Drop Lines to Buckets

[ScottT]

What's the trick to running drop lines to buckets on the ground? We experimented with 5 closed-lid 5 gallon buckets last year and barely got any sap. Our metal spile hanging buckets did much better.

I realize now we didn't add an air hole to the bucket. Any other advice? Is there a preferred tube size?

[red4476]

I tap a couple huge silver maples. Three taps on the tree and all three into a five gallon bucket. I used the 5/16 tuning and drill into the side of the bucket so I can leave the lid on. I had my lid snapped on tight and no air hole with no issues but my kids aren't super tight. The buckets overflowed a couple times. I did not use any ts or ys to connect just the spile straight the the tubing into the bucket. Sorry I'm not more help but good luck!

[DRoseum]

Make sure the tubing doesn't go to the bottom. Keep it at the top and out of the sap. If you don't, when the tree begins to freeze it will suck it all back up into the tree like a straw in a drink.

[berkshires]

I place my lids loosely on the buckets so they're seated on the rim of the bucket but not "clicked" in, if that makes sense. Then I put a rock on top to keep it from blowing away. No air hole.

Gabe

[Paul01036]

What's the trick to running drop lines to buckets on the ground? We experimented with 5 closed-lid 5 gallon buckets last year and barely got any sap. Our metal spile hanging buckets did much better.

I realize now we didn't add an air hole to the bucket. Any other advice? Is there a preferred tube size?

Like many others have shared, I drill in the side so I can securely lid the top of the bucket. I started out by drilling a hole in the top of the lid but I didn't want additional moisture making its way into the sap (after all we ware boiling that off) The comment about not letting the line contact the bottom is the most important statement in my opinion.

[Keitha333]

I save my gallon milk jugs for a few months and drill a hole in the cap for 50 taps. When I collect I dump into 5 gallon buckets or just swap out the milk jug. No washing at the end of the year just put them all in recycling. I do save the caps so I don't have to redrill.

[spacetrance]

ScottT,

There shouldn’t be any tricks to it. Your 25 taps this year should yield you 6 gallons of syrup this year. Make sure you are following some of the basics.

1. Use maple intended spouts (no Home Depot make shift stuff).
2. Make sure your drill bit is sanitized and don’t drop it into the dirt (like I do :))
3. Use maple intended tubing between your spout and bucket.
4. Be patient…

You shouldn’t need a vent hole in your bucket as I doubt it is air tight. I’ve done drops into 5 gallon water cooler jugs (water companies will give their bad ones to you) for many years. Matter of fact this year I’ll have 80+ on tubing but 20+ still in 5 gallon jugs due to location of trees.

I use 5/16 tubing and spouts… but then again I’m just some backwoods dude with a bad case of maple madness.

Don’t forget to have fun with it!

[Dat280zx]

here are links to the 3d print files i use for bulkheads for my 5gal bucket lids they have worked for me for a few years
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/2Dz0RKxoiWZ
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/k9nQHnU5ZMb
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/hXMxsgQLegC
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/7hWHHTAVz1S

[TheNamelessPoet]

What's the trick to running drop lines to buckets on the ground? We experimented with 5 closed-lid 5 gallon buckets last year and barely got any sap. Our metal spile hanging buckets did much better.

I realize now we didn't add an air hole to the bucket. Any other advice? Is there a preferred tube size?

I have tried 2 ways to do it and I THINK the best I have come up with is this. I use 5/16 to go from the tap to the bucket. the 1st year I drilled a hole in the side of the bucket in one of the lips directly below the cover. I put the tube in there, but I found that the tube came out easily. Also if the bucket fell over, it was easier for the sap to leak out.
So last year I drilled the hole in the top of the lid, but slightly smaller than OD of the tubing. Now it is watertight around the hole, so to not create back pressure into the tree, I push the top on and snap it into place only in 2 spots so that it can breathe a little. You run the risk if it tips over of the same situation, but no water gets in when it rains, and as long as you keep the tubing relatively straight up to the tap, it is less likely to fall over because the tubing can hold it stead"ier".

The key IMHO, is to not snap the top of the bucket tight. and let it breathe. I can take a picture tonight if you want. I am a visual guy so sometimes i have to see it to understand what someone is saying.

[SDdave]

ScottT,

There shouldn’t be any tricks to it. Your 25 taps this year should yield you 6 gallons of syrup this year. Make sure you are following some of the basics.

1. Use maple intended spouts (no Home Depot make shift stuff).
2. Make sure your drill bit is sanitized and don’t drop it into the dirt (like I do :))
3. Use maple intended tubing between your spout and bucket.
4. Be patient…

You shouldn’t need a vent hole in your bucket as I doubt it is air tight. I’ve done drops into 5 gallon water cooler jugs (water companies will give their bad ones to you) for many years. Matter of fact this year I’ll have 80+ on tubing but 20+ still in 5 gallon jugs due to location of trees.

I use 5/16 tubing and spouts… but then again I’m just some backwoods dude with a bad case of maple madness.

Don’t forget to have fun with it!

X2, But I'm a crazy prairie living dude with a bad case of maple madness! :D Best advice was "don't forget to have fun with it!"

Have a great season,

SDdave

[ScottT]

Thanks for the advice. We switched to metal spies for the lines to the buckets and I've noted better flow. The cheap plastic spiles we had last year now look very long and skinnier than 5/16. I experimented with a couple clear plastic spikes with a check valve. (5/16) These are not doing as well as the metal spiles.

Just tapped our trees yesterday in the Thumb of Michigan. We'll see how it goes.