Annoyed...

[TheNamelessPoet]

So... it was about 20-25 last night, and then 50 today. I have 13 taps, and got about 2 gallons IF THAT!

Would using too much force on the taps when I put them in cause this?

[TheNamelessPoet]

all season I have felt like I didnt get enough sap.
I drilled 1.5" for the taps (I put tape on the bit to make it easy). could I pull the taps, and re-drill to 2" and put the taps in?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200223/f3baf6858748f75f68ffcf404ebda851.jpg

[TheNamelessPoet]

2 of the 13 DO have this 😭

I'm guessing I split the wood?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200223/0497b57f9922350b84041d817621bd2c.jpg

[DrTimPerkins]

Just leave it alone. Some weeping on the outside is normal.

[TheNamelessPoet]

Just leave it alone. Some weeping on the outside is normal.is it normal to get so little though? I mean among 13 taps, I didn't even get 4 gallons?

I feel like I've done something wrong.

[4 Paws Sugar Shack]

Do you still have a heavy frost in the ground? If so it takes alot to get the roots warmed up enough to release any real amount of sap

[TheNamelessPoet]

Do you still have a heavy frost in the ground? If so it takes alot to get the roots warmed up enough to release any real amount of sapno. haven't had any snow in over a month and ground is bare. we did have 30-35 high temps during the day the last 2-3 days.

[Sugar Bear]

all season I have felt like I didnt get enough sap.
I drilled 1.5" for the taps (I put tape on the bit to make it easy). could I pull the taps, and re-drill to 2" and put the taps in?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200223/f3baf6858748f75f68ffcf404ebda851.jpg

What size drill bit are you using? Are you certain it is the correct size? From your close up photo of the spout it looks like the spout is a little too far in the tap hole. Almost looks like the hole would have to be a little too big for that tap to be in that far, even if you took a carpenters hammer to it full steam.

Also, if you do not drill a hole straight you will have seeping like the seeping photo shows. No matter what you do.

[TheNamelessPoet]

What size drill bit are you using? Are you certain it is the correct size? From your close up photo of the spout it looks like the spout is a little too far in the tap hole. Almost looks like the hole would have to be a little too big for that tap to be in that far, even if you took a carpenters hammer to it full steam.

Also, if you do not drill a hole straight you will have seeping like the seeping photo shows. No matter what you do.brand new Leader 5/16 tapping bit. I drilled at a slight angle "up" so that the tap is angled down a hair. I was very careful to go straight and not wobble in or out.

Should it not go in past the check valve part?

[Ed R]

If you are on gravity, tapping 2 inches or even a little deeper if the bark on the tree is thick will get you way more sap. If you pull those taps you will probably need new spouts since they look to be driven in pretty far. I would try a couple and see if the volume picks up. Some trees just don't run well.

[TheNamelessPoet]

If you are on gravity, tapping 2 inches or even a little deeper if the bark on the tree is thick will get you way more sap. If you pull those taps you will probably need new spouts since they look to be driven in pretty far. I would try a couple and see if the volume picks up. Some trees just don't run well.glad I got extra taps! I'm going to see how a couple do and see what happens!

what's the easiest way to get the tap out? 1st time, I hadn't thought about it lol

[DrTimPerkins]

no. haven't had any snow in over a month and ground is bare. we did have 30-35 high temps during the day the last 2-3 days.

Trees don’t warm as fast as air. Takes a while for them to thaw. Patience.

[Sugar Bear]

My experience is that drilling the hole with a downward slope ( even slightly ) results in a leaking tap. Most of the time. But if the tap is leaking around the outside it will generally still fill a bucket well, assuming the sap is flowing well.

If you had twelve taps that did not run well in Tolland. CT today you probably have some sort of tapping problem. As I said before from the looks of the photo your spout is driven way to far in the tap. I would think that would block a fair amount of sap flow due to the fact that you are partially plugging the wood of the tree that flows sap.

I tapped 7 days ago and I have tubing with all granddaddy ( 3+ feet in diameter ) maples on them and tubing with all smaller trees on them. One day the granddaddy tube was running very well and the smaller trees tube was not running well at all. The next day it was visa versa.

Today everything was running faster then it ever has in my fifth year of tapping and If I do not start rolling pans tomorrow I will be putting sap in the ground.

I did have a large Red Maple tap that was not running well today at all. It is on a large 4 foot diameter Red Maple. So that is not enough for me to say that my Red Maples did not well because I only have one tap in one Red Maple. On the other hand I had 7 large Sugar Maple taps producing a constant stream on 5/16 tubing into a barrel.

[Kubota]

It will come, patience. My trees take a good two days of 45+ to shake off a good freeze. Today you will be fine. Going to push 60 in some parts. Was 28 on my way into work this morning. Today should be a gusher

[TheNamelessPoet]

It will come, patience. My trees take a good two days of 45+ to shake off a good freeze. Today you will be fine. Going to push 60 in some parts. Was 28 on my way into work this morning. Today should be a gusher

Well I think you and Dc Tim above are right in some ways I am being to impatient.

I did go back and look at my drill bit (after what SugarBear had said) and had a startling discovery... I put the tape accidentally at 1.5" instead of 2". I think that, coupled with the taps being driven in too deep, is why I am getting almost nothing. I ordered more taps (since I am going to need some next year anyway and I am going to see how the 2 taps I re-drilled yesterday do in comparison and then I will go from there. If they flow well and the rest do not, then i am pretty sure I solved the issue.

Like you said Kubota, everything could be great today when I get home, so we will see. If it doesn't flow today there is a DEFINITE issue lol. Especially after 50 yesterday (40 by about 10:30 am at my house).

I have also been noticing that water has for SURE been boiling at less than 212. In-fact yesterday it was 209.5! I have been checking just out of curiosity and my wife found that quite interesting that I was testing to see what temp it boiled it. Plus I used the water to make part of dinner so it wasn't even wasted lol That's what the pressure and 800-850 feet above sea-level does to you I guess!

[TheNamelessPoet]

ok... so I got about 4 gallons today from my 13 taps. my biggest tree didnt give me a drop, but I am 99% sure it's because I didnt drill deep enough in that one. its older and has a lit of turned up bark. I also ordered 50 taps so as sooo, as I get them, I'm going to try and salvage the hole by re-drilling

[TheNamelessPoet]

You guys called it... patience!

I got about 3-4 gallons of sap yesterday and emptied everything at about 8 last night.

I had about 2 gallons this morning and by lunch. I had a full 5 gallon bucket! I'm almost thinking I may need to make a little lean to tonight and boil it if it's like last night and I get another full bucket. Otherwise I'll be doing nothing but boiling all weekend!

Funny side note... I boiled for 2 hours last night, and I spilled a couple drops on my shoe.

Well today... all I smell is maple and it has been driving me nuts and my associates at work thin lk I'm crazy... then I remembered the spill! As Bob Ross always said... Happy accidents lol