Sap running too slow?

[ca2devri]

I think my taps are generally running very slowly (slower than I would have expected, but it's my first year). I got maybe 10 gallons from 45 taps yesterday and it got up to 4 C (40 F?). A couple of my trees gave me more than half of that!

I'm using 5/16" health spiles and I wonder if that has something to do with it? I have 5 of the 7/16" plastic spiles and they seem to be running much faster, but they're also in bigger trees. I also used a regular 5/16" bit (not a tapping bit) and I don't know if I have a good hole and fit (there's some leaking). Maybe also it's because I'm on a NE slope and the major sap is yet to come?

If I've done something wrong in the tapping I'd like to figure it out this year and improve for next, but I'm really not sure what it is.

From what others have been posting, I think I'm getting a lot less sap per tap than most. I have a feeling it is my 5/16" spiles and/or the way I tapped them?

Chris

[Gravel]

I have experimented with many different taps getting different results from all, a lot of it depends on the tree in my opinion, I have had some trees with over 2 gallons of sap in them this year and some with a cup full, then later in the year the ones that arent putting out might be while the others that were are done! You do not want them to leak though which should not be caused by the bit, did the bark split when you put the tap in? I have heard that a regular bit will burn the wood causing the sap to not come out but do not know if there is any truth to it, I have used regular bit and tapping bit and got sap with both.

[ca2devri]

I think that makes sense. It's not likely the fault of the tap, maybe a little the fault of the hole I made.

Perhaps I'm getting too jumpy... let's see what all the taps do in the next couple of weeks.

Chris

[Kev]

I think that makes sense. It's not likely the fault of the tap, maybe a little the fault of the hole I made.

Perhaps I'm getting too jumpy... let's see what all the taps do in the next couple of weeks.

Chris

not all trees are equalin many ways.
I tapped one tree for the first time this year. HUGE sugar maple. I got next to nothing from it. I pulled the taps a week ago and moved them to smaller trees that were dripping sap everywhere. I looked in the tap hole of the ones I pulled to see if they were turning black....
this tree had bark so thick I under estimated the depth needed. I was only into the sap wood about 1/2 inch. DUH, no wonder the tree didn't share much

[vikingHB]

I`m in SW Ontario as well, and with 100 taps, I collected 85 gallons of sap.
Most of my trees are of the smaller variety, with only 8 trees which are 30 inches or more in diameter.
There is something wrong. How deep did you tap your holes, They should be at least 2 inches deep. I tap at 2 and a half. Your spiles could be bottoming out leaving no space for flow.

[ca2devri]

I think my tap holes are deep enough. In some cases maybe even too deep. Yesterday I got well over 30 gallons from 45 taps so I may have been just a bit too eager in saying I wasn't getting enough?

Did I mention my trees are on the NE slope of a gully? I noticed yesterday it's almost the only place left with snow still. I think it's all making sense now.

Chris