Running tubing

[SugarHi]

Thinking about running a mainline in a section of woods this year. Only ten to fifteen taps would run into it. Two questions. Is only a slight pitch from woods to backyard a problem? I have a lot of wildlife in the woods, at what height do you install tubing so deer do not walk thru it? Thanks for your time.

[shane hickey]

2% slope is ideal if you have more that will be fine to I usually run low as possible so its less harm on the trees when it comes to tapping. The deer Dont really bother unless there on a dead run and are scared of something. Tree limbs and squrrels are a bigger concern. We check lines all season long for this reason especially the vacuum systems.which I assuming yours will be gravity I would still keep an I eye on it.good luck to you this season

[lpakiz]

My experience is the same. Unless panic sets in, deer will usually go under anything, even a 3 wire fence. But the squirrels-they will amuse themselves at your expense and you will grow to hate them.

[stoweski]

I have three separate lines where I only use 5/16 tubing, no mainline. It's only for 10-15 trees. Have collection tanks for each. I take them down each year as I use a hook at one end and a slide fitting At the other. They work great and do not require mainline wire, saddles, etc. easy.

[SugarHi]

Thanks guys!! Do the squirrels eat the tubing or knock em down? I have a good squirrel recipe this could be fun,ha. So as far as tubing goes I could set at a height that I think deer could get under o.k.? I like the idea of running 5/16 to each tree, about ten total with a tank at the end of it. Does the first tree in line get tapped highest and you just eye ball tubing as you go to make sure its heading downhill? Any ideas on tanks? 5 gallon food grade bucket big enough? last question would be Stoweski mentioned a hook on the first one and a slide fitting on the last. Can you tell me what the hook and slide fitting are. Thanks again.

[SugarHi]

I don't think I posted this in the right section. Oops,sorry

[adk1]

Stoweski could do a couple of things here. A slide fitting is in this case used at your end tree. This would be the tree that is the farthest from your sap barrel. The slide fitting allows the tubing to be wrapped around the tree creating a loop and secures to itself using the fitting. Google lapiere and watch their videos. They demonstrate a slide fitting. The hook might be used at the sap barrel end of the line securing it to the last tree, however I am not positive in this case

[Russell Lampron]

5/16" tubing is all that you need for that number of taps. When I used tubing runs that small I used juice barrels cut in half as collection tanks. I drilled a hole through the side of the barrel near the top to put the 5/16" tubing through and used a hose clamp on the tubing to keep it tight. I made covers for the barrels out of plywood. I have a much larger tubing system now and have never had a problem with deer. Moose on the other hand!!!!

[stoweski]

Thanks guys!! Do the squirrels eat the tubing or knock em down? I have a good squirrel recipe this could be fun,ha. So as far as tubing goes I could set at a height that I think deer could get under o.k.? I like the idea of running 5/16 to each tree, about ten total with a tank at the end of it. Does the first tree in line get tapped highest and you just eye ball tubing as you go to make sure its heading downhill? Any ideas on tanks? 5 gallon food grade bucket big enough? last question would be Stoweski mentioned a hook on the first one and a slide fitting on the last. Can you tell me what the hook and slide fitting are. Thanks again.

Squirrels eat everything. They'd probably eat your stainless pans if you let them in your shack! Deer for me have never been an issue. They simply jump over the lines or go around them. Tracks in snow prove this. I think your "first tree" is actually everyone's Last tree... it's the highest, then sap runs downhill. I actually setup my lines opposite of what ADK suggested. The high - or last tree on the tubing has the hook. YES, it's a dead end, I know. But it is what it is. I'll change them over eventually and have slide fittings at both ends.

5 gallon bucket for 10-15 taps would be too small - unless you watch it and empty it - sometimes 3x a day. I have seen where some people have placed two 5 gal buckets together with a piece of 5/16" tubing between them. If one gets full it will send sap to the other one. Problem is 1. emptying the buckets and 2. sealing the tubing to the first bucket so you don't get leaks. My suggestion, pick up a small, 35 gallon poly tank. Bit of a pain to clean but small enough that you can move it around. I use a pump to empty my tanks. You'll have to come up with something to empty it instead of using a ladle or plastic tea cup similar to what Si drinks from. :D

Lapierre's 2014 catalog has a great picture of examples of using slide fittings... below. I've also posted a pict of the end line hook... again, I'm going to be moving away from them eventually to keep the line open. Nice part about the slide fittings is you can use it as your last drop... no need for a drop fitting on the last tree. Figure 3 in the pict shows a slide fitting at the last tree - with a drop attached. I'd do something similar at the bottom of the line but instead of hooking a tap up to the line I just run it through the slide fitting and into the collection tank.

Pick up some 14 Ga. wire for your end ties ( to the slide fittings) and to support the line to trees so it doesn't sag. Make sure to use scrap tubing to wrap the wire around the trees.

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[Sugarmaker]

my 2 cents,
we have several 10-15 tap short runs.
Set the gathering device, either at the lowest point or where you need to gather at.
For 10-15 taps I would have at least 30 gallons of volume available if your going to gather each time it runs.
I have developed a sliding loop system for both end of the system. It allows set up and take down, and allows the tubing to be tensioned as the weather changes and the tubing starts to sag.
Hope this helps
Regards,
Chris

[maple flats]

Don't worry about deer getting under the line, they can go under a 10-12" high line or jump over a 6' high one. Deer won't bother it. Squirrels chew it, more likely after the 1st season, when there it residue in it, but the also chew new tubing too. A 22 or shotgun is a good remedy for them. Don't shoot at the tubing, let the squirrel move away first. In my 11 season on tubing I only had 1 case where I was fairly certain that deer had chewed it, and that appeared as though that particular line got missed at clean up and there was some fermented sap in it, long after the season.