Best spouts?

[Longyearfarm]

So I've decided to switch over to the 5/16 spouts for next season. What are the best ones out there? I use mainly buckets now, so I'm wondering if there any spouts that I can use my Grimm lids with. Thanks in advance.

Matt

[Run Forest Run!]

Hi Matt. If you are thinking about switching to the blue plastic 5/16 health spiles, I'd suggest trying a few first this year. I'm having trouble with them leaking and falling out. It may be "user error" but it might save you some grief before you replace everything in one big swoop.

[northwoods_forestry]

I've been using the Leader 5/16" hookless cast aluminum spouts. For the most part I have been pleased with them except for:

1. expensive at $2.85 a pop
2. have a tendency to get pushed out or loosened by freezing and thawing
3. have to ream out the hole on older buckets so that they will fit on the spouts

[mantispid]

I just started tapping trees this year, and have started with 5/16" black plastic tubing taps from Leader Evaporator. They seem to work pretty well. I'd say about 30% of them leak to some degree around the edges of the hole, but I haven't determined if it is because of botched drilling on my part, not tapping the spiles in tight enough, or perhaps freeze/thaw pushing them out a bit. I haven't used tubing with them yet. I just hang plastic milk jugs and old juice containers with cut-out holes, on them.

[happy thoughts]

I just started tapping trees this year, and have started with 5/16" black plastic tubing taps from Leader Evaporator. They seem to work pretty well. I'd say about 30% of them leak to some degree around the edges of the hole, but I haven't determined if it is because of botched drilling on my part, not tapping the spiles in tight enough, or perhaps freeze/thaw pushing them out a bit. I haven't used tubing with them yet. I just hang plastic milk jugs and old juice containers with cut-out holes, on them.

Welcome to the wonderful world of maple season:) If you aren't addicted now you will be soon:) Just want to add that one other cause of leaking can be tapping them in too hard so that that wood splits and cracks. You'll figure it out what works best for you as you continue from year to year but that said, we've all had a few leakers now and then. It happens and you'll still get plenty of sap.

[bowtie]

this year i switched to 5/16 clear seasonal spouts, 90 degree, i use 2-gallon aluminum buckets with a mixture of dome style and flat lids. i am having some leaking issues with them, not sure why maybe just operator error. i "designed" a wire hanger that also holds flat style lids. so far they are holding fine but i have not had a real run yet. i purchased 5/16 tubing and made drops into my buckets because the taps were dripping down the outside of the buckets. next year i will use the straight seasonal spout and see how that works. as for the leaks i think that you will find most first time users have leaks with these, they do not "seal" like metal spouts, in my opinion. the wire hangers i made took some trial and error and i am not sure that i am finished tweeking them yet but all they cost me was about $12 and a few long hours of my time making them. i honestly was looking into making them and selling them but not sure how much of a market there is for them and patents are rather difficult and expensive to make. i believe next year there is a canadian company selling plastic lid holders that slide on seasonal spouts, not sure the name it is listed on a previous thread. the reason you will find most, like myself are switching to 5/16" seasonal spouts is due to that fact that they are supposed to yield more sap, probably nominal for us buckets guys but foremost it is healthier for the trees and the subsequent healing process. they run about $.16-.18 each.

[bowhunter]

I'm a first timer and I've had about the same performance with 5/16 black plastic from Leader. I assumed it was because I buggered the hole when I drilled, but don't know for sure.