How to keep 5/16 line tight ?

[TerryEspo]

Hello Everyone:

I am asking how to keep a 5/16 line tight without putting a pulling pressure on the taps ?
I have read lots here about keeping a larger mainline tight but not for a single 5/16 line.

I hope to try something new this year with running lines but cant figure how to keep all lines tight.

Tips or advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

Terry

[western mainer]

Attach the 5/16 line to the end maple tree, run the line to the main line, pull the 5/16 tight where it touches the main cut it there, it should be about 3' short of the main line. as you cut in your drops you can tighten the line then also if needed.
Brian

[rhwells2003]

Also when running my lateral lines you obviously go from tree to tree, but I try hard to not have any real long distances between trees, or a long distance between my mainline and the first tree. If run right the trees should kinda keep your lines tight.

[western mainer]

Also keep your lateral as straight as possible. Also pull your main line as you hook on your lateral to get them tighter.
Brian

[unc23win]

Terry are you using a larger diameter mainline or all 5/16"? If you are using all 5/16" it is a little harder the longer your run is and you basically have to anchor it at both ends somehow. You can use a slide fitting or a dead end tee or plug hook on your far end. On your end going into tank you could use a slide hook or connecter with hook and anchor it somewhere.

[TerryEspo]

My fault for not a good explanation.

Yes, UNC23win, I was hoping to use ONLY 5/16 to try and connect maybe 20 trees that empties (gravity) into a 55G barrel. When I have time I wanted to connect a Shurflo on days I can get to it. Days not on Shurflo would just be regular gravity feeding the barrel.

I need to think about this better.

Terry

[BreezyHill]

Hello Everyone:

I am asking how to keep a 5/16 line tight without putting a pulling pressure on the taps ?
I have read lots here about keeping a larger mainline tight but not for a single 5/16 line.

I hope to try something new this year with running lines but cant figure how to keep all lines tight.

Tips or advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

Terry

One was would be to secure your end of the run with an end hook and at the end where the barrel is:

if there is a tree use rapid tie from CDL to go around the tree and use a connector to go into the slots of the product. Leave at least a few feet of extra product to tighten more if needed. To tighten more advance up a few notches.

If you need some pics let me know I can get some in the am for you.

Ben

[wishlist]

I can tell you what won't work Terry and that is taking those 20 trees ( I'll assume 20 taps ) and using 5/16 as a main line and having all sorts of t's branching into this line with various amounts of taps on those lines. The lines will "fight" one another and you'll see a significant loss of flow.

I tried this last year on some yard trees , between 20-40 taps and I was very disappointed. I would see flow on one side of tee but basically nothing on the others. Asked Dr Tim about this and yep , he confirmed . Not a good idea.

[SeanD]

I use a 5/16" mainline on gravity and I seem to get a decent flow. It's not as much as when they were on buckets, but I thought that was to be expected when going from buckets to tubing.

How are you able to see the flow? When the lines are full, I can't tell anything is moving until an air bubble goes by. Do you use a larger mainline for all set ups no matter the number of taps?

Sean

[Loch Muller]

I've got a couple of spots where I basically put up a lateral line with 8 taps on it and ran it right into a collection tank instead of a main line. To keep the tension on the line I connected to the end tree with a loop of tubing and one of those y things leader makes for that purpose. On the other end I used some electric fence wire fed through a piece of tubing and wrapped around a tree. I put one of the plastic line tensioners on the fence wire to pull out the slack and used a hooked connector to attach the lateral line to the wire. The cdl rapid ties are a good idea too, but I had the fencing stuff already.

[adk1]

I use the lapiere slide fitting on each end, works well

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

Slide fittings are the only way to do it

[asknupp]

Ive been using end hook on my last tree. Tees in between, upwards of thirty taps and dead end wye where collection is.

[TerryEspo]

Great info here everyone, I,m lucky to get your input. I am going to attempt a larger diameter mainline this year for some trees. I fooled with tubing last year (all 5/16) and understand blockage and lines fighting each other.

If anyone has pics of saddles and different connections set up on lines that would be lovely to view, worth a thousand words, lol.

Glad I have lots of time before sap runs around here.

Thanks everyone.

Terry

[Sugarmaker]

Terry,
Hope your season is good. We look to be several weeks away.
I did a seminar at LEME 2013 on short run tubing. We have 31 sets of short run 5/16 tubing on road side trees. 600 taps. Developed a system that allows you to hook the tubing around the lowest tree and then run past your others to the far uphill end. around that tree and hooks back to the line. The key is the right fillings from several suppliers. I use CDL end rings and CDL end hooks. Also designed a loop that allows you to tension the line from both ends eliminating sags as the temps change.
Regards,
Chris

[TerryEspo]

Hey Chris:

Your set-up sounds great.
I tried to Google CDL end ring,,,, got everything but nothing related to sap collection, lol. I checked your website pics but no luck.
Any pictures or further information is really appreciated. I am still trying to reach the best method for collection with my small set up.

Thanks for all the replies.

Terry

[wnybassman]

These are the ones I used. Seems to snug things up pretty good.

https://www.bascommaple.com/catalog/items/LAELR2.JPG

[maple flats]

If you are going to just run a section with all 5/16,it works well done the way I did it. I attached to the far end tree using either the end ring shown above or a Y connector and then fed the 5/16 past the trees I was going to tap (along with some other trees just to hold elevation). Then at the down hill end I again ran an end ring, but this time the "drop" side of the fitting faced down to dump the sap rather than to go to a tap. Then at each tree being tapped I added a drop on a T. The drops should not be tight, but the lateral (5/16 going from tree to tree) is kept tight.

[The Butcher]

If you are going to just run a section with all 5/16,it works well done the way I did it. I attached to the far end tree using either the end ring shown above or a Y connector and then fed the 5/16 past the trees I was going to tap (along with some other trees just to hold elevation). Then at the down hill end I again ran an end ring, but this time the "drop" side of the fitting faced down to dump the sap rather than to go to a tap. Then at each tree being tapped I added a drop on a T. The drops should not be tight, but the lateral (5/16 going from tree to tree) is kept tight.


I too am going to do a few short runs of 5/16 tubing this year for the first time.

Do you have a picture of the setup that you guys are describing? I need that (picture is worth a thousand words) to help wrap my brain on how to keep this thing tight enough....

Thanks!!

[NhShaun]

This is what i used to keep the lines nice and tight, worked really well! It's like a Chinese finger trap, Purchase it from a local supplier. Not sure what its actually called.

10576

And this is how i started the lines, just using a regular T.
10575

[GeneralStark]

This is what i used to keep the lines nice and tight, worked really well! It's like a Chinese finger trap, Purchase it from a local supplier. Not sure what its actually called.

10576

And this is how i started the lines, just using a regular T.
10575

That is just 3/8" braided plastic rope. It works pretty well as long as you have at least 1' of contact with the lateral. It does degrade over time in the sun so if you leave your lines up it will loose its "grip" on the line....

I have used this technique for several years, but am slowly switching out to a hooked connector to the mainline wire, or to rapi-strap where I am not using mainline wire.

[Super Sapper]

Make sure you get the hollow core rope as regular rope will not work.

[NhShaun]

It is pretty user friendly and effective. But i might have to replace it in a year or two, luckily it is relatively cheap. That was my first year running just 5/16 and it seemed to work pretty darn well!

[Sugarmaker]

I too am going to do a few short runs of 5/16 tubing this year for the first time.

Do you have a picture of the setup that you guys are describing? I need that (picture is worth a thousand words) to help wrap my brain on how to keep this thing tight enough....

Thanks!!

Couple of shots of the "LOOP" I invented using 2 CDL end rings, 8 inches of 5/16, makes the loop. Use a CDL blind tee at the last drop around the tree. Then a piece of 5/16 of maybe 2 feet with a CDL end hook. The end hook goes into the LOOP and the LOOP can be moved up or down the line to increase or decrease tension on the lines. Lines can be taken down and or put back up each season without cutting the lines or installing fittings.
Use one of these at each end to allow tension in both directions.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee170/Sugarmaker/CEC%20LOOP/IMG_4087.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee170/Sugarmaker/CEC%20LOOP/IMG_4086.jpg

At the end tree with the container I use another LOOP to keep the line tight from the tree to the container also.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee170/Sugarmaker/CEC%20LOOP/IMG_4085.jpg

We have about 600 taps on roadside maples using this short run tubing 5/16 only system. 31 locations of about 20 taps, in 2 counties.

Regards,
Chris