saddle tool

[drake1271]

does anyone know what size drill is used on the saddle tool? I want to make one?thanks josh

[Amber Gold]

depends on the type of saddle. Some are 5/16" and there's another style that uses a 31/64" drill bit.

[drake1271]

ok. at bascom's they say the saddles are 7/16

[drake1271]

does the 7/16 saddle work on 3/4 mainline?

[sapman]

The "saddles" I bought, which I believe are the "Record multi-fitting", are supposed to be 5/16ths. I hope that's correct!

Tim

[sapman]

Oh, and this is for 3/4" mainline.

Tim

[mountainvan]

I use my cordless drill with a 5/16 brad point bit. Works well, but you have to be carefull not to drill all the way through the pipe!

[sapman]

Brad at Leader told me to put a piece of tubing on the bit to prevent it from going to far. I haven't tried it yet, and hope that it fits tight enough to stay put.

Tim

[maple flats]

I also use the record multi fitting for 3/4". It calls for a 5/16" hole. The first year i used them I bought a simple little hole cutter for that purpose. It has a center pin, with a sharp point and a curved cutter blade. I just hold it against the tubing, press and turn, the pin holds it in place and it cuts the neat hole easily, then I remove it buy rocking the tool to one side while pulling upward which pulls out the removed piece, I then pull on the push knob which ejects the little cutout piece from the cutter. If I pull straight up it sometimes drops the cutout and then I find it in my collection tank. I have no idea who made this tool but it is all plastic except the pin, cutter and rod connecting them to the push knob. The overall size is about 4" long and less than an inch diameter and weighs almost nothing.

[Mike]

They sell stops for drill bits....They have a set screw to adjust for the depth...

[danno]

The tubing on the bit works great as a stop. Just leave about a 1/2" of the bit exposed. Without out the tubing or a stop - it's amazing how easily that bit wants to travel and drill out the botom of your mainline, which ofcourse would be bad.

[sapman]

Thanks, Danno, good to know that works so well.
Dave, I wonder if your tool is the little one Leader sells. I'll have to pick one up.

Tim

[brookledge]

Another cheap way to make a stop on a drill bit is to wind electrical tape around it until it builds up enough. It works good
Keith

[peacemaker]

tape is good as long as yo dont have alot to do eventaully it oushes down and you are drilling deeper

[Dave Y]

Nothing beats the little hole cutter that claps on the mainline. It is hand powered and you have complete control. The only way you would drill through the bottom of the pipe is if you where completely ignoring what you where doing.

[caseyssugarshack93]

I use a drill with a 5/16 bit works good for me as long as you stop in time to not go though the other side.



nate

[dano2840]

i used a drill with a self tapping bit, (it doesnt "draw" all over the pipe)
it works fine, just dont drill through the other side. im getting one of those hand drills that clamp right onto the main line this year, mothers boyfriend didnt want his drill to get dropped in the snow so he got on the phone with bascoms and ordered the clamp one then he ordered a 2 hand tubing tool then a kwick kut main line cutter which supprised the crap out of me, then he got off the phone and said now you can quit messing around up in the woods, dont say i never got you any thing, and i was like YES SIR!! cant wait for them to come in!!!

[Dave Y]

dano,
you are one lucky young man. When I was growing up my Dad could only afford to give me his wisdom. It has served me well the last 52 yrs. I have always said the right tools for the job and the knowlege to use them and there isn't anything you cant do! Take good care of those tools and the will last a life time.

[maplwrks]

Lucky Guy!!! You will love both of those tools, and they will make you more productive in the woods

[dano2840]

i will take very good care of them, i look for ward to not having to let go of that pipe that i just stretched so i can put one side of the fitting on with my 1 handed tool, going and getting that piece of pipe and then grabbing the one you have attached to the fitting already is a pain, i cant wait to just clamp the pipe in cut it and put the T in right there. My moms boyfriend hasnt sugared since his mid to late 20s i think and now that im getting bigger and am going to have alot of taps and a big evap he is starting to get back into it to i think, hes not showing it on the outside but i think hes really excited for the season,
i was talking to him about a 3000 tap sugar bush thats got a sugar house and a 6x16 or 18 thats still taken care of but no one sugars it because the guy is like 80 and i said i want to talk to the guy (we hay his field so i know him) but my moms boy friend said well lets go look at it this weekend, which surprised me because he is a farmer and very busy, plus its like 1/2mile into the woods, but you have to cross a river, so we would have to come in further away, but he seemed like he really wanted to do it with me, he even mentioned buying the farm as the owner has no kids,
seems like an adventure that should have good results.
i hope its a woods with big old nice trees and a nice sugar house, i had talked to the guy about it 2 yrs ago and said i was interested and he told me he would like to see it used again so who knows!!!
i might have 4000 taps when i get out of collage!!!!
hopes and dreams hopes and dreams

[3% Solution]

Hey Dano,
Maybe you could convince him to help you out!!!
You could show him how they work!!!
Sounds like he is a real nice guy, you're lucky.
As Dave Y said, take care of those tools and they will serve you well.
Think of it this way, in 25 years those tools will be antique and you'll be using antique tools to get the job done.
Someday your grand children will have them!!

[dano2840]

I JUST GOT OFF THE BUS!
MY TOOLS CAME!!!
HE BOUGHT ME THE DELUXE 2 HAND TOOL, i thought he only bought me the regular one, ITS THE SLICKEST PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IVE EVER SEEN, i called him and thanked him and i thought bascoms had maid a mistake and sent the deluxe but he said that was the one he ordered he said when i get into a big bush some day thats what im gunna need to get things done so i dont diddle around like i was doing. I GOTTA GO!
GOT TO GO TRY THEM OUT YAY!! ITS LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING JUST BETTER

[caseyssugarshack93]

Good for you dan , You will love it, I love mine. best thing i bought. still use a drill or my mainline and saddles works good for me. maybe if i get a bush im hoping to get that has around 20 acers of maples ill get one ( easier to carry around)


seems like you doing pretty good dan.

nate

[dano2840]

i really like the thing its very slick, the only thing i dont like is the automatic tightener on the vise grips it doesnt tighten the jaws enough and when i get over the 2 barbs on the tees the jaws slip, and its hard to bet the pipe all the way on, is there any way to adjust this, if i had bought the tool i would take a hack saw and cut those auto adjusts right off, the regular tightening screw is still there, but i want the jaws to stop slipping, i dont know how you could tighten them
any one else have this problem? maybe its because im using older lamb tubing (dark blue) and its got that waxy coating on the outside, it doesnt give like the 30P

[caseyssugarshack93]

Are you sure ur jaws arent icing up i know mine do and slip i just breath on them to unthaw them and good to go the auto tenicions is a much less headeace then the maual one i think.

[Dave Y]

dano,
I also have the auto tension two handed tool. I have had no problems with the slipping. You maybe cutting your tubing too close to the jaws. Make sure you use the reamer. It helps the fitting start easier. Don't cut your equipment up learn to use it correctly.

[PATheron]

Ive had the problem with the ice in the jaws too and for that I just try to keep it out of the snow by sticking it handle down if in the snow etc. Ive also found like Dave said leave a bit of tube out from the jaws and that will help. Other thing Ive done if I needed to, like if it was iced up is when closing them on a drop grab the side slipping and bend the tube right off sharp at the tool and it will make it hold just enough to get it. Just to cheat in a bind. Theron

[gearpump]

I had the same problem with mine. I believe it was because it was new. I sandblasted the jaws and that solved the problem.

Marty

[dano2840]

i leave as much tube as i can sticking out side of the tool, it has a cutter mounted on it that leaves what it was maid to leave i do use that "opener/spreader" i think it might be just because its new, maybe it was iced up and because the older lamb tubing has a slippery waxy surface,
i will putt the torch to the jaws every once in a while to de ice them

[dano2840]

well its not ice because i had it inside all last night and then it slipped on the first dropp i installed
, i think it is because of the older lamb tubing and the fact that its new, (alot of red paint chipped off of the jaws today) i found that taking the torch and heating the pipe up before i try to slide the drop on makes it work, pain in the rear but its working

[caseyssugarshack93]

I bet its paint build up then cause ur tool is used once u get the paint of the jaws from using it i bet i wont slip unless its iced up thats how mine is anyways i was lucky i never had a problem with slipping only when it got iced up. if your tubing took dont seem to stop slipping maybe theres somthing wrong with it. Im sure it will stop slipping after the paint gets out of the jaws.



just my two cents


Nate

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brush the inside of the jaws good with a wire brush and that should take care of it.

[dano2840]

will try 'er out