First time with tubbing. Gravity, NEED HELP

[rossbarramen]

im trying to set up 3 lateral lines and use them as manlines and have drop lines go into them, i have a couple of questions. How do i first start the line? i believe i wrap the begging around 1 tree at the highest point and snake it down? need some advice on that an also i dont have any proper tool persay? ive read hot water n pressure to connect the tubbing into the drop line? please any and all advice is appreciated. 106 taps this year praying for 20 gallons syrup

[StayinLowTech]

If you are using 5/16 tubing for your laterals and drops, you will probably need to go up to at least 1/2" black water pipe as a mainline to handle 106 taps. Yes you can get the spouts, tees, and other fittings on by heating the tubing in hot water and pushing them on. Yes make a loop around the farthest tree from the mainline by connecting back to the tubing with an end ring or a T, then put your T for the drop on that end tree on the downhill side of the end ring or T that holds the loop around the tree. Hope that helps.

[spencer11]

that basically sums it up, but i would use the ipl end line hook, which your drop comes off of so you dont have any extra fittings, if all your taps are gonna be on one line, got to 3/4" mainline and have the lats run into that

[SevenCreeksSap]

Not to be argumentative but I've seen here in several posts Dr. Tim say best natural vacuum comes with 30-50 taps per line, no leaks or openings except the drain, and a good drop (20-30 ft) at the collection barrel end. Forgive me Dr. Tim if I've read that wrong. Sounds like if he runs 3 @ 32 each he'd have it and get the natural vacuum, if you have some slope to work with, and maybe not have the expense of 1/2 in/ line. I know black pipe isnt much, but its something, including all the extra needs like saddles, wire, ect
an end hook or slide fitting on the last tree, or wire the last tee to the tree with tubing around the wire, then cap off the unused tee fitting on that tree. If you tee all your drops in the line, winding the line on opposite sides of the trees, it'll stay pretty tight. Sometimes hard to wind through to get all your trees, so you may look at maybe five lines with fewer taps, or another configuration.
I've got a few lines over 150 ft with up to 25 taps and they seem to run fine, but have a really steep hill.

[Vermont Creation Hardwood]

I bring a propane torch with me when making connections in the field. It is a push button torch, push the button and it sparks and lights automatically. Use the flame to heat the end of the tubing for a few seconds, then slip it on the fitting. Once you get the hang of how much heat, the tubing slides on just right with some hand pressure. Too much heat and it gets too soft to slide on. Makes it so much easier to install tubing in the woods.

I use all 5/16 tubing, up to 400' for some runs to my collection barrels on a moderate slope. I probably have 50 taps on my longest line. Dr Perkins wrote a paper on gravity tubing using 3/16" tubing and found the natural vacuum better than on 5/16. I stick with 5/16 because my runs are so long and it's easier to find tubing and fittings.