I think I made a stupid mistake. Any opinions?

[motowbrowne]

So a friend of mine who's helped make syrup out here for years came by on Saturday. I figured I'd get him to put in taps, since they were all ready to go and that would let me mess with the vacuum pumps and fix some leaks.

So, I showed him what to do. Did a sample hole. Talked about depth. Then I left him to it. And I never checked his work (stupid mistake).

Today I was fixing leaks and I found one that was drilled near a wound and was sucking air through the tree. Okay, bad home placement, but no big deal. Pulled the tap and capped it on the T. Then I noticed that the hole was only about an inch deep, and half of that was probably bark. Uh oh. Then I found another drop line sucking air. Perfect looking tree. No leaks on the drop. Pulled the tap to cap it. Same thing. About an inch deep hole, maybe a little less. I think the tap actually bottomed out in the hole and that's why it didn't seal.

So, I haven't pulled any more, but he did about 200 of them. I'm using leader 3/16 check valve taps and a 3/16 hybrid system with shurflo pumps. Not quite high vacuum. I'm not crazy about pulling the taps and redrilling, but I would consider it if I thought it was a good idea. What do you guys think? Is it even possible to pull them, drill another 3/4" and put the tap back in and achieve a seal?

I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!

[spud]

I would drill them deeper for sure. Seat the spout good and hope they don't leak.

Spud

[motowbrowne]

I would drill them deeper for sure. Seat the spout good and hope they don't leak.

Spud

Thanks. I think I'll give it a try. Pulled three more today. Two about an inch, the third might have been an inch and a half.

[maple flats]

In a case like that, you should pull them and re-drill. If they offer to help again, don't be afraid to tell them that the tap hole should be deeper. I drill mine about 2" into the wood. Just educate them better. This case is not the same as re-drilling a hole that has dried up. The hardest part might be to get them drilled at the same angle as the 1" went in, any that don't seal, plug that tap into or onto the Tee and chalk it up to experience. You just got smarter.

[DrTimPerkins]

Next time put a bit stop (a piece of 5/16” tubing works well) on and let them go at it.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

What the Dr. said and also make sure he knows to drill in and out in one quick motion. We had a new guy helping tap this year and did the tubing thing but saw him drilling in 2 pulls of the trigger most of the time. Doesn't clean out shavings, more chance to egg out a hole and more likely to break a bit which he did. Good guy, just didn't know.

[motowbrowne]

Thanks guys. I was pretty worried about the taps not sealing as well the second time around. Hopefully it's a non issue.

Thanks for the tip on the 5/16 bit stop Dr Tim.

Yeah, I'll definitely chalk this one up to learning how to better manage people. My first thought was that I couldn't believe that he messed them up that bad after we went over it together, but it's really my fault for not watching him do several and making sure the job was up to spec. That responsibility is solely my own. I'm just glad I figured it out before we pulled our taps at the end of the year.

[Haynes Forest Products]

We all have stories like yours, today its taps in a tree and the next one is calking windows. I think I'm being punished for something because I know how creative some people can be when they decide to "think out side the box" when helping me. I remembering same scenario friend went out on his own and he started taping the root flairs because that is where the tubing was buried in the snow.

[Atgreene]

I've found that drilling is one of the most critical areas that you need to get right. Everyone wants to help drill, but it's really not something that should be entrusted to just anyone. From sanitation and proper use of the drill to setting the spile and tapping good wood, little mistakes can ruin a potential good season.

[Wannabe]

friend went out on his own and he started taping the root flairs because that is where the tubing was buried in the snow.

That is a joke right Haynes??lol

[Chris_In_Vermont]

I've found that drilling is one of the most critical areas that you need to get right. Everyone wants to help drill, but it's really not something that should be entrusted to just anyone. From sanitation and proper use of the drill to setting the spile and tapping good wood, little mistakes can ruin a potential good season.
Exactly, tapping is probably the most important job you will do all year. Used to be, you'd hire a few high school kids to get it done. We only have our more experienced and more skilled guys tapping. And we take a 1\2 day inside each year and do training. A 1\2 day 1st day in the woods watching everyone and making sure they get it right.
If we have lesser skilled employees, they install spouts for a faster more experienced tapper (we use new spouts each year so every dropline needs a new spout installed) They work directly ahead of the tapper, not weeks or days ahead, a few lines ahead maybe. Two benefits, one, if the snow is deep, the tapper gets a trail broke for him, two, the tapper can go much faster even if the snow is good. Think of it this way, you have one good tapper and he can drill 400 good holes in a day. Your friends 16 year old son comes in and he could drill 250, maybe 400 but they aren't good holes, makes mistakes. Now have jimmy put spouts on, and your 400 good holes goes up to 700 and they're all good. More quality taps per employee.