ATV Sap Hauler

[Sticky Fingers]

87198720Just finished building my sap hauler today so thought I'd share a few pics. Altogether it cost about $5 just for some hardware. I used cedar logs as runners and some lumber I had laying around. I only have an ATV to haul my sap so this year I've been maintaining my trail to my maple bush with a walk behind snowblower. A lot of work to keep the trail cleared out especially with all the snow this year but sure better than dragging a 55 gal drum of sap out by hand on a plastic sled and having it fall off a few times along the way like I did last year. This should work much better.

[Timberwolf]

Nice work and the price is right! Having them low to the ground will make dumping easier.

[bigschuss]

Hey Sticky Fingers....I'm looking to build something like this ASAP. My trees are fairly spread out across my property. I need to be able tot get into the woods with both my snowmobile and my ATV to collect sap. Can I ask a question? is this setup for collecting sap from buckets? Or do you fill these tanks from lines and then just load them up and pull them out.

[Sticky Fingers]

Hey bigschuss - So far I've had 30-40 trees on pails expanding to 50-60 this year, and was thinking of running about 10 trees on tubing into one of these drums. I figured if the drum was right beside my trail I could just flop it onto this sled when full. Mostly I'll just be filling them with buckets though, and will probably cut a hole in the side of a drum to fill it that way.
Good luck with your rig.

[BreezyHill]

Where there is a will there is a way.

Great Job!

Setup a funnel to fill the tank thru the bung hole rather than cut a hole that could slosh sap out on the trail side to the sugar house.
Plastic tubing, two threaded elbows and a tee to fill both. garbage bag to cover funnel so no stuff gets in the funnel.

Ben

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks Ben - That's a good idea, I'll do that if I can find a threaded fitting to attach to the bung hole threads.

[BreezyHill]

There is usually one bung that is a 2" pipe thread for the big bung hole with a 3/4" pipe thread in the center. 2" pipe thread in a pvc is available at Home depot or other hardware stores.
A 3/4npt x 3/4" hose barb or x 1" hose barb should do the job. you could use 2" pvc to fill thru the 2" bung that will fill faster and can be set at the bottom and use a tee and valve at the 2nd tank for a discharge when back at the sugar house.

[Big_Eddy]

Buy a $0.99 Crazy Carpet and cut it to fit the bottom of your runners. Nail it on with some roofing nails. Will make a huge difference as to how easy it will slide.

Common "funnel" is to set a 5gal pail onto the side of the drum, trace around and cut out a circle to match. Then lower the pail in until it seals against the taper. Cut a few 2" holes in the bottom. The pail becomes a funnel and a slosh guard in one. Then you can use the lower bung as a drain when you get back to the shack (or lift the pail out and drop in a pump)

[jmayerl]

I understand you are from canada, but what the heck is crazy carpet?:rolleyes::cool:

[Jerome]

http://www.canadiandesignresource.ca/gamestoys/hello-world/

[maple flats]

Great idea. I might suggest a piece of steel strap to protect the leading edge near the top of the runner, where you cut the runner to angle upward. Just run the "crazy carpet, attach it, and then add a 3-4" long piece of steel strap to keep the leading edge from getting caught and just pealing (yanked) off.
Real nice sled there. Is the pull connection ridged or flexible? You don't want the sled to run into the ATV.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

Great Idea!

In the off season, you can use it to haul rocks to keep in shape. Make sure you hook up a harness for yourself, as a real man wouldn't use an ATV!


8794

[Sticky Fingers]

I actually thought about adding crazy carpet to the runners and scrap steel but don't think I need it or want it in my situation. Don't want it to be too slippery. My maples are about 200yards in this trail that I've been keeping cleared this winter. So I go in then turn around and collect sap on the way back out. It's a gentle downhill slope all the way back out.
For the pull connection I used what I had on hand, aircraft cable inside poly pipe. Would be better to have the cable inside steel pipe but don't think it will be a problem for me. Thanks for the comments guys hope this gives others some ideas to get their sap out of the bush.

Also I tried the "real man" approach last year hauling out a 55 gal drum by hand on a sled, and so as long as I have an ATV I'll be using it from now on.

[kiteflyingeek]

Sticky Finger,

I don't blame you at all for wanting to use the ATV if available. A 55 gallon drum weighs in around 400 pounds! Pulling that by hand (even in a sled on snow) has to be LOTS of work.

If we had snow that stayed on the ground here in southern Indiana, I'd be working on making a sled too. Probably start with your ideas and go from there.

--andrew

[Twindadx2]

Great job Sticky Fingers! You need to hook up that sled dog of yours to help you out in the woods :lol: