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View Full Version : Redrilling?????????????


Brad W Wi
03-29-2013, 05:09 PM
3 weeks ago the weatherman predicted good weather for tapping. Well knock me over with a feather he was wrong.(I'm also the village idiot) I believed him and tapped my trees. Finally the weather is getting right now. Yesterday and today the weather is right and it's running.Colder weather coming on Monday for 3-4 days. Should I pull taps and redrill the same holes? I've heard of pulling the taps and spraying the holes with rubbing alcohol will clear the holes up.Or should I just leave well enough alone. I've been tapping 15 to 20 years and have never run into this before. Help!!!! After last year I don't want to miss any. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
MapleLady
03-29-2013, 05:39 PM
If those taps are running, might be best to leave well enough alone..... just my 2 cents.
bowhunter
03-29-2013, 05:58 PM
This is my first year but I've had my trees tapped since the last week in January and we had 5-7 day stretches here in central Ohio when we had no flow. I've pulled all my taps now, but they ran for over 7 weeks. As for re-tapping....the experts all recommend against it. I had a half dozen heavy producers that i re-drilled going from a 5/16 inch to 7/16 inch tap and it seemed to work ok.

Dave
Trout Brook Maple
03-29-2013, 06:01 PM
Make it 4 cents. If running, leave 'em alone. Buds coming VERY soon. I tapped 2/10, and its still running here. I'm done, but the trees aren't. Neighbor is using the sap 'til done.
PerryW
03-29-2013, 09:17 PM
Gravity taps seem to last 5-6 weeks before starting to dry up, probably longer if you have a long cold snap.
DonMcJr
03-30-2013, 01:41 AM
All my taps have been in since Feb 8th and still flowing strong...
psparr
03-30-2013, 05:06 PM
I've been tapped since Jan 3rd. Had my best run of the season just two weeks ago. Pulled them all this weekend. Got buddy.
cur dog
03-30-2013, 07:35 PM
I've got 30 buckets out this year. Last weekend, I cleaned all of the buckets. I decided to try a little experiment. I pulled 20 taps, and drilled the holes about 1/4" deeper, reamed them very slightly and put in a new clean spout. Today I got over 2 gallons per tap from the "reamed" holes with new clean taps, and only about a quart from the 10 that I left alone. This is week seven for us.