Good 3/16 primer article?

[Diesel Pro]

I understand the concept and the basics of installation, but I still have some questions.

My drop comes fast at the end of the line. It was suggested that I run a "rail" or something down mu slope to attaché the main lines. Some help here would be appreciated.

When I weave my way through the trees so I use anything to strap the line to the trees or just tension of the tubing?

When I get to a trail can I make an arch up over the trail so that I can get my UTV under or am I better off not doing this and skipping UTV travel?

Do you find it better to start at the tank and work out or start at the last tree and work back?

[Cedar Eater]

I understand the concept and the basics of installation, but I still have some questions.

My drop comes fast at the end of the line. It was suggested that I run a "rail" or something down mu slope to attaché the main lines. Some help here would be appreciated.

When I weave my way through the trees so I use anything to strap the line to the trees or just tension of the tubing?

When I get to a trail can I make an arch up over the trail so that I can get my UTV under or am I better off not doing this and skipping UTV travel?

Do you find it better to start at the tank and work out or start at the last tree and work back?

I start at the top tree and work toward the collection point. That way I'm walking downhill with the coil of tubing instead of uphill.

When I cross over a trail, I leave enough slack that I can lift the line with a forked stick to get it up over the exhaust stack and roll bar of my tractor. It's better to have the line sagging across the trail than raised over it. I have heard of one guy who routes the line through pvc pipe and then runs over that with his vehicles, but that might make the line stay frozen longer.

I don't strap the line to trees. I just let the friction of the tubing do the work.

I suppose if you have a real long steep drop, the weight of the column of sap might become an issue, but I would solve that by adding a hooked connector and tying to a tree. But before that, I would zigzag down the slope and loop around trees if necessary.

[Diesel Pro]

So run out the line to the collection spot then come back and add the splices as you go? My concern was drooping as you cut in your tees. How do you maintain the proper height?

[n8hutch]

If you don't have a 2 handed tool I would suggest working from your collection tank up hill, anchor your line to the tank walk to your first tree install your T fitting and or drop/tap, tap the tree and then continue up the line, it's a lot of stuff to carry and will seem like slow going but it does save on traveling.

Myself I start at the mainline walk uphill till I have 20/25 taps loop around a tree use an end of line hook fitting. Then I walk up hill left or right to the next tree and I start at a tree with an end of line fitting and walk downhill to the main again running the 3/16 line buy 20/25 taps till I get back to the mainline, I will walk the lateral down hill until I get the desired drop in elevation then I connect to my mainline. I go back later with my drops all pre made, cut them in with my 2 handed tool, occasionally pulling the line through the tool and cutting off an extra 6-8 inches if I don't think the line is tight enough.

You can run lines w/o a two handed tool I've done it, but I wouldn't do it again now that I have one. I bought a3/16 one from CDL with auto tensioners and it has been working fine on 3/16 and 5/16 tubing.

[psparr]

You will have no problem going up and over the trail if you have plenty of drop after. Just string the line up tight and then add your T's. If you don't have a tool, you can make a jig out of a couple pieces of wood and some string which holds the line tight when you cut it.
No need for a wire to support the line.

[motowbrowne]

Another way to do it without the tool is to run the line where it's supposed to go, then start at the top and tension it. Then take a sharpie and mark where each drop line goes. Then release the tension and cut the line at each mark and install the drop. You'll need a thermos if very hot water to dip the tubing in. Push the tubing as far as possible onto the connectors to minimize pulling apart later.

It's a pain compared to a 2 handed tool, but it works.

[Cedar Eater]

So run out the line to the collection spot then come back and add the splices as you go? My concern was drooping as you cut in your tees. How do you maintain the proper height?

That's how I do it. I don't have to be real efficient. I have to get the line right because I typically have barely enough trees to make the line work well. I route the line and tension it in separate steps so I can step back and look at it as often as I have to. Most of my trees are on fairly level ground with a down slope off to the east to my collection point. Cutting in my tees is slow, but I enjoy being out in the woods and taking my time to get it done. A lot of my trees are clumps, so after I cut in the first tee (the upslope tee), I tie it to a stem while I work on the others.

[Ivyacres]

Man those are some great ideas! I never thought of marking the drops and going back while not under tension. I put in almost 200 taps this year without a tool until I bought one from psparr and I did it with a thermos of hot water reheated many times.(burned my thumbs pretty good) I do now put a drop at the base of every tree instead of carrying them all.

[BSD]

I had a wire-spooler for electrical wire from a house project that used to unspool the 3/16 and 5/16 when i'm making drops. I added a road cone to keep it from falling off the spooler and it worked awesome. I leave it at the bottom and drag up the hill (or vice versa). I had one line that i needed to have a helper half way down to get it to go the full 500', but that was because there were lots of hard angles around trees. the trees that are more in line are not a problem at all.

As far as lifting, if you have sufficient drop on the other side, you can lift several feet without a problem. I have one line that lifts 6' and two others that lift 3' with natural vacuum. it's pretty mind blowing to see it work, but it does.

You really need a two handed tool to cut the drops in to maintain the tension. i frequently would cut them in and remove a 3-6" section of 3/16 to regain some of the tension. Time is money, even if this is a hobby, get the right tool.

Put a vacuum gauge on every line, you can identify problems on lines that way. i had one develop today when it had been running great for 2 weeks. a line collapsed at a T in the middle of the line and was blocking flow from the top 300' of a line. I had to cut it out and replace the drop while the line was charged with sap. pinch off the top side with a pair of needle nose vise grips and use a two handed tool to hold the line while i replace the drop. i lost maybe 3 oz of sap in the process. i would have taken a bath if i was trying to do it without a tool.


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