How many taps in a tree?

[sawyer40]

I usally only put one tap in a tree but some trees are big at what diameter could I add more than one tap? I don't tap small trees that are 8-10" dbh. How small of trees do you guys tap?

[brookledge]

Trees larger than 16" could take a second tap and then over 24 could go to three. That is just a rough guide I use but I take in to account the condition and the crown of the tree also I have some that are over 3 feet in dia. that I have 4 taps in
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I use about the same guidelines as Keith.

[HanginAround]

Some people say 2 is okay for 14" and over, but a lot of people are more conservative than that. Certainly take into account the overall health of the tree.

[oneoldsap]

It seems to make a difference wether the trees are owned or leased. Our rule is one tap unless you can wrap you arms around the tree and not touch your finger tips together, then it gets two max. If you have vacuum you might make a case for only one tap per tree, some say more than one they will oppose each other. 10" Min. diameter!

[royalmaple]

This year in the new woods I set up. I tried to tap only trees that were in the 10-12 inch range and up with 1 tap and on vacuum. I had a couple in the woods that were ones that I couldn't touch or just barely touch if you gave the tree a bear hug, those few got two taps.

I guess on the flip side, if I went by a tree with my tubing that was smaller than 10 inches, might have been 8 lets say some of those got drilled. But I wasn't going after them, might have been an anchor tree for the tubing. I don't know what is the lesser of the two evils, but I think that modest tapping on the trees is probably better than whaling the big ones into swiss cheese.

I have to chuckle when I drive over to "another town"(not ot offend anyone just in case) to the east and on the road there are several house that are tapping their own trees. There is one house that does have some nice big sugar maples in the front, might be 5 feet dbh, or aweful close to it and they got buckets almost touching all the way around it. Has to be over 10 buckets on the tree. I think it is funny, but could care less.

Then there is another person that is using what looks to be old metal gas / oil cans, like the old oil drums I think they were 12-15 gallons, all antique looking with rusty lids. Pretty rustic, then some other people have tubing strung up and I don't know why but they could put it right handy at waist height, but they got that tubing at least 10 feet in the air and only spanning three trees not 15 feet apart. They got 3-4 taps one in each of the stems coming off the main trunk right where the tree bushes out. Again kinda funny.

I always have to ride 1/2 looking at the ditch when I got down this road to see what the new additions might be, everytime I go down the road seems a neighbor got the bug and wants to out-do the neighbor. Can't wait till someone has a shop vac duct tapped to the tubing for vacuum.

[TapME]

royal you've got to take pictures of those and post it.
Great what not to doos.

[brookledge]

Matt
You mean you already tried the shop vac? One per tree that way you don't have to worry about the float shutting off.
I agree though and I have seen a few things used for buckets that have made me chuckle too.
Keith

[royalmaple]

Yeah, I thought that is what everyone meant by setting up vacuum. That way it is a releaser all in one. Think of the savings over a regular vacuum system and releasers. Ha ha.

I will take some pics if I head over that way during the day again soon. Hoefully it is no one that visits here, I don't want to offend anyone. But I think it is just a few people having fun, steam cleaning the kitchen.
It is a good laugh.

[TapME]

Sears has a special on their 1.5gal shop vac's.
Low's has a special on extension cord's too.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You guys need sap REALLY BAD.

[brookledge]

your right.
I'll Be boiling tommorrow after nothing in over a week.
Keith

[Russell Lampron]

If you had a bunch of shop vacs going I think the neighbors would complain. Specially when you pull an all-nighter.

Russ

[tapper]

Most shop vacs wont last a few hours running liike that let alone overnight. I used to use one like that for forced draft in a home made rig. It didnt last very long.

[royalmaple]

Brandon-

Your right, but sap is on the way. Plus Russ and I got an all nighter planned. Gonna show him how to boil the old fashioned way. No RO, but I'll have the boiling sodas chilled. Good thing he is on vacation.
I got about 500 gallons here for tonight, plus what comes intoday. Sun is out, Yippeee. Come on trees start pumping.