3/16 tubing

[coyote]

Decided to switch some tubing over to 3/16 and see what happens. Ordered from my supplier in northeast Pa. He has received the tubing, but the fittings ( I believe CDL ) will not be available until at least September. I would like to get thoughts on just going with the Mcmaster-Carr fittings if they are readily available. Is it worth waiting for the " true maple fittings ". I would really like to start working on this before fall, but if the CDL fittings would be better or last longer I would definitely wait. Any ideas?

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Decided to switch some tubing over to 3/16 and see what happens. Ordered from my supplier in northeast Pa. He has received the tubing, but the fittings ( I believe CDL ) will not be available until at least September. I would like to get thoughts on just going with the Mcmaster-Carr fittings if they are readily available. Is it worth waiting for the " true maple fittings ". I would really like to start working on this before fall, but if the CDL fittings would be better or last longer I would definitely wait. Any ideas?D&G has all the 3/16" fittings in stock: connector with hook, end of line fitting, t's with post, 90 degree spout with 3/16" barb so no reducers are needed, and mainline manifold with 3/16" barb.
Neil

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I received 1000 fittings from CDL 2 weeks ago. Everything they have in 5/16" they have in 3/16" and I think the price is $ .01 less for each 3/16 vs 5/16". They were shipped to me directly from VT. I was about the first to order, so probably one of the first to get them. I got them along with 15 rolls of 3/16" tubing. Their fittings are way less than D&G I think.

[lakeview maple]

West Virginia Mapler do you have a number for them ?

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

I received 1000 fittings from CDL 2 weeks ago. Everything they have in 5/16" they have in 3/16" and I think the price is $ .01 less for each 3/16 vs 5/16". They were shipped to me directly from VT. I was about the first to order, so probably one of the first to get them. I got them along with 15 rolls of 3/16" tubing. Their fittings are way less than D&G I think. D&G's fittings are comparable in price to CDL. Last year they were using "generic" fittings made by another company until they got their molds up and running. Now they are producing their own fitting, thus eliminating the "middle man". FYI-the price in D&G's current catalog is incorrect.
Neil

[GeneralStark]

West Virginia Mapler do you have a number for them ?

CDL St. Albans: 802 527 0000

[lakeview maple]

Thanks General, I an email from D&G and catalog and a email from CDL as well, looking to start running mainline here next month.

[themapleman54]

Fittings from mainline to end tree & tubing all in stock Fillmore Maple Supply LLC. / Dominion & Grimm 585-567-2738

[PATheron]

Ive got some questions on 3/16. Does anyone know what the standard is for how many taps per lateral and how long max to run them? I haven't seen that in any of the articles. My other question is where we live we struggle to get freezes but with the vac pump we can just make it run indefinitely. I wonder if the 3/16 will do that or once the next day is over after the freeze does the flow stop or because it is always full of sap itll keep it running for days like the vac pump. Theron

[coyote]

Theron,
I am no expert, I am only trying it this coming year. I have done a lot of research and talked to as many people as I could. The whole key in 3/16 is the elevation drop, especially from last tap to mainline. At Proctor they have achieved high vacuum with anywhere between 5 and 37 taps per lateral line. They have yet to find the max number that the tubing can't handle in a major run. Line length did not affect vacuum levels at all. Once the tubing filled and achieved the vacuum level it remained at that level for the entire season.

[PATheron]

coyote- Sounds like it would work good where Im at then because almost all my taps are on steep side hills. The woods I thought about trying it on has probly 200' of elevation drop. It would be crazy easy to do if you ran 30 taps a lateral because you would basically just haze the whole woods in. The only thing Im kind of wondering is like I said will it keep on running? Is it a sure enough thing you could pay good tap rent and make money with it? What would be kind of a neat Idea is where these taps are the farmer has an old unused dairy pump in the barn all I would need is a releaser and I could be put vac on the end of the mainline or even use a sp22. Just run a one inch line the whole way, tap every thing in with 3/16 and see what happens? Theron

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

I would start with 20 or more per lateral and make sure you have at least 30 feet of elevation drop below your last tap to gain the natural vacuum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PerryFamily]

I have been wondering about this myself.
I have a small bush (80-100) that is very steep and was if I needed a main at all or can you "y" into the 3/16 like you can 5/16. It is so small I think I could do it all with 3/16 into one tank?

[lakeview maple]

Theron , I went to the seminar they had at D&G during the open house on 3/16th tubing. It was really in formative , they told us the rule is 25 taps to a lateral max, I am just going by what was told to us there, I contacted the Proctor research center also and Tim Wilmot was very helpful as well, I have a new sugarbush that I am tapping this year with all 3/16th , it has a great slope so Im hoping for great results. Hope this helps ,Al

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

I have been wondering about this myself.
I have a small bush (80-100) that is very steep and was if I needed a main at all or can you "y" into the 3/16 like you can 5/16. It is so small I think I could do it all with 3/16 into one tank?
I spoke with Tim Wilmot on this subject and he recommended not to y or t any of the 3/16" lines together. You probably don't need any mainline though, you could probably just run 4 or 5 3/16" laterals all back to the collection tank separately. I am in the process of setting up a small woods on 3/16" this year as well. It only has between 350-400 taps, but just not worth putting vac. on. The top of this woods(1100 taps) run back to the sh. but the bottom is to low to get pitch back to the sh. I am paying the same per tap as the vac. part of the woods to the landowner. I would be skeptical of doing this, but I put up a 3/16" test line last year with 22 taps. The outcome was 25.3 g/tap, just 5 gal. less than my vac woods of 30.14 g/tap. I think it would have averaged the same, but I missed the first 2 runs on it because I tapped it 3 weeks later. That being said, I would probably never set up a "big" woods on this. It definitely has its place in the maple industry though!

Neil

[PerryFamily]

Neil- that is what I think I am going to do. One lateral will be fairly long maybe 200' with the first half ( 1st tap) is kinda flat but the last half is super steep. This is the only spot that worries me. Hopefully with the vacuum created on the line it will work. Maybe not perfect but work.

[Meaford Maples]

I spoke with Tim Wilmot on this subject and he recommended not to y or t any of the 3/16" lines together. You probably don't need any mainline though, you could probably just run 4 or 5 3/16" laterals all back to the collection tank separately. I am in the process of setting up a small woods on 3/16" this year as well....

Neil

When I did the math, I found I could run 5 lines at 3/16" right into my tank and spend less than buying 1" for a mainline. I don't know if the 3/16" freezes faster tho. That might cut yield a bit. Does anyone have experience with using a mainline with 3/16"?
Steve

[DrTimPerkins]

?...or can you "y" into the 3/16 like you can 5/16.

You shouldn't put a "y" or a "tee" in any lateral line regardless of whether it is 3/16" or 5/16".

[spud]

You shouldn't put a "y" or a "tee" in any lateral line regardless of whether it is 3/16" or 5/16".

I have never been a big fan of Y's in a lateral line (although I do have one Y in my woods). Dr. Tim and other Traders i was wondering what you think about Y's in a one inch mainline if the overall distance is 1000 feet or less? Thanks.

Spud

[sugarsand]

I may be missing something here. Your saying you should not have a y or t in a lateral, but isnt every tap added by using a tee?

Sugarsand

[PerryFamily]

Dr Tim- in a perfect world I agree with having no "y" . But we all know nothing is perfect. This is on a small bush and super steep. If I need a "y" or two to make it work so be it. Ideal...no . Will it work..yes

[DrTimPerkins]

I may be missing something here. Your saying you should not have a y or t in a lateral, but isnt every tap added by using a tee?

Tees for drops are fine. Using tees or ys to split the lateral line inevitably impedes the flow of sap on one of the lateral line branches, yielding poor results.

[DrTimPerkins]

Will it work..yes

Will it work...yes

Will it work well...no

This is one of those things like venting of gravity lines. Sure you can do it, and then be irritated that you're not getting good results. Best to just bite the bullet and do it right the first time.

[sugarsand]

With 3/16 tubing, can a long drop line going to a single tree be used instead of jogging the line to it? This would save considerable tubing, especially if the tree is uphill and away from the rest. Or would this be considered a lateral line?

Sugarsand