Clear seasonal spouts

[devils11217]

Anyone have any problems with these spiles breaking trying to tap in or remove from tree? What's the best technique for removal?

[Clinkis]

Had a very difficult time removing these first time I used them. First thing I learned is just tap them in lightly until the sound changes and stop. If you pound them in they are very difficult to get out. Second I built a little pry bar design to fit taps. Works great

[JoeJ]

I have used the lapierre clear straight seasonal spout for 6 seasons. I have never broken one installing them. Put in 3,105 this year. I did have a helper one day last year that literally pounded 4 or 5
of them into the tree flush with the round ring. No getting them out. All 4 or 5 broke off at the tree. I do use a spout remover that I bought at lapierre's. Once in a great while, I knick the ring on the spout that requires me to pull the damaged spout with pliers.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

I have also used these style for several seasons. I found my 20 ounce straight claw framing hammer, has the right claw width to fit nicely behind the ring. I'm sure other hammers do also. I line it up, tap the head of the hammer with my off hand to seat it on the tap, and pop. It works good for me. I wear gloves and put a hand over the tap as it pops out. Because these clear spouts seat so well they are like projectiles at times during removal. I also bring vise-grips for the occasional time when I do break one. I clamp the vise-grips on the tap and use the hammer to pry it out.

Ben

[maple2]

we used a grinder to grind the claw of the hammer to fit the spout.still leaving enough to pull a nail

[n8hutch]

I use the lap clear seasonal spouts, both straight & the 90° elbow style, tap thew in till the sound changes & generally at the end of the season they twist right out. They are not on vaccum . but I have never had one leak or fall out. I think some people tend to drive them in a little to deep and or hard.

[BreezyHill]

I use the clear cdl ones for the last two seasons. No problems. Is a little different than the health spouts we used when driving in but like them in all respects.

Ben

[maple flats]

I made some "wonder Bar" tap pullers. Just get an el cheapo version and use a dremel tool with a round sanding fitting to cut the right size groove in the short end of the bar. I used $1.88 bars (several years ago price) from Big Lots and I only got 1 slot made with each sanding drum, but it was well worth it and the puller works well.
To spool out laterals, you can do it in at least 2 ways. Some just pull it off their arm and reverse the coil every 4 or 5 loops but I made a spooler out of 3/8" plywood. The bottom was about 16" diameter (maybe 18") and a top disc was about 7" diameter. I used all thread (1/4" x 12) to make the uprights and put a 1/2" cpvc pipe over each at 10" long. Under the base spool I put a nut and peaned the end enough to keep the nut from backing off, on top I double nutted the all thread after tightening the nuts. Then I put a 1/4" piece of smoothe rod thru the center. On this I tapped the bottom to accept a double nut and on top of the nuts I placed 3 flat washers to help it spin. On top I welded a 5/16 nut to leave the rod slightly loose and I then bent a hook on the top of the rod to hang the spooler on my mainline. This worked very well for 4-5 years until I won a factory made spooler at a maple show as a door prize. I then gave the old spooler to a friend. As far as I know, he is still using it.
The last thing is a 2 handed tubing tool, homemade or bought, is almost essential. Some guys with very small operations pre heat a thermos and then put boiling water in and dip the end into the hot water just enough to allow you to push it on by hand. If heated too much or heated too far up the length it becomes very hard to push on. You only want to heat the first inch.

[n8hutch]

Good point on the Two handed tubing tool. I have a single handed one and it works ,but is definitely slower than a two handed one.