Size of spile

[dunst83]

Are there any advantages of using a 5/16 spile vs 7/16. I currently have 10, 5/16 bucket spiles, but I am looking to add 30 more trees on a gravity fed line, so i will be purchasing new spiles in the next few days. I was just wondering if a bigger tap hole would yield more sap?

[Big_Eddy]

No additional sap from larger spiles

[wnybassman]

I put in several 5/16" last year mixed in with my usual 7/16" taps. I didn't any difference in sap yield and the holes healed up a lot faster/better. I replaced all of them this year with the 5/16"

[DrTimPerkins]

Are there any advantages of using a 5/16 spile vs 7/16. I currently have 10, 5/16 bucket spiles, but I am looking to add 30 more trees on a gravity fed line, so i will be purchasing new spiles in the next few days. I was just wondering if a bigger tap hole would yield more sap?

http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/smallspout.pdf

[Snappyssweets]

Thanks for the link to the study.

[dunst83]

Thanks for the info.

[billyinvt]

I had a guy tell me he used to tap some holes twice. He'd tap for an early run with a 5/16 and then a few weeks later drill the same holes with a 7/16 to get max sap from the later runs. I guess it makes some sense in theory. I'm guessing it might not be too good for the trees though.

[Biz]

I just switched to 5/16" a couple years ago. The 5/16 tapholes heal unbelievably fast, compared to the 7/16" tapholes. You can barely see the holes from 2 years ago, I was amazed. Has to be better for the tree, reduces staining size too.

Dave

[buckeye gold]

This is one time in life you want to tap with the smallest #$%^ or spile available:cool: