Sanitary Spout Extensions

[danno]

Anybody have enough experience with these yet to form an opinion whether they will give you more sap and extend your season?

Although I have not seen gunk in my tap holes, it seems that I'm not able to get much more than 4 weeks before my taps close. My oldest taps are only 3 years old and newest are new this year.

I put alcohol on my taps last year and did not seem to help. I did ream and it worked for me, but I know some others are non believers. I think reaming only worked for me becuase we had great sap weather through the 3 week of April last year. Usually are good sap weather is over by the end of March.

Anyway, if there was a positive concensus on sap extensions, I would add them to my 2 and 3 year old taps.

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

check out this thread...

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?p=40212#post40212

[maplecrest]

i have 3200 locking adapter spouts [new every year] and this year 1500 spout extensions [new every year] the leader do not work well, but cdl work great seal tight and dont leak. i think they use a softer plastic

[danno]

Thanks Valley View - I saw that thread which got me thinking to start this new thread on the topic:) Would like to hear opinions from those without self interest;)

Maplecrest, you must be a believer using adaptors on so many taps.

[gmcooper]

I just bought 300 of the Leader extensions this year to try. Jeff what was the issue with them? Do they not seal at the spile or at the tree or both?
The plan was if I noticed a difference this year, next year I plan to change everything to the stubby with adapters.
Mark

[maplecrest]

the leader tend to leak after a freeze so watch for them loosening.a harder plastic. i am useing cdl locking stubbies did not add any this year going with exten. on rest, cdl is to come out with a change in lockers waiting to see. if i was to start over i would use d and g non locking stubbies and adapters. again the d and g adapters are a harder plastic will tend to split trees when tapping on cold days but set and do not leak and work great. i had no problem with the cdl lockers, you have to think when tapping to put an opposite twist on the spout when driving them in so that during freeze, thaw, periods they do not loosen unlock and even fall apart. and tapping is very slow with the lockers getting the adapter on locked and in the tree right. the non lockers go fast. i tryed some of the biodegradable adapters and they are breaking down. but had to be careful with those they broke easy putting on and setting in tree. very soft light plastic

[danno]

maplecrest - how do you think the standard leader 5/16 tap would work in a cdl or d/g extension?

[maplecrest]

if you are are taking about 7/16 spouts. that is how i got started. i used those to switch from big to little spouts and saw the difference and started switching over. they work great over the big spouts just like stubbies. stubbies are the same size 7/16. no leaks or problems of looseing they set and stayed in the trees

[Mark-NH]

David Bascom told me last week that he uses the Lapierre stubbies. They have taps on the reducer for ease of removal. Leader has a new stubbie out in a softer plastic but they do not have the tabs. I too am trying them for the first time this year.

[maple flats]

I also tried a hundred of the new stubbies, on the rest of my old taps I still went with the extensions. For any new I will add I will buy stubbies and will convert from Leader health taps to stubbies if they prove out. It does make sense, but i am not yet 100% convinced.

[New Hope Mapleman]

Danno,

I have been using the extensions from Leader and I like them. At least it works for me. If your worried about me making any money selling them to you I only get about $1/100 so don't worry about my thought being to get rich off of selling them to you.

You should know we are not using a Leader 5/16 spout. Last year we started tapping on the 20th of Feb and those taps still ran 1 gallon per tap on the 22nd of April.

As far as leaks-didn't happen to us. thats how it was for us. Important enough I bought enough to use on all our taps this year. I'll know more in a few weeks.

Have fun with your new rig!
Dan

[danno]

Now I'm a little confused. I have 5/16 leader taps on tubing. Can I go from these into a sani tap extension. Dan, do you have any for sale, or just for your own use?

[New Hope Mapleman]

Yes, just give me a call!