Ideal drop line length

[maplehillbros7179]

Hey guys, What is the ideal drop line length for a 5/16 gravity line? I've heard a foot 2 foot in between everything is there really a length you should shoot for?

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

I had some at 24" and 36" this year 24 is to short and 36
Is way to long. From now on mine will be 30" and that's what most are saying is the ideal length.

Scott


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[lpakiz]

Probably should depend on the diameter of your trees. I plan to replace my drop lines soon, and am considering 2 lengths-24 for small and medium size trees, and 36 for the big ones, where I have to reach around a long ways to tap in a complete circle.

[wiam]

I started with 30. Have tapped about 6 years. Most are too short to reach new wood. New ones I am switching to 36. I think you will find most are going longer.

[maplehillbros7179]

Thanks guys I think 30 sounds best that way you can reach new wood without it being to long.

[tuolumne]

It is sometimes handy to have a shorter (24-30") and a longer (36-40") drop on very large trees with 2 or 3 taps. On the smaller trees a 30" tap can just go around the opposite side. The 3000 tap sugar bush that I tapped this year has all 30" drops and they work very well.

[wishlist]

Probably should depend on the diameter of your trees. I plan to replace my drop lines soon, and am considering 2 lengths-24 for small and medium size trees, and 36 for the big ones, where I have to reach around a long ways to tap in a complete circle.

Larry hit it on the head! I made 100 30" long this year and had a oops moment. I tap some huge yard trees and 30" just wont allow room to move around tree . I made up some 42" for certain trees which will help.

[maple flats]

I used to use 28", then a few yrs ago moved to 30", this year I used 32". In a few years who knows?

[oneoldsap]

If you can reach around the tree and touch your fingers a 30" drop will do . If you cant , go with a 40" drop !

[Maritimer]

Hi Wishlist, I see you have built a home made R.O. How is it working for you? This is some thing I would be interested in attempting.

[mapleack]

I switched to 36" from 30 about 10 years ago.

[wiam]

I switched to 36" from 30 about 10 years ago.

I find it amazing how much more tree you can reach with a 36.

[adk1]

The only thing I don't like is installing a 36 on a smaller tree and having to wrap it around the tree

[wiam]

That is the easy part.

[markct]

30 inch works well for me, usualy a tree bigger than one tap gets a dropline on each side so it is easy to reach all around the tree. I used to use shorter for small trees, yet over time these small trees have gotten bigger oddly enough!