Fill old holes and retap?

[NDTapper]

So after reading through many posts on this forum, I now realize that the cause for leaking around a few of my spiles is due to either tapping the spiles too far or making my holes oblong with my drill (most likely in my case). So, whatever the reason, can I "fix" the hole by plugging it up somehow and then drill a new hole at a new spot on the tree and retap? Could a guy put vaselline or something in the out-of-round hole to stop the sap from coming out? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I haven't found a thread that appears to address this question.

[brookledge]

Just leave it alone there is no way to plug the hole or fix a poorly drilled hole. Just learn from experience and be more carefull next year. As for pounding in taps, it isn't that hard to split the tree alittle above and below especially if the tree is frozen. Better to tap lightly and come back later if needed.
Keith

[3rdgen.maple]

Do not plug and drill new taps unless you really want to stress your trees. It is what it is and like most its was a learning experience and take what sap you get and make some syrup.

[SDdave]

Glad to see the other Dakota represented!

SDdave

[Maple Hobo]

Don't put things in the tree you don't want in your syrup.
It would likely make the tree not heal up as it should either.

It sounds like your using gravity spiles... let them be.

If you were doing vacuum I'd say redrill a new hole to fix the air leak that impacts the rest of the system.

[500592]

Wrap a little Teflon tape around your spile and you will be good to go

[NDTapper]

Thanks guys... I won't trying to drill more holes. I would still think a dowel, maybe wrapped with teflon tape (as suggested for the spiles) would plug a hole but it sounds like it's best to just let it go. I hate to see any sap wasted to the point where I'd rather just plug the hole altogether and not tap the tree at all this year. These are 12 to 14 inch trees.


Glad to see the other Dakota represented!

SDdave

Yes! Can't be many ND maple men around up here. I only have 12 trees, all planted... It's barely above freezing but the sap is flowing. These trees are in a row and not shaded, so that must help.

Thanks for all the input. Great forum here. Glad I found it.

[Kev]

Thanks guys... I won't trying to drill more holes. I would still think a dowel, maybe wrapped with teflon tape (as suggested for the spiles) would plug a hole but it sounds like it's best to just let it go. I hate to see any sap wasted to the point where I'd rather just plug the hole altogether and not tap the tree at all this year. These are 12 to 14 inch trees.



Yes! Can't be many ND maple men around up here. I only have 12 trees, all planted... It's barely above freezing but the sap is flowing. These trees are in a row and not shaded, so that must help.

Thanks for all the input. Great forum here. Glad I found it.

the stainless spiles that are formed out of a flat plate are much larger in diameter towards the bucket than other spiles. I once did the same thing. those sealed up. actually I had the aluminum ones that came with our al. buckets. but either way its bigger than the others. A few of those would more than likely save your sap. either way, you have the holes you might as well get what you can from them. its got to be the same either way to the tree.

[sugaringcrazy]

I screwed up on a few of my taps, and I thought that filling the taps with dowels would work, but they end up leaking through the dowels. I tried wrapping the dowels with duct tape, which helped, but there is still leakage. I retapped those trees before I knew they were going to still leak and after seeing them still leaking, I am planning on giving those trees a break next year. I also tried wrapping some other leaking spiles with tape and that worked much better! This was my first year so I am no expert. I think that my biggest problem was tapping when the trees were frozen and they cracked when setting the tap.

[brookledge]

When you split the tree it will do alot more damage than tapping. It will take a few years for the tree to grow around the split
Keith

[KenWP]

They sell corks for tap holes around here. I bought some but only used them on a couple of trees I tapped on the wrong side my first year.

[maple flats]

They sell corks for tap holes around here. I bought some but only used them on a couple of trees I tapped on the wrong side my first year.

How can you have a wrong side. Trees should not all be tapped on the sunny side, you should tap randomly the first year and then follow a pattern after that. If gravity, drill 2-3" over and 6" up or down, If vacuum, drill at 180 from last year, then split and go 90 degrees and then 180 from that. Keep working a similar pattern and avoiding previous tap holes until they have grown over a couple of inches.

[Bucket Head]

I would not drill new holes. More holes equall more stress which leads to sickly trees. Just swallow hard and add it to the "live and learn" column. Everyone on here has learned the hard way somewhere along the line. Its inevitable, and its o.k.

Don't put anything in a tap hole. No corks, no dowells, no dowells wrapped with teflon tape- nothing. The tree can not and will not heal the hole naturally with a foreign object in it. Just like dirt in a wound- no healing, just infection. A healthy maple will fill in a tap hole with new wood all by itself, if its left alone.

Steve

[3rdgen.maple]

Quote:
Originally Posted by KenWP
They sell corks for tap holes around here. I bought some but only used them on a couple of trees I tapped on the wrong side my first year.

How can you have a wrong side. Trees should not all be tapped on the sunny side, you should tap randomly the first year and then follow a pattern after that. If gravity, drill 2-3" over and 6" up or down, If vacuum, drill at 180 from last year, then split and go 90 degrees and then 180 from that. Keep working a similar pattern and avoiding previous tap holes until they have grown over a couple of inches.

LOL the only thing I can figure it there are two sides to a tree. The side under the ground and the side above the ground.

[KenWP]

All I can say is some of my trees never give sap on the north or east side of the trees.I can drill a hole on the south or west side and they drip.

[3rdgen.maple]

All I can say is some of my trees never give sap on the north or east side of the trees.I can drill a hole on the south or west side and they drip.

Must be a Canadian thing.