Leaky Taps

[Sugar Bear]

I have installed 15 taps the past few days. They are 5/16 on plastic tubing. The fastest tap flows about 3 gallons per 24 hour day output ( filled up a one gallon jug overnight last night ). It has no leaking around the tap onto the tree. Others have decent output but leak a lot. Others have little output and do not leak at all.

Is their anything I can do to stop or control the leaking of the taps around the tree?

[mellondome]

Only thing you can do is to drill beter holes next year. You probably have egged out he hole in the drilling process. We have all been there.
DO NOT continue to try and set the tap to fix the leak. Maybe try it once just to make sure the tap is not loose. But if you drive it too far, you will cause a split in the tree.

[Haynes Forest Products]

At what angle do you drill your holes? Round taps pounded into oval holes is a problem. They do make taps that are thinner and will adapt to the shape of the hole.

I remember being told that you didn't want dirt or rain water running ito the hole over the healing process so drilling the tap at an angle will stop that. Also when drilling drill the hole and don't ream it out back and forth. Then there is the wobble you can get when you one hand the drill allowing the drill to torque sideways when you pull it out but dont reverse it that will leave chips and a ragged hole.

[Sugar Bear]

thanks for the input.

After some close observation the oval hole that was drilled slightly sideways is the cause of the "leak master".

Attention to detail is the name of any game.

Thanks

[DrTimPerkins]

Is their anything I can do to stop or control the leaking of the taps around the tree?

I assume you are not on vacuum and therefore don't mean air leaks into the tubing, but instead are talking about small area of wetness that sometimes occurs around and below the spout for a short time after tapping. That is normal and will stop after a few days. Keep in mind that you've wounded the tree. There is going to be some small amount of seepage that occurs between the spout and the wood for a short time....sort of like when you scratch yourself. As long as you haven't done something really wrong during tapping, and the sap isn't running down the bark all the way to the ground, then it is not a problem. Just ignore it.

[Sugar Bear]

Doctor

I apparently do something really wrong rather frequently.

I would say all my taps leak at least a little and some do dry up ... about 1 in 3 generally leak to the ground and never really dry up until god says, "There will be no more sap"

Perhaps I am not paying enough attention to the directness of the holes I drill and perhaps that is rather important to pay attention to. Perhaps can probably be replaced here with most likely.

I am a refined woodworker and should have known that its difficult to plug an oval with a circle, but a man can get mighty stupid when sugar is on the way.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Doctor

I apparently do something really wrong rather frequently.

I would say all my taps leak at least a little and some do dry up ... about 1 in 3 generally leak to the ground and never really dry up until god says, "There will be no more sap"

Perhaps I am not paying enough attention to the directness of the holes I drill and perhaps that is rather important to pay attention to. Perhaps can probably be replaced here with most likely.

I am a refined woodworker and should have known that its difficult to plug an oval with a circle, but a man can get mighty stupid when sugar is on the way.

At least you are learning. Tapping can be a little intimidating, its extremely important. Throw in fatigue by the end of the day and you really need to focus on what you're doing when it's time to tap. As other have said, do a better job next year. Are you using a "maple" tapping bit as opposed to a generic drill bit? Makes a big difference.

[maple flats]

The most important part is use a good sharp "tapping" bit, not a general purpose hardware bit, have a drill that has enough power not to stall out. The brace yourself firmly and concentrate on going in and pull the bit back out without stopping the bit all in one motion. It is best to have the drill pointing slightly upward or perfectly horizontal. Since I don't trust myself to get perfectly horizontal, I go upward slightly, but not much. A wobble while drilling or "pounding" the tap in too tight are most often the cause of a leak. Use a tapping hammer, or other light tool (I use the flat side of a pair of 7" lineman's pliers) and gently tap it, the sound will change when it is properly set. No need to tap again. Listen to the sound and trust it, the first two or 3 taps will ring, then with proper technique the 3rd or 4th will sound like a thud, stop.
Then as Dr Tim said, you may get minor seepage, which will stop in a few days.

[Sugar Bear]

Thanks to all for your response.

I taped some more trees later in the season and got better results by paying attention to my direction when drilling.

Attention to detail is critical with everything.