Galena
02-24-2013, 12:33 PM
Hey all
Awhile back I put up a thread bout my burly monster trees, 3 and 4, who didn't want to part with their sap, never mind that they're big and healthy. Seeing that I have only 8 trees that are tappable, I want my trees to produce. And I like to rotate trees so no one of them gets overstressed.
The main problem with 3 and 4 are they are both heavily burled, right at tapping height. So I planned out an unconventional tapping method. It involves tubing spiles, 30 ft of tubing cut into 6 5-ft lengths, 6 small screweyes and 6 pails and lids. And a 6-ft stepladder, a drill with a 3/8 bit and most importantly...a good sense of balance.
Yep, I went up a ladder and drilled my holes above the burls, so the taps are between 7 and 8 ft off the ground - good thing I'm 5'10. The screweyes are farther down the trunk in the burls and are holding the pails and lids in place at normal tapping height.
And eh wala, it seems to be working - at noon today I checked the trees and was surprised and delighted to see that 4 has already begun to chug out sap, and 3 is starting to produce albeit only on one tap so far.
Will post pics soon! So glad my crazy idea has paid off!!
ETA: linkies to pix of 3 and 4 with this setup in:
http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=1054768
http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=1054770
Awhile back I put up a thread bout my burly monster trees, 3 and 4, who didn't want to part with their sap, never mind that they're big and healthy. Seeing that I have only 8 trees that are tappable, I want my trees to produce. And I like to rotate trees so no one of them gets overstressed.
The main problem with 3 and 4 are they are both heavily burled, right at tapping height. So I planned out an unconventional tapping method. It involves tubing spiles, 30 ft of tubing cut into 6 5-ft lengths, 6 small screweyes and 6 pails and lids. And a 6-ft stepladder, a drill with a 3/8 bit and most importantly...a good sense of balance.
Yep, I went up a ladder and drilled my holes above the burls, so the taps are between 7 and 8 ft off the ground - good thing I'm 5'10. The screweyes are farther down the trunk in the burls and are holding the pails and lids in place at normal tapping height.
And eh wala, it seems to be working - at noon today I checked the trees and was surprised and delighted to see that 4 has already begun to chug out sap, and 3 is starting to produce albeit only on one tap so far.
Will post pics soon! So glad my crazy idea has paid off!!
ETA: linkies to pix of 3 and 4 with this setup in:
http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=1054768
http://www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=1054770