5/16 alluminum or SS taps with hooks

[cur dog]

Does anyone make a 5/16 SS or alluminum tap with a hook? If not, why? I've found the 5/16 plactic taps, but doubt their durability. Thanks

[maple marc]

Cur Dog,
The standard aluminum 5/16" Leader spile does not have a hook, but it has "horn" on top that acts to hold a bucket on just fine. I find I don't need a hook for 5 gallon plastic buckets.

[cur dog]

Very good. Thats what we'll go with this year. Will the holes in most alluminum buckets fit over the "horn"?

[Flat47]

Very good. Thats what we'll go with this year. Will the holes in most alluminum buckets fit over the "horn"?

No on the one aluminum bucket we have. Over the years I've had to drill a bunch of buckets to enlarge the hole to allow the shark fin through. This past season I ran out of dome style buckets covers, so I used the old flat ones with the wire hinge. I drilled some of the spouts to use the flat cover and used hooks from old Grimm spouts. Problem was, the bucket set out too far and sap drooled down the outside of the bucket. So...I cut some Pex tubing to use as a spacer between the spout's shark fin and the hook (to move the hook closer to the tree). Worked, but what a pain.