Plastic milk jugs problem

[Ron Engesether]

novice here: I put out my milk jugs too early this year and got a cold snap and my sap all froze in them and the ice created a hole in the bottom of 90% of my milk jugs. I dont have time to wait now, Any idea on how to fix or any suggestions. Would a dab of silcone work? What is the best for future investing in bag holders and bags or old style pails?

[twigbender]

I use 1 gallon water jugs (plastic jugs just like milk jugs but clear plastic) on 50 of my taps. I use a 5/16 spile, about 6 inches of 5/16 tubing into a hole next to the jug neck and a cable tie through the handle and over the top of the spile. All of mine have frozen solid this year. GRRRRR! But none of them have gotten a hole . . . yet.

If I were you, I'd make a quick trip to your friendly neighborhood grocer and buy how ever many jugs you need to replace. They were .40 each here this year. In the future, what you buy depends upon what you prefer. Some folks like GMC, others Dodge, and still others Fords. I like the Sap Sak holders and bags, but also use the gallon jugs and 4 gallon pails on drop lines. Pros and cons to them all.

What I like about the sap saks is that when it does get cold, it is easy to remove the ice from the bag and collect the sap without shaking ice out of the jug, etc. Very quick and easy. Buckets on drop lines are nice too, but they take a lot of room to store.

[325abn]

Wl mart has 2 gal mop buckets for a buck or so.

[Dennis H.]

silicone would be your quickest fix, as long the temps are warm enough for it to cure. There is some tape out there, can't remember where I seen it, that is used as a quick fix for leaking pipes and it can be applied any time. If I remember the tape is a little pricey.

Drinking lots of milk will also get you a supply of jugs.

[Mike Van]

Hi Ron, I got all the 60+ pails I use for free, check out your local doughnut shops, deli's, even school kitchens. Lots of food products come in 4 & 5 gal. plastic pails.

[maplecrest]

the problem with the milk jugs is when the sun hits them, they start to break down. i used to cut them up to tag my road side tubing. then wonder where to tags are at the end of the season. they broke down that fast ,just string left. plastic baler twine is the same now. would tie tubing up with it and be gone before u know it. biodegradable

[Quadmom]

This year I used 5 gallon jugs with tubing from the spile to the jug. They also froze somewhat. What I did was ladle in some hot sap from my pan into the jug and as it melted the frozen sap poured it all back into the pan. This worked for me but I only have 7 taps going.
Sandy

[barrelstove]

i like buckets, admitedly i got them for free and i run an operation usually between 20 and 50 taps. so it doesnt take too long to collect with two five gallon pails.

the trick to buckets (imo) is to get the ones that the lids slide onto and not the kind that the lid it attached to the spile. ive collected from both types and i find it easier to just grab the bucket with the lid on it than to hold the lid up out of the way while trying to rehang the bucket. of course thats all personal preference.