Tubing, sap sacks or buckets?

[bcarpenter]

Trying to decide what to do. I am on a little less than 2 acres and have fifty tappable red maples. I purchased a new WF Mason 2x3 hobby evaporator in hopes of doing between 30 and 50 taps this upcoming season. I currently have 12 old school stainless steel spiles that I had on milk jugs last season.

For a small size operation where I may sell some syrup what makes the most sense so I only buy my taps once and what option is he most versatile? I keep leaning towards a hybrid solution with some tubing and some sap sacks, but I am interested in some of the other small hobbyist opinions.

Is tubing worth the expense for only 10-15 trees? My tress are on the north west side of a slight hill and I do have several trees that are grouped together so I am thinking tubing is feasible but I still would like sacks or buckets for the kids to help me empty during the season.

I look forward to your thoughts.

[adk1]

A hybrid of lateral lines into 5gallon buckets would work. 50 taps on sap sacks would be doable depending on how far you have to travel and how many helpers. The lateral line tubing is not expensive but then you add fittings etc

[spencer11]

depending on your budget sap sacs would be cheaper, i have tubing, sacs, and metal buckets. i like the looks of buckets but sacs are cheaper and tubing it more convient. you could even put the whole woods on gravity at some point, im about 45 minuites away from you so i wouldnt mind coming down and helping you out if you need it

[jmayerl]

Should be able to collect 50 buckets on 2 acres in about 15 mins.............

[ericjeeper]

Sap sacks are the cheapest, until you start buying the holders. I am very satisfied with my 3' corrugated tile holders.. virtually pennies each. Plus you can use a plastic tap as opposed to a 3 dollar spile.
Only downfall to the 3' holder is the snow and rain can get in.

[spencer11]

i made my own holders to, out of 2" pvc thought, but still very cheap

[bcarpenter]

Thanks everyone sounds like a hybrid solution will be the way to go. Can anyone recommend a book for small scale or basic info on gravity tubing installs?

[SeanD]

Your best bet is to find someone who uses tubing in your area and walk their woods - or even better have them put you to work. You'll learn more in 30 minutes than hours of reading and videos. Literally, 30 minutes will do you. Even if they are not nearby, it is worth a drive. For me, I didn't even consider tubing until I visited the 5 Saps near me and saw how it all worked and how easily I could use it.

You're not going to get into main lines for your 10-15 trees, so just focus on how one lateral works. It's easy to see blue lines everywhere and get mixed up. Just follow the tubing from the tap to where it meets their mainline. That's where you will put your barrel instead. You'll see you only need a couple of fittings and some tubing. I do recommend buying or making a tubing tool. That expense is worth its weight in gold. Don't buy a tubing cutter from the dealers. They are just pruning shears you can get at the hardware store for half the cost.

The benefit in tubing for me was not really value in syrup, but in time. By tubing about 30 taps, it saved me a whole bunch of collecting time that I parlayed into tapping more trees elsewhere - which I guess adds to the value in syrup after all.

Good luck,
Sean

[adk1]

For 50 trees on tubing see if you can borrow someone's tubing tools. Basically once it is up you will b done. Fot that many taps you can have that done in less than a day.