Re-Tapping

[mapledog13]

Hello All,

I tapped my buckets on Feb 15 and it seems as though they are drying up. I tapped a few new trees today and they were cranking it out. This year I bought 50 5/16 taps from CDL. I am wondering if if it is acceptable to pull those out and bore out the holes and put in a 7/16 tap. It would still just be one taphole per year. Will it refresh the tree and get them to run again. I haven't gotten much sap yet and I am worried that once it finally starts to thaw out that my taps will all be healed up since they have been in so long now. What do you all think? Thanks.

[Run Forest Run!]

Mapledog, how many taps did you put in on Feb 15th? How many trees do you have access to, aside from the ones you've already tapped?

[mapledog13]

I put in 85 and I tapped the 27 more that I have today, so now everything is tapped. Boring out the holes defeats the purpose of why I bought the 5/16 spouts to start but I am scared they aren't going to amount to anything else.

[Run Forest Run!]

I'd give the taps a little more time. I'm not sure where NEK is, but if things haven't really started in your area yet, hang on a little longer and the older taps might start to wake up. I tried drilling out some 5/16 taps last year to insert a larger spile for the exact same reason you are considering it. I didn't think it was worth it. It's hard to keep the new hole from leaking around the larger spile because it's hard to hold the drill steady when the middle of the bit is in thin air. You end up with oval holes.

[mapledog13]

I bored out a few of the 5/16's. They leaked a little but not to bad. I think it is worth it. The ones that I re-drilled definitely had more sap then the old taps. We only had a little sap anyways since the temp never got above freezing yesterday but the sun shined on the trees so I am not sure if the re-drilling results mean anything until we get a real run. Still waiting for a real run like everyone else...

[TreeTapper2]

Where are you located Mapledog13?

[mapledog13]

Northeast Kingdom in Vermont

[tcross]

give it time... I'm from the same area... the trees have not opened up for the buckets yet... or my vacuum taps for that matter! I have 90-100 of them out... it's looking like our season will kick off come Friday! The long range forecast is looking real good!

[Paul VT]

Really best if with buckets you don't tap until it looks like you will have a good run. Most say that with buckets after you tap you have 30-45 days before the holes dry out. I have had some go longer. February 15th in the NEK is to early. Next year if you get the itch early tap a couple to see what happens. With the number you tap it won't take long to put out the rest if the forecast looks good.
Here in north central VT we tapped one 3 weeks ago. Has only dripped a little. Tapped 180 yesterday afternoon. Looks like the weather might be finally changing.

[Cougar4]

Mapledog13,

Did re-tapping work for you once the trees opened up? I tapped to early this year and the reliable trees that I had in the beginning, seem to be giving me nothing now, while the trees I just tapped are running like faucets. I couldn't see where you posted how it worked out for you once you re-tapped. Let me know if you can. Thanks

[Shawn]

We have been tapped out since the 19th of last month, and thought oh boy they are dry, but guess what today they opened up and flowed I would not re-drill I thought I saw where Dr. Tim said do not re-drill will stress trees even more

[Cougar4]

Shawn,

You tapped on the 19th of February and they're still flowing good? Because I tapped half my trees at about that same time and they seem to be doing nothing now, even with the great weather we've been having.

[mapledog13]

Now that I have had a real run I can say that all of the holes that I re-tapped did produce sap and some that I did not re-tap produced close to nothing. However some that I did not re-tap did flow pretty well. I think it was worth it, I'm not sure the 5/16 holes on buckets would produce as much sap as 7/16 ones. Anybody have more experience with 5/16 on buckets? For the most part any buckets that I left 5/16 taps in did not do very well and I can't say if its because they have been in so long or if its because they are 5/16 or a combination of both.