tubing and spout question

[hholt]

I will be tapping trees on my farm for the first time this year and have a couple questions about tubing compatiblity with the spouts I got in the package of equipment I am setting up (I bought the Leader 1/2 pint package that was listed for sale a few weeks back).

The 100 spouts that came as part of the package are Leader #5829 5/16 hookless aluminum, designed for use with buckets, but I was hoping to set some of them up with tubing drops into 5 gallon pails. Can anyone tell me if a 5/16" tube is workable with that model spout? Can I slip the tube over the end......or should I go ahead and get a few plastic treesaver type spouts.

Also, for a simple setup, no more than 2 taps per tree and 5 taps per 5 gallon pail, with just a few Y connectors, should I be using a tubing like the Lamb ultra flex?

Thanks!!

[brookledge]

If you can push the tubing all the way over the tap after you tap it in then go ahead otherwise buy some health spouts. As for the type of tubing for what you are doing I would recomend semi rigid instead of rigid. The rigid is great for stretching between trees because it doesn't sag but it isnot as flexible and can kink if you try to bend it too tight. So if you are looking to just have drop lines into pails go with semi rigid or even the old style flexible stuff (purple lamb). Also if you put 5 taps into 1 5 gal can you will need to empty it more than once a day if you have some good runs. Some trees will give way more than 1 gal per tap per day.
Keith

[ibby458]

I do just what you're thinking of, and it works great! The sap is a lot cleaner than with metal buckets.

Instead of using tees to make multiple tap set ups, I found it works better to just use single taps and slightly longer tubing, drilling several holes in the bucket. By not using tees, you can clean and store the drops more easily, and the cost of the couple extra feet of tubing needed is offset by not having to buy the tees.

The previous post is correct. Several taps into a bucket will occasionally overflow. Keep some extra buckets in the gathering vehicle, and when you see one that's getting too full, just set an extra bucket and put some of the taps in the new bucket.

Sometimes, you'll come across a situation where the tubing doesn't want to stay in the bucket (sloped ground, etc). I use one of those 5/16 spring type hose clamps on the tubing inside the bucket to keep it from slipping out.

When I first conceived this idea, I planned to put the tubing end thru the lid of the bucket, thinking it would be quick to set a new bucket beside the full one, and just transfer the lid over to the empty one.

I bought my first batch of used buckets from Fred Henderson (Who's a regular here). They were already drilled for side entry of the tubing (Just below the rim) and he convinced me it's a much better way. Holes in the lid might allow rain to seep in along the tubing. Also, unless every bucket and lid is identicle, they may not be interchangable.

Don't be stingy with the drop length. It's easy to set the bucket further away from the tree if the tube is a bit long, but it's a bugger to get them to sit upright if the tubing is too short. Most of mine are 4' long, but I have quite a few up to 8' long. THat way I can run around from the back of a big tree, or set one bucket between 2 smaller trees.

AS Fred will tell you, it's a pain to keep them upright on roadside trees, or anyplace the wind can get at them. You can weight them down with blocks of wood or rocks, but I use my metal buckets on those trees.

After I took all the drops down at the end of the season, I soaked them in a bleach solution for a couple days, swabbed them out with a rag on a gun cleaning rod and pumped clean water thru them til the chlorine taste was gone.

Mud dauber wasps will plug them up in storage, so I hung mine on the side of the garage in full light and rain. THey didn't bother them there. I was PLANNING on wrapping them with fly screen, but didn't get to it until after the wasps weren't a problem anymore. Hanging them also worked good to get the curl out of the tubing.

Good Luck!

[Fred Henderson]

Ibby
How the set up of the new evap coming along?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You can take a rock and clean it a little bit and put it inside a gallon ziplock bag on buckets that have a tendency to blow around and put it on the inside of the bucket. :D

[ibby458]

I haven't done much, Fred. I got the building enclosed and the stone down on the floor, but not leveled yet. Had to finish up some other higher priority projects since the weather is so nice.

I'll put a woodstove on one side to take the chill off while I'm bricking and leveling. Hoping to build the roof jack this week out of the 18" stack you gave me.

[hholt]

Thanks for the recommendations! It's nice to be able to make wise decisions from the very start with the benefit of sound advice :D

I will limit each pail to 2-3 taps per 5 gallon pail, and I went ahead and ordered a few 5/16th spouts and semi rigid tubing from the Maple Guys. I also ordered a tubing tool, from everything I've read on here I won't regret buying the multitool :D

[Russell Lampron]

The tubing tool is worth it's weight in gold. You always have fewer problems when you use the right tool for the job.

Russ

[Fred Henderson]

I bought a muliti tool 2 years ago and at the time kick myself in the butt because it cost so much. When I really got to use it this year I told myself that I would need a lot of pratice to get got with it. Well I am very good with it now and would never be without one. That bugger is handier thatn a pocket in a pair of drawers.

[royalmaple]

Just be careful when you have you laterals rachet strap tight and you go to cut in a drop. Those two handles want to separate very quickly when the force of the line is transferred into the tool.

Take it from someone that sliced the tip of his finger off last year.

But they sure are handy, especially if you got the two handled one with all the added gizmos on it. It will last forever.