Multiple Drops into 5 gallon bucket

[nutsy]

What would be the best way to connect 3-5 tap drop lines into a single 5 gallon bucket?

[psparr]

Drill 3/8" holes in the lid and ream them out slightly. The tubing will fit snugly. You could T them together and have only one line into the bucket, but having more drops that can be used on different trees the next year might be easier.

[buckeye gold]

I personally would not do more than two. I have several buckets with two in them and on good runs they are full to over running. Three, you might get by with, but 5 and you will be dumping sap on the ground.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

2 taps is max on a 5 gal bucket, anything more and it will be overflowing

[kiteflyingeek]

I will second Buckeye Gold. I put 2 holes in on many buckets before the season started last year. Yikes! Almost all of them overflowed at least once. I don't like to waste sap!!!

Good luck whatever you decide.

--andrew

[nutsy]

Well I guess that drilling a couple of holes is the way to go, Thanks.

[DrTimPerkins]

Drill 3/8" holes in the lid and ream them out slightly.

As long as the tubing fits nice and tight, it's OK to do it in the lid of the bucket. If your tubing doesn't fit tightly in the hole, it might be better to drill the holes in the side of the bucket just below the lip (where it doesn't interfere with the lid) so that rain doesn't go into the hole in the lid.

[TerryEspo]

Totally agree with Tim, holes get drilled into the top rim of the bucket, not the lids.
I do that to avoid rain and dripping snow entering the bucket. After empting the bucket, put line back in the bucket and give the bucket a little twist to tighten the line. Don't drill the hole too big or the lines get sloppy and falls out easily.

Good luck.

Terry

[psparr]

I wish I had the trees you guys tap. Most of mine are surrounded by oaks, and they sit all week collecting sap. I only have 2 trees that will overflow a bucket in a week!

[NhShaun]

Looks like you'll need to do some thinning in the woods this year
I wish I had the trees you guys tap. Most of mine are surrounded by oaks, and they sit all week collecting sap. I only have 2 trees that will overflow a bucket in a week!

[Bucket Head]

When we did tubing into buckets we drilled a hole in the lid. If I remember right, it was a 13/32 hole. That way the tubing had to be firmly pushed in, ensuring a rain water free seal. We also placed the bucket with the hole on the "high side". Meaning if the ground had a slant to it, the hole was high and the rain would drip off the lid at the low side. If the ground was flat we would put a small stick, flat rock, pine cones- anything that would give the pail a little slant.

This worked well for us because we did'nt have to reinsert the hose each time we emptied each pail. The tubing fit tightly in the lid so that the lid would "hang" on the tubing.

Steve

[Ausable]

What would be the best way to connect 3-5 tap drop lines into a single 5 gallon bucket?

You do what works for You. I started doing drop tubes to buckets a few years back. I drilled holes near the rim on the side of one bucket and through the lid on another. At the time I was using 7/16" plastic tube spiles. I discovered the OD on the tubing was 7/16 so I could use the same sized bit on both the lids and trees. First plastic spile I set - shattered - using my trusty spile set hammer - I now use a Dollar Store small rubber mallet - works great. Back to the buckets - I found on collecting sap - the bucket with the holes in the side ------ was a royal pain to empty. The one with the holes in the lid worked great - I could either exchange buckets or empty with no trouble. Lids staying on the bucket was a problem - so - I weighted the lid with a chunk of clean slab wood - problem solved. I do not have a normal "Sugar Bush" - My maples are mixed with other trees - some produce very well and some so - so. That will help You determine how many holes to put in the lid ----- That and how often You gather. So far - the water stays on the lid and the sap in the bucket - snug fit. I reuse stuff - so - as I measure and cut tubing at the tree to be tapped - I write the tubing length on the attached spile (they are blue in color).... My new 5/16 spiles are black ---- so - will need a new plan there. Hey - Have fun and make lots of good maple syrup.

[johnallin]

Mike, get a white paint pen from mc master carr.

[sirsloop]

you can buy buckets year round... good sap only flows for a few weeks. Why risk losing sap?

[optionguru]

I get buckets from the local bakery section at the grocery store. They sell the icing buckets for $1 each with lids. I drill into the cover and usually run 3 taps per bucket and collect at least once a day. Sometimes I get impatient and collect a couple of times a day just to see the progress. I also tip the bucket a little bit so rain or snow melt runs away from the holes.

[Ausable]

Mike, get a white paint pen from mc master carr.

Thanks for the information John.

[n8hutch]

I have had As Many as 4 taps per 5 gallon pail. I think 3 or less would be Ideal. I also went through the cover & drilled a undersized hole for a tight fit. I also found that with these drops to buckets I tended to tap higher on the tree so I had to watch/ police myself to stay as low as I could on the tree & still have reasonable pitch to the pail, in my experience Tapping say 3 feet lower than previously made a huge difference say 3 feet off the ground rather than 5-6.

[johnallin]

You're welcome Mike. Look for Dykem "Brite-Mark" paint pens.

Weather proof and real handy to have around.

[Ausable]

[QUOTE=n8hutch;269567]I have had As Many as 4 taps per 5 gallon pail. I think 3 or less would be Ideal. I also went through the cover & drilled a undersized hole for a tight fit. I also found that with these drops to buckets I tended to tap higher on the tree so I had to watch/ police myself to stay as low as I could on the tree & still have reasonable pitch to the pail, in my experience Tapping say 3 feet lower than previously made a huge difference say 3 feet off the ground rather than 5-6.[/QUOTE

Good point. Last year we had more snow in our area and as the snow melted I had to switch to longer tubing on some buckets. Even though I allow extra tubing for snow melt - it still wasn't enough. Problems - problems. ---Mike---

[Sanford MI Mapler]

AuSable,
I use the same method but I use T's or Y's between spiles and use single drop to buckets. I found that this saves on the amount of tubing I use. I cut my tubing end that enters bucket at an angle, this makes it easier to push through lid, works pretty good.