Removing tap

[riley04]

I tried searching for this subject...but no luck. Once the season is done, any particular time or instruction on how to remove the spile. Just take it out with a pliers I suppose and the warm weather will aid in the bacteria and repair of the hole? Thanks.

[Kev]

I tried searching for this subject...but no luck. Once the season is done, any particular time or instruction on how to remove the spile. Just take it out with a pliers I suppose and the warm weather will aid in the bacteria and repair of the hole? Thanks.
Yep
I was taught to plug the hole with a dowel. seems I was taught wrong. so I will go forth and sin no more :D

[Ausable]

I tried searching for this subject...but no luck. Once the season is done, any particular time or instruction on how to remove the spile. Just take it out with a pliers I suppose and the warm weather will aid in the bacteria and repair of the hole? Thanks.

If You are using a Grimm metal spile - just pop it out with a claw hammer. Mother Nature usually repairs her trees - Yet I have some where I can see healed over scars when I first started tapping fifteen years ago -- Mike

[MarkMcQ]

Sometimes I find a stubborn one that resists the claw of the hammer and the crow bar, but several light taps on the side (or both) will get it to wiggle out. These are usually the old metal ones, the plastics come out with no fuss, so I'm dumping the poorer metals next year......

[riley04]

yup. it's a metal spile. thanks for the advice. boiled down a small handful of gallons today that we originally had frozen. Got a 1/2 pint of the golden nectar! It seems to be working out to about 50:1 this year. This is my first year, but the local guys are saying the same thing as well. I'll post what we end up with in the end.........and I have some evaporator questions too.