Any tricks using Leader Max Flex?

[maple flats]

At the suggestion of my maple dealer I bought a few spools of Leader Max Flex 5/16 tubing for my drops. Have any of you found a good way to use it? I find it much more difficult because it it much softer than 30P. I am using a 2 handed tool, old style (not parallel jaws). Is there a good way to make connections with this Max Flex? I get fittings that don't go on fully and getting a new grip often doesn't help. I leave about 3/8" out the end of the clamp, flare it and try to install the stubby or Tee. It takes much longer than the 30P. What am I doing wrong, if anything? Or is this a bad product?

[Jason Gagne]

Try wetting the fitting with a little water, that should help them slide on better. Leader tee's are are over sized so they alway go on harder then a stuby.

[maple flats]

I'll try that. It is the tees that won't go, stubies go but not easily.
Thanks,
Dave

[maple flats]

I tried using water to lubricate. Tried both on the fitting and in the end of the tubing, your water must slip better than mine. I found no difference. Still next to impossible and far too time consuming to be worth it.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Try putting the end of the fitting in your mouth....spit on it. (food grade spit only)

[adk1]

oh man, that is a big no no

[Jec]

You can try heating the tubing up to make it soft with a blow torch. Then, the fittings slide right on. It seems to work for me.

[Thad Blaisdell]

oh man, that is a big no no

And why is that? I have never heard anything bad about that. I have never had any bad effects of it.

I certainly would not be using a "blow torch".

[Jec]

Why can't you use a blow torch. I used it just to get it plyable.

[maple flats]

Heat will destroy the elasticity of the tubing. If you were familiar with the Flex Flow Max tubing you would not suggest softening anything. It is very soft to begin with. Too soft is my belief. I'm looking for realistic suggestions, everyone who wants to be a comic can go to the comedy forum.

[adk1]

I havent used it yet but I did buy if for my drops. I also bought grip for my laterals. I thought that it spouts could be pushed on by hand with the stuff....I ahve a two handed tool so putting in the t's should be a problem. I will make up all of my drops this winter in the comfort of my living room. I guess if I cant push on by hand I will first try to use my wifes blowdryer to see if that helps. IF not, I will buy a one handed tubing tool.

To answer the question about putting the tubing in your mouth, doing so adds bacteria.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Had the same problem with Lapierre semi-rigid using a two-handed tool for drop lines. Bought the one handed tool and it works a lot better. I don't remember having this problem with the old IPL ribbed stuff, but this does flex easier and they say that is important over time on the drops --- lots to learn with the changes....

[Maple Hobo]

Personally... I hate flex line as sapline. Only for drops.
If you install it as the sap line it tends to pull appart...
Every place we put flex line in has pulled appart to the point I was having to twist wire around both sides of the drops 3-way so they don't pull off.

Seriously looking at pulling the 3 rolls worth of it out of the woods and replacing it.

[maple flats]

No where is it recommended to be used for laterals, just drops. I have a 1 hand tool, I'll try that too. Seems to me Leader would have a solution before they put this out on the market. Likely a new, improved tool (@ 2+ x the $). They responded saying that the tubing is worth the trouble. My thought is that if I don't find an easy way to make up drops that tubing will be history. I have about 1000 +/- to make and I refuse to do it with something I must fight all the way.

[lew]

Mapleflats, I had the same problem when using Leader T's especially. I made a dropline tool that is all air operated with an air vise to hold the tubing and an air cylinder to push the fitting into the tubing. At first, if everything wsn't lined up perfectly I would get some tubing that would bend over and ruin the fitting. The push cylinder isn't very forgiving. KNowing that oil based lubricants aren't recomended I tried milk. Just added 2 tablespoons to a coffee cup of room temp. water and it worked like a charm. The small amount of butter fat was just enough lubricant.

[Bruce L]

Dave,I had the same problem last year,posted on the trader here and someone recommended water(warm,not hot)It worked like a charm for me,i use the deluxe tubing tool.
Bruce

[maple flats]

I assembled 200 inline tee drops and 100 end ring drops today, lubricating with just water. Ruined about 6 tees in the process, had to cut them off and toss. If Leader insists in making the tees bigger than anything else, they should put about 4 or 5 extra in each 100 bag at no extra cost. The stubbies and the end rings don't have the problem, just the tees, how stupid (of Leader). Or is this just another way for them to sell more fittings at their high price. It may end up creating sales for the competition. I sent the question to Leader, their answer was that they are challenging to assemble but worth it, I still question that statement. I may start getting my fitting from Lapierre or CDL or anyone else as a result in future years as I continue to expand.

[adk1]

mf, your not using a tool though right? I have a one handed tubing tool. I shouldnt need the water deal then?

[Homestead Maple]

This soft tubing that is used for drop lines is made to be grip the fittings really tight. Maple producers that run high vacuum (24 inches plus) were complaining that they could twist the fittings within their drop line tubing and were thus, losing some vacuum. So manufacturers of tubing came up with a highly elastic tubing. I use a regular drop line tool to make up drops with the Max flex and I don't use water and I haven't had any problems unless I start the fitting into the Max flex crooked. I do know that once a fitting is put into the Max flex it's impossible to twist the fitting within the Max flex. Leader accomplished what they were trying to do to stop vacuum loss.

[Meridian Maples]

In the last 2 years I've probably made 2000 drops with the Leader Max Flex and Tees. I use a 2 handed tool, and if you don't start out straight with the fittings you are going to have problems. I found I just had to be carefull lining up the fittings to start and they went together a lot better. I like the bigger Leader fittings because I'm pulling my laterals way tighter then I could before with other fittings. If your using 30P you need to have bigger tees or they will pull apart.

[farmall h]

Mapleflats you may need to invest in a two handed tool that has the tubing flair option...although I have the option on my two handed tool and never use it. Why you guys insist on using water is beyond me?! I hit the hole everytime...:lol:

[sweetscotty]

Im no comedian but i would try dipping the drop in water then hold the drop with the fitting started into it then slam it on a flat sturdy surace, this is what i do altough i use what i think is a better tubing (cdl 10yr semi rigid)

[maple flats]

I have a 2 handed tool, with flair. The flair does not help. Then I tried 200, lubed with water and 5-6 drops canola oil, worked perfectly. Then I spoke to my dealer, they have a warning letter with pictures, do not use any lube except water. Any oil, veg-olive-whatever, will degrade the tubing which will then fail. With my luck it would fail on the best flow day of the season. I now need to cut off the fittings on 200 drops and start again. The dealer demo'd an install. It appears to make a difference which side of the tool you use. I was using the pivoting side to clamp the tubing and pushing on the fitting with the rigid side, I need to reverse sides. The rigid side should clamp the tubing. I'll try that next week, I had to buy 200 more t's and stubbies to replace the "oily"ones. I'll let you know in a few days (the next day I get rained out).

[Maple Hobo]

We just made a few hundred taps up. We did use the leader max flex, warm water so it slips on easier, seemed to be the best option. They went together pretty easily. Some you can even hand fit without the tool.

We use the sliding 2-man tool with one fixed side. I put the fixed side on the floor and use it closed just to back up the 3-way or the fittings i want to pressin, like it was a drill press. Sometimes you need to adjust the fittings so they don't pinch or twist.

I don't lock them in, just squease againsed the closed tubing jaws. Only the tubing is locked in. I did heat and slip some maple line over the handles so it has more hand freindly grips on it. The 1/8" steel hurts your hands after a few dozen clamps.

It really shouldn't be very hard to work with...