[Brent]

It seems that time spent before the season with a rubber mallet, taking the dings out, helps to make it easier to take them apart.

The more you stack the harder it will be to get the bottom ones apart. We try to keep them laying on thier side as much as possible.

If you let them jam together you pay in time trying to get them apart.

Maple dealers have brushes that are just the right shape to clean them. Put the brush in a gear drill at low speed and you can fly through a 100 buckets in just a few minutes. Our brush is 5 years old and still looks like new. Seems they'll last a lifetime.

[waysidemaple]

Have any of you with the aluminum buckets been able to use the 5/16 hookless spouts leader sells or is the hole to small?

[stoweski]

I use the aluminum buckets with the 5/16" tree saver spout. I had to drill out every hole because they were all too small. Bought the buckets and never checked to make sure they would fit. Oh well. Took me the better of a day to drill out all of the holes but I have no problem with them now.

[3rdgen.maple]

nope they dont fit any Aluminum I have seen. The problem with drilling them out is you no longer have the steel grommet to aid in the hole wearing. Aluminum is pretty soft and I have som where the grommet has worn through and starting to get less and less aluminum where the hook hangs. But I do have some hookless spout and all I did was put a hook on them from the rolled steel spouts that just slip on the tap before you pound them in. They are pretty cheap.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I use them and I bought 100 of the stainless hooks from Bascoms a few years ago and I put the hook on the spout before driving it into the tree and turn the hook around backwards. On the tip that sticks up on the top of the spout, I drilled a small hole just the right size for the lids with the wire hinge on them and I slide it thru the hole. The stainless hooks were open too much in my opinion, so I bent them shut a little more. I just walk up to the tree with a 5 gallon bucket and stick it under the bucket and rotate it and dump it. Takes about 5 seconds to dump the bucket and have it back in place. If the bucket is full, just takes a few extra seconds to take it off and put it back on to avoid wasting any sap. By turning the hook around backwards, it nearly eliminates high wind blowing the buckets off.

[waysidemaple]

I like that idea westvirginiamapler I have a few of the aluminum buckets I use around the house just for looks, going to all tubing in the woods finally. My biggest problem is having them blow off the tree. Thanks for sharing.

[3rdgen.maple]

I use them and I bought 100 of the stainless hooks from Bascoms a few years ago and I put the hook on the spout before driving it into the tree and turn the hook around backwards. On the tip that sticks up on the top of the spout, I drilled a small hole just the right size for the lids with the wire hinge on them and I slide it thru the hole. The stainless hooks were open too much in my opinion, so I bent them shut a little more. I just walk up to the tree with a 5 gallon bucket and stick it under the bucket and rotate it and dump it. Takes about 5 seconds to dump the bucket and have it back in place. If the bucket is full, just takes a few extra seconds to take it off and put it back on to avoid wasting any sap. By turning the hook around backwards, it nearly eliminates high wind blowing the buckets off.

Sugarmakers are a creative bunch. Just like you I spent a few nights at the drill press drilling those little holes for the covers and also put the hook on backwards. Like I said in my previous post those hooks are cheap and without the grommet the hole in the pail will fail in a few years. Got some to prove it. I remember sitting there drilling those holes in the taps and thinking I bet IM the only idiot in the world doing this right now lol guess I was wrong. Funny how we all just have to make things better.

[keltic]

I have had them pit and leak.....but I still use some...Cheers, F

[deckers007]

Anyone have any good ways to fix as couple of pin holes i found while cleaning some old aluminum buckets i got at an auction?

[MapleMoonChaos]

if it is a hole and not a crack a small self tapping screw will do the trick, just make sure you don't over-tighten as aluminum strips out easily.