Leaking Taps?

[3fires]

Some of my taps are leaking. I'm using leader 5/16" tree saver spouts on tubing into buckets. I tapped them in lightly until the hammer bounced back.

Should I give them another tap with the hammer or what?

[BoarsNest]

We tap ours in until you can feel it bottom out in the hole. Don't hit them too hard or you could split the tree if the tree is frozen.

[danno]

Many of my recent leakers were caused by the recent cold weather pushing the taps and stubbies out. I did pop them back in again and that has helped.

[3fires]

Hmm, I'm freaking out! I'd hate for all that sap to just leak out on the ground and I don't want to split the tree. I gave them another light tap to seat em a bit further, will have to wait and see if it helped or hindered.

[3rdgen.maple]

We tap ours in until you can feel it bottom out in the hole. Don't hit them too hard or you could split the tree if the tree is frozen.

If your tap is bottomed out in the hole how is sap suppose to get through the hole in the tap? The tap should only go in the tree about half and inch or little more.

[Ausable]

Morning 3fires --- Sure wished I had Your problem -- been to cold here -- Yesterday -- big sap flow another 2 gallons out of 55 trees. Just tap your spiles in till they are snug - The guys already answered your question. Wished I had some leakers - would sure make me happy - LOL - Mike

[BoarsNest]

If your tap is bottomed out in the hole how is sap suppose to get through the hole in the tap? The tap should only go in the tree about half and inch or little more.

Sorry for the confusion, I knew that would come out wrong. There is a slight ridge or transition on my taps about 3/4" in and I bottom out on that ridge. My holes are about 1-1/2" deep and if I did truly bottom them out I wouldn't get them out of the tree.

[northwoods_forestry]

My thought is that it's always better to err on the side of putting them in too light than too deep. I only give a couple light taps to seat the spile and no more. Occasionally I give another tap or two later if I see leaks, but more often than not those leaks are due to off-round or poorly drilled tap holes and not a loose spile and no amount of hammering will set those right.

Why go light? As already said, the main reason is you don't want to split the tree. Also, at the end of the season, I want to be able to hand pull all the spiles as I race through the bush washing the tubing. I find that if I tap until the hammer bounces that can set the spile too deep and it can be really hard to pull the taps by hand.

I would say that if you can't pull the spile out fairly easily by hand you are putting them in too deep.

[3fires]

Morning 3fires --- Sure wished I had Your problem -- been to cold here -- Yesterday -- big sap flow another 2 gallons out of 55 trees. Just tap your spiles in till they are snug - The guys already answered your question. Wished I had some leakers - would sure make me happy - LOL - Mike

I guess it's just newbie jitters.


BTW, my taps are about half way in, 1" or so. I used a new standard drill bit, so I don't think the holes are out of round, but it's possible.

Do you folks run the bit in a couple times to clear the sawdust from the hole?

I go in once to drill the hole and then two more times, carefully, simply to remove the sawdust.

[northwoods_forestry]

I'd advise buying a canadian tapping bit The tapping bits are far, far better at removing chips and sawdust than standard bits and you should only need to put the drill in once for a clean hole.

Sounds like your leaks are likely due to 2 things:

1. Off-round holes caused by the standard bit and having to go in and out multiple times. Maybe you've a much steadier hand than I, but I can't run a drill in and out and keep the tap hole edge as clean as it should be.

2. Driving in the spiles too deep and causing the seal between the taphole edge and spile to compact too much and either split or tear. Even a small split will cause leakage. 3/8 to 1/2 " deep should more than enough to do the job.

In either event, you should still be ok. Most of the sap will still go through the spile even as some leaks around the edges.

[3fires]

I think you're right.

I put 4 taps in today and it was hard to run the bit several times without changing it slightly. This bit cuts good, but it leaves a lot of sawdust in the hole.

Also, I carefully tapped one in on a smooth barked young maple and just as the hammer bounced back i saw a tiny, tiny split. So, now I'm gonna run em in less and not wait for the bounce back. Worst case I tap them in a bit more a day or two later.

[Ausable]

Howdy again 3fires -- I just use the back end of an acid brush to clear the extra debris from my holes -- like a thin section of metal tubing - smaller then the hole - works for me --Haha probably not necessary - but - I feel better ----- Mike

[3fires]

Thanks Mike. I went back to the tap with the small split and it has grown, now it's a big split. I won't be waiting for the bounce back anymore, just snug em up.

[Ausable]

Well - Ma Nature can quit messing with us - She is really starting to get to me - Of course, when you are checking trees to see if there is any sap YET - Ya gotta keep a straight face and pretend all is normal or ole Ma Nature will keep up her mischief. She really has a sick - little sense of humor. Have about 37F here ---- But -- No Sun and No Sap and the little that is in the pails is frozen solid.......Sooooooo If I don't get any sap I will have a water boil and eat pan cakes outside with some of last years Maple Syrup and pretend all is well - cause old Ma Nature could send a tornado my way just to spite me ------ LOL--- This to shall pass and Sap will flow again in my little part of Michigan ------ Mike

[3fires]

I'm hoping we had a good run today, it was rainy and in the mid 40's. We're supposed to hit 50 overnight. I'll find out in the morning.

[ca2devri]

3fires,

So what have you done with the taps that are leaking? I think I've done basically the same thing as you. I have probably 1/3 of my 40 taps leaking and I might have tapped them in too hard. I don't see any splitting, but a couple of them are leaking a lot.

Anything I can do to fix those?

Chris

[Big_Eddy]

I tapped on a warm day before a cold front came in (minus 15) The trees were flowing, but the sap was freezing in the taps. Came back the next morning and most of the taps were frozen solid and the ice in the tap hole had pushed them out of the trees. Waited for a warm afternoon and tapped them back in - no leaks now. Happens some years.

[3fires]

I can't decide what to do, some stopped, but I still have 5 or 6 that are leaking pretty good. Only two are split, but I'm afraid to tap the others in any further for fear of splitting them.

:confused:

I planned on just letting them go. I thought the tree saver taps were a no brainer, but it appears you have to have some level of brain function to get them to seat and yet not split. That experience will come in time I suppose.

[C.Wilcox]

3fires, the good part about making a mistake is that you generally learn a lot from it even though it is painful. I doubt very much that you'll over seat your taps next year or any year after this. Don't kick yourself too much about it. These things happen.

I made the mistake of not finishing my syrup to the proper density last year. I ended up having to open and reprocess all of my syrup on the kitchen stove in order to get rid of mold and discovered that some of it was just not salvagable. I will not be making that mistake again.

[sugaringcrazy]

So here has been my possible solution to leaking taps. I am skepticle, and have not seen the sap run to see if it works. I discovered that my taps were leaking because I was using a brace and bit and the holes just weren't uniform. I also tapped in too far and the tree might have split, but don't really know. So, I pulled the taps and wrapped the spile with duct tape a couple times and put it back in lightly and they fit much better. We will see if it works. If anybody thinks this is crazy let me know.

[3fires]

LOL! I was considering teflon tape.:D

[woodsmith]

I found that leaking around taps is sometimes caused by an out of round hole, either from going in and out or an unsteady hand. I use a very sharp twist bit made for sugaring and run it in once only for best results and be sure you have a steady footing when begining to drill.

[ComputerSteve]

I realize it's probably hard to say, but does anyone have an idea how much sap can be lost to leaky taps? I know I slipped while drilling some of the holes and they are probably out of round and not sealing properly, because they are leaking. Also is there a type of drill bit that works better for drilling taps than just your run-of-the-mill cheapy drill bit?