Sap Puller Spotted!

[Gary R]

The elusive sap puller has shown itself. Thank you Mark NH! It looks like a double diapragm pump operated by an electric motor.

I understand real vacuum is the way to go. But, some of us may not have shoestrings as long as Theron's LOL.

I checked EBAY and found the pumps costing upwards of $600 new. Some could be found $100-$200. It appears that these are all air operated. I suppose one could run an air line easier than an electric line. Air consumption is a possible hurdle.

Just looking at this as a cheaper and maintenance free option for the guy with less than a few hundred taps. It is fun learning about this stuff.:)

[Mark-NH]

Charles Waterhouse puts these units together. He is out of St Johnsbury VT and seems like a real nice old buck. 802-748-9482. I think he sells them thru Goodrich's Maple or at least used to.

[Parker]

Mark- I see you have an sp-11 in one sugarwoods and a sappuller in another,,,I have never run a sappuller and was wondering if you could give us a breakdown on how many taps are on each system,,,the sites particulars,,,and how the 2 systems compare in terms of vacuum levels,,maintainance,,and sap flow,,,,,thanks Parker

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Parker-He's saving the answer for the next maplholics meeting. Last Tuesday of the month sound good with you? 7 Pm-Oct 28th. Lets have election of officers this time around :) Probably get a couple/3-4 of us to truck pool down to maple creek and Russ and Marty?? and who ever else from that part of the state.

Christine (wife) says this is going to be a girly party??? She says bring it on? What do you think=Is game on??? Maybe the pirate can arrange for the girls to show up about 730pm?

I'll be the Bachelor- No she said i don't think so :) :) :)

[tuckermtn]

I'll be there...I'll bring a few "pre-boiling sodas" and we swap tell tales of BIGSAP and big vacuum...

[Mark-NH]

Good question Parker. Right around the same number of taps for each bush-225. The sp-11 can create 22" of vacuum where the sap puller could not produce over 18".

I ran the sp-11 with the 5.5 hp Honda Parker had set up and a single mechanical releaser. The Sap Puller is a 2 pump model driven by an electric motor. Unlike a Proctor Maple Reseach project, there were many variables and potential differences even with the same number of taps but I'll tell you my "opinion"

Sap Puller kept up with the SP-11 and even out performed it on occasions when the SP-11 would experience a malfunction with one of the many parts of that system.

The Sap Puller was almost bullet proof. No releaser, minimal lines to worry about. Low start up costs. If the sp-11 had access to electric reliability may have been closer. I really liked the sap puller with that small number of taps and would recommend it under those circumstances to anyone.

I understand they come in a 2 or 4 pump model. Gas or elecric motor.

[royalmaple]

I'll bring the bunnies.

How much are they selling those sap pullers for now?

[Gary R]

I checked Goodrich's web site and did not find any equipment listed. I didn't call the phone number because I'm in the curious / just looking stage. If anyone wants to know how the pump portion of these works, look at wildenpump.com. Looks like they invented the double diaphragm pump.

[Mark-NH]

As I was touting the benefits of a Sap Puller for small bushes I thought I should call Goodrich's and get some prices.

$1,500 for an electric 2 pump unit (200E)
$1,700 for the gas driven unit (200G)

At that price you certainly can get a good used dairy pump and releaser. Trouble for us bottom feeders is that there are not many Sap Puller out there so used ones are very rare.

[Gary R]

Mark,

That is why I asked what I asked about in the email. It seems that nothing in the maple industry is resonably priced.

The heart of this is the double diaphragm pump. They are only a few hundred dollars new. Some time I will write a manufacture's application specialist and ask what they would recommend. Thanks for the idea though:)

[maplecrest]

leader had some they want to nealy give away. they were in the rutland vt. store. maybe still there on the second floor.

[7810hunting]

I would like to know where I can buy a sap puller. I'm from Pa. would a dealer ship them.