Tree-Saver Tap Depth?

[Salmoneye]

OK...Taking the plunge...Never used a tree-saver before...I bought a new 5/16 drill bit at the same time and did a test hole in a scrap of hardwood...Spout only goes into wood maybe 1/4 inch...

Just seems as on thick bark trees it will not even get to the cambium layer and seal...

Are people seeing lots of slit trees, or how deep are you supposed to plant these suckers???

[powerdub]

About 1/4 back on the spout you have three or four rings that are raised to be a bit bigger in diameter. You want that first ring to go beyond the bark and seal into the cambium layer of the tree. Not far, just under the bark. I have never split a hole with a health or tree saver spout and I use a 19/64 bit for them all.

[Salmoneye]

Hmm...

I already had a 19/64 so I tried that in a piece of dried hardwood...No go at all, so I paid $15 for a new 5/16 that Leader sells through dealers...Even with the 5/16 I can not force the spout into the dried hardwood to the first ring...

Maybe in green sapwood I will be able to tap it to the ring withought splitting the tree...

Thanks for the info...

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Salmoneye,

Let me know how it goes this year and I would like input from you and lots of others about the rate of flow on a 5/16" versus a 7/16" spout. All my spouts are 7/16" still, but I was thinking of going to 5/16" next year. I will not likely ever use vaccum, so I am curious how they work and what is the percentage in lost sap?????

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jeremy,

Thanks a ton for the info. I will be continuing to watch others the next month or so, but 80% is what I was figuring. I have about 275 taps, so I thought about buying 100 of the stainless IPL health spouts each year until I get them all changed over??

What is your opinion or anyone else's on the stainless health spouts other than the price :?: :?: :?: :?:

[MaineMapleDave]

So, I bought a bunch of the Leader aluminum Tree Saver spouts for buckets, thinking the smaller hole in the tree would be A Good Thing.

Problem is, not one of my buckets fit the spout! I have a mish mash of buckets, from new Leader to old Wheeling and King, but the holes in the buckets were not big enough to fit over the spout.

Am I the only one?!?!

[christwo]

I tried using the hooks from the 7/16" spouts because I had the same problem with the old buckets not fitting.

Hooks don't seem to work because most of the sap misses the rim and rolls on outside the buckets.

I found about 6 old CANCO buckets that had a bigger hole in them and they work perfectly, so I have given in to the fact that I will have to drill bigger holes in all my buckets.


chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have 25 of the Leader 5/16" bucket tree saver spouts and I like them. I have the 9 quart aluminum buckets and they won't work very good either. I use the stainless hooks and hook them on the spout and then hook the bucket on the spout. I do bend the hook up some with a vice to help keep the buckets on better and I also turn the hooks around backwards to the sap it not catching on the hook and running down the tree.

Hope this is not too confusing. :?

[MaineMapleDave]

I'm just baffled that they have this product that doesn't even fit their own buckets!!!

I'm also worried that the tapered shaft that fits into the tree is very very short. It seems like there's only about 1/4" or so of bearing depth. Time will tell.

[Rob Harvey]

MaineMapleDave, The spouts do fit the new buckets, they have larger holes. I believe they are an inch or so. Rob

[MaineMapleDave]

Yep--I just saw some of the new buckets at the Paris Farmer's Union--they would fit the new taps.

Figures--I bought a bunch of nice new buckets about 4 years ago, and they just have a narrow slot for the hook.

Took Brandon's advice and used the hooks from my older taps. After the winds over the last few days, it'll be interesting to see how many are still on the trees and not buried under the snow..........

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dave,

I don't remember the last time I had a bucket blown off the tree. One thing I would recommend doing is to put the hooks in a vice and bend the hook up some. Then turn it around backwards and you shouldn't lose any sap or have any trouble at all with them blowing off. :D

[MaineMapleDave]

Heck Brandon, it was so windy here Tuesday that not only did one of the buckets blow off one of my front roadside trees, but the whole bloody tap came out! I found the tap, but the hook will be a springtime surprise......

AND, that was with one of the older 7/16" spouts!!

Some of the buckets I had very low in my back woods will be slowly emerging from the snowbanks, which will be fun--seeing what is revealed as the glaciers recede.........

[Rob Harvey]

You can drill out your buckets very neatly with a drill press and a 3/4" hole saw bit. Just clean off the little burs with a round chain saw file or your fingers will look like mine do. Rob

[mapleman3]

I found the step bits work great! I use them on all things metal.

one interesting thing about spouts I found today while checking vacuum in a few taps... one tap I had checked had no vacuum? so I looked at the end of the spout and it had ice blocking it.. hmmm whoda thunk it! I know it's still cold out.. even though it was near 40... still the inside of the trees are still way cold.