Tapping level or sloped?

[bigtreemaple]

At one of the seminars after last season it was recommended to drill tap holes level versus the downhill slope method. This prompted a good discussion on the Trader and I just wondered how many were drilling holes either way this year?

[adk1]

wow, never heard anyone ever say tap on level and not on a slope? what was the theory behind that statement?

[bigtreemaple]

The theory was a sloping hole had an oblong entrance and contributed to vac leaks.

[BryanEx]

wow, never heard anyone ever say tap on level and not on a slope? what was the theory behind that statement?

Here is the discussion... http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=9660

[Brent]

The instructions with check valves state to tap level.

[3rdgen.maple]

I tap my buckets on a small slope and my vac ones straight in. The reason it was explained to me was at an angle the bark will be thicker at the bottom than on the top so you have to drive a tap in a little bit farther to get into solid would to seal the vac from leaking. In a gravity tap it doesnt matter as the sap will go out the tap and no worries about the bark needing to seal off the vac. Also there is more otential to oblong the hole drilling at an angle than going straight on.

[BryanEx]

Great explaination 3rdgen.maple! I followed that whole other discussion and don't recall the "why" ever being stated for level tape holes.

[3rdgen.maple]

Glad to give an answer.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

at the maple conference in Middlebury this year tap holes were talked about. The person speaking said if gravity or buckets tap at a very slight angle upward, if vacuum straight in or down angle(cv taps only) if I remember correctly so the check ball will roll back and do its job.