stainless steel couplings

[cur dog]

I'm working on putting together my first tubing system. From what I read the SS couplings are preferred because they are thinner, and don't disrupt flow and Vac. like thicker plastic. Where is the cheapest place you guys have found to buy them? Thanks

[spencer11]

not sure about price, but the ones i plan to get are from bascoms. theres probably a place closer to you. and they will last you forever unlike plastic ones that are really only a 1 or 2 time use

[FunnyFarm]

there a way to use stainless with check valves?

[SandMan]

Considering that a typical 1inch to 3/4 Y fitting in stainless is about $26 each, it is hard to understand the true benefit given that all your T's on your laterals are plastic! It would be easy to drop 2-3 hundred dollars on a typical mainline in stainless fitting alone. Is there really that much of a benefit?

[FunnyFarm]

I'm not thinking stainless y's i'm thinking stainless taps. I've seen the taps for a 1.20 if it were possible to use them and sterilize each year in 3 yrs even up and all savings after that...

[spencer11]

I'm not thinking stainless y's i'm thinking stainless taps. I've seen the taps for a 1.20 if it were possible to use them and sterilize each year in 3 yrs even up and all savings after that...

cdl smart spouts are $.17 each, that would take 7 years to make up the cost of the stainless ones if they cost $1.20 each, and you can never get all the bacteria off reusable stainless ones, where new plastic ones are perfectly clean, sap bacteria wise that is.

but i have heard that stainless fittings also dont cause ice dams in the mainline so you get sap when there would be an ice dam on a plastic fittings blocking the sap, so you would get more sap overall for the season

[maple flats]

I use and like SS main line and wet dry conductor fittings. The lateral fittings and taps are plastic. Pricy, yes, but they are a lifetime investment. I use Lapierre barbed fittings and buy them through The Maple Guys, our sponsor.

[cur dog]

I'm looking for ss for my main lines, not laterals and taps. I'll check Bascoms. I was hoping somebody had a source that wasn't maple related. You know how that can inflate the price.

[OldManMaple]

The SS connectors from the plumbing supply I looked at had a thicker wall and cost more than the maple ones

[Dave Y]

Lapierre sell stainless fittings thin,wall and price isn't that bad. The benefit of stainless is once you put it together it doesn't come apart.

[mapleack]

Yes thin wall maple specific stainless couplings/ fittings are expensive up front, but they are worth it. You have to figure that you're putting in a mainline for 15 years plus, so plan on assuming the cost is spread out and conversely any negative from using plastic would compounded over those same 15 years. I've had plastic couplers that were clamped pull apart in season, sap running on the ground. I've had plastic fittings cause ice dams that had 200 taps backed up behind them. I've watched the turbulence caused in the mainline at a fitting. Plastic 3/4" fittings have an average I.D. of 5/8". Thin wall stainless fittings are a true 3/4". Yes you can find cheaper stainless, but they have thick walls and the smaller ID. I know the price is expensive up front but when you plan on a 15 yr term like me and remember that money is made in the woods then thin wall stainless is the only way to go. I've gone down the plastic fitting road, and will never go back.

[cur dog]

Those are very convincing words of advice. I'm definately heading that direction. Are they from Lapierre? Where do you purchase yours?

[maple flats]

I order thru our sponsor. Just click on the "New Equipment" tab at the top of the page. You will need to call or email, this item is not shown in the online catalog.

[tuckermtn]

the math behind stainless thin wall "y" fitting is easy for me.

cost: $20.

when the blue lamb 3/4" Y pulls apart (held with IDEAL brand hose clamps) during maple season and lets a 1/2 day of sap run on the ground (estimate 100 gals as this was a 280 tap set-up and a good run) - cost- $100+

[wiam]

the math behind stainless thin wall "y" fitting is easy for me.

cost: $20.

when the blue lamb 3/4" Y pulls apart (held with IDEAL brand hose clamps) during maple season and lets a 1/2 day of sap run on the ground (estimate 100 gals as this was a 280 tap set-up and a good run) - cost- $100+

Maybe I do not pull my mainline tight enough. I have not had any poly fittings pull apart. I just use cheap $4/box clamps.

[GeneralStark]

After switching to all stainless mainline fittings, I won't go back to plastic. The cost is well worth it for many reasons posted already. I shop around and often stock up during the spring open house sales. For couplings, the cheapest I have found are through FW Webb (no offense to Maple Guys, Webb is just cheaper).

3/4"- 4.15$
1"- 4.20$

I have been purchasing more and more maple fittings through FW Webb as they generally have the best prices, though not always, and they deliver right to my place.

[mapleack]

Cur dog, I get mine from lapierre. FW webb is cheaper, but they are thick, smaller ID. I have some from them, I'll use them if i need one near the end of a mainline where the restriction might not matter. I won't use them at the beginning where it would.

[GeneralStark]

FW Webb (at least those in Northern VT) sell La Pierre stainless fittings (thin wall). The prices I quoted earlier are for LaPierre couplers. They do also sell regular stainless couplers.

[mapleack]

I didn't realize that, sorry for my confusion. Good prices then!

[maple flats]

The last 3/4 couplings I bought from The Maple Guys were only $4, but I bought a lot of fittings at once. That also was 4 yrs ago.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Maybe I do not pull my mainline tight enough. I have not had any poly fittings pull apart. I just use cheap $4/box clamps.

He is talking about the Blue "Y"'s that have virtually no teeth. Those things suck. plain and simple. the only places they work at all is where there is no pull on the line. Most poly fittings have real barbs, those are very smooth.

[ennismaple]

Thad - Those blue 'Y's do suck! All it takes is some pressure on the fitting and they crack - leaking vacuum and losing money. Not to mention the vacuum losses and turbulence through them due to the constriction in the mainline. SS mainline fittings may seem expensive at first but are worth the money - IMO.