7/16 IPL Plastic Bucket Spouts

[jenigl12]

has anyone ever used the 7/16 IPL plastic bucket spouts? I have heard from some people that they fall out of the holes easier, i would imagine they would be easier to clean as they shouldn't corrode being made of plastic. i hoping to slowly transition to all vacuum(as i recently bought a vacuum pump) but am still not ready for exspense of line and such, as the trees in my bush are fairly far apart, but i still want to add trees, advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

[softmaple]

i have tried the plastic bucket spiles before and they stink. they fell out, the sap did not run as good from them among other things with them. i actually threw mine away after the season two years ago. hope this helps

[H. Walker]

I have used some for a couple years now and don't like them. If you get a frezze-up they pop out, if you hit them to hard in the cold they shatter and if you twist them wrong emptying the buckets they pop out.

Now on the other hand a neighbor of mine taps 4500 and thats all they use, but apparantly they have made spile drivers out of hickory and had good success. I think I'll go out to the wood pile and pull out a couple of sticks of hickory, do some carving and give the plastic 1 more year

[Russell Lampron]

I use the Leader 5/16" bucket spouts. They do loosen some when the trees thaw out but over all they work realy well. The taps holes stay open and run longer than the bigger spouts. It is easy to gather sap when you don't have to fumble around trying to get the bucket onto the hook. Just slide the bucket over the tap and move on. The trees heal faster because of the smaller hole too.

Russ