Setting up a tubing operation?

[Sapcat]

After 12 years of collecting sap manually I want to set up a tubing operation with a vacuum pump. I tap 50 trees over about 6 acres. Would someone outline the steps and the equipment I will need and any tips on making this change. Thanks much!

[jrmaple]

Are the trees close together or spread out and what type of slope do you have to work with? For 50 trees, I would run 3/4" mainline, unless they are spread out dramatically and you need to run two or three mainlines, then I would run 1/2" mainline. You do not want your lateral lines (the 5/16" tubing that comes off the mainline and runs to the trees) to have more than 5 taps per lateral lines or run more than 50'-100' depending on your slope. This being, if you have it on vacuum they will produce better if you have 5 taps or less per lateral and in most cases it is more cost effective to run an extra mainline than a few hundred feet on 5/16" tubing… So what will you need? You'll need high tension wire and a ratchet to hang your mainline, along with a few gripples and end hooks (I use end hooks that screw into my anchor tree instead of wrapping the wire around the tree, better for the tree and it won't slide if you use the hooks), then of course you'll need your mainline (depending on how long of a run your taps are and also how many mainlines you run will effect the size mainline you need and the # of feet) and you'll need wire ties or some system to attach the mainline to the wire… Then you'' need your lateral line supplies, saddles, connectors, T's, taps, end O-ring's etc… Buying the tubing tools, spools is optional, if you're only doing a small installation and won't be using them again then you can get by without them, but if you have big plans for the future or want life to be a lot easier and simpler then they make a worlds difference and doing it right will make your system produce better… Make sure your lines are always at a 2% slope, if not you can install a sap ladder to get that slope… Best of luck!

[Sapcat]

Thanks for the quick reply! I should have provided more details. The trees are spread out. The design I have put together has three mainline runs, in a "v" shape. two runs roughly 40 yards and a third 25 yards long. The longer line has a gradual slope down to the collection point. The other line must go up a 20 degree slope before slopping down to the collection point.


Is it necessary to raise the mainline off the ground? I have electricity at the collection point and prefer that to gas for the pump. So what pump would you recommend. What else do I need to know about pumping sap into my 300 gallon container?

Thanks for your help!

[StayinLowTech]

Two thoughts - if you have good slope on your ground heading down to tank, might want to consider 3/16" tubing as you would only need two runs and you would get "natural" vacuum without a pump (see posts on 3/16). If you are going to use 5/16" laterals and a mainline, use 3/4" mainline as most of the better fittings are made for 3/4 and I have regretted using 1/2" as mainline.

[jrmaple]

^^^I agree with LowTech, 1/2" mainline can have poor flow and bad vacuum transfer and it is better to go with 3/4" for quality, but it all depends on budgeting and once again slope and taps per line… The other option you have is to use a mechanical releaser and run a vacuum line from where you have electricity to the tank location… As for a pump, its all about preference and budget, some people like the water cooled pumps and some like the oil cooled; a lot of people use old dairy pumps because they are cheaper and easier to get, but the important thing is to get a pump with enough CFM's and reach as high of vacuum as possible (which means checking your lines for leaks or damage and make sure the mainlines don't fill with sap, you ideally want the mainline to be less than half full with sap.) If you can get a pump with enough CFM's and that will pull 28" of vacuum, then you're golden and will have awesome production as long as everything is working right.

You could have the mainline run low to the ground, BUT consider snow fall, when the season starts we normally have a foot of two or more snow on the ground, like this year we got 3-4' of snow… Is it just a small knoll you can go around or can you do a sap ladder to pull it up 4' or 5' and then have proper slope? You can't pull sap up hill in a single mainline, ladders work but you have to have the CFM's to do it.

[BreezyHill]

You initially said 6 acres. Then you posted mains of 120'. I would use 1" main as it sounds like you have area to expand into. While 3/4 will work for now if you expand you will meet the capacity of the 3/4 quickly. I have a small section of 1/2" that was to be changed to 1" but that is not looking likely due to deep snow packs. Saddles are an issue.

I am a fan of keeping the cost as low as possible. I use recycled dairy pumps and get them to give me 28+" of vac and a recycled dairy releaser. I do educational tours fro mainly kids and the glass releaser and manifold is a great educational aid.
10629

In my system I have under $500 and have 20 cfm of pump capacity. This price includes the pump on the releaser and two valves to direct sap to one of two bulk tanks for 1000 gallons storage. My dad was a surge dealer so vac and rebuilding these units is like walking for me.

An additional tool that is expensive but worth every penny is a two handed tubing tool. This makes putting drops in the tubing a breeze.

Eventually you will want to get a saddle tool to make the holes in the mainline but a drill of the correct size and a block of wood as a depth control will work fine.

With all the snow this season a pallet that you can stomp into the snow and have a center support for the mainline to spin around will make stretching tubing much easier.

I like a milk crate to carry tools and supplies to the bush.

I use a hand held 5/16 spinner I made and it saves a lot of time when laying lateral lines.

I use survey tap to mark all maples and then start at the mains and walk out to my trees. I use and end hook that is installed on the tubing and hook the last tree and stretch back to the mains. Pull it tight and use a connector to a section of rapid tie to have no stress on the saddle fitting. with the rapid tie I can further tighten the line if needed.

I use y instead of tee to get better vac transfer and flow to the spout.
It is often cheaper to lay more mains closer together than to stretch the 5/16 long distances of over 50-65'. In one section of my bush the additional main was paid by the savings in 5/16 tubing with extra $$$ to spare.

Nobody plans to fail...they just fail to plan.

Draw the system out on a goggle aerial map and check your distances. I have an excel spread sheet that has all kinds of equations for calculating tubing installation data. Send me a pm and I will email a copy to you.

Ask all the questions you have.

There are no stupid questions...just stupid answers. LOL

It is way cheaper to learn from others mistakes than to make it yourself.

Believe me everybody on here has, is, and will make mistakes.

Ben

Ben

[TerryEspo]

Hey Ben,,,love the no stupid questions, that line keeps me asking them !!

Ben, your PM mailbox is full, I tried sending you but it wont go through. Was just about 1/2" saddles, all good.

Terry