Sap ladder effect on vacuum

[tiggy-at-mac.com]

We've never had much cause to use sap ladders, but with the expanding of our tapping, we're putting in two or three. A couple of them have 50 or so trees on the other side of them. Can I expect much in the way of vacuum to make it up there?

That place is on a single 1" mainline.

Thanks for any info. -Tig

[tuckermtn]

we had very little vacuum loss and our sap ladder was right at the bottom of 121 taps...23 at the releaser, 20-21 above...we used two 6 way stars.

[jason grossman]

I have several different kinds of lifts in my woods and without spending big bucks on the canister lifts(which i like) the next best one for me has been the 6 way star lifts. i have several of these (4 stars-two up two down, 12 5/16 lines) and the work quite well and they are simple. I usually only lose about 1-2 " vacuum. most of the ones i have are between 7-10 feet high.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Eric,
How high was the lift?

[tuckermtn]

our lift was about 9-10 ft...used someone on here's rule of thumb for one 5/16 line per 10 taps..

[oneoldsap]

That 10 taps per 5/16 is good advise, they should work fine. Go to the last tap away from you ladder and check the vac. If you are loosing more than an inch or two throw in another pair of stars and see what happens. Experimentation is half the fun !

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

1 - 6 way star top and bottom should work fine

RICH

[tiggy-at-mac.com]

Thanks everyone for the answers. This forum is great. -tig

[Haynes Forest Products]

How many 6 star ladders can you put on a 2/4 line. The woods were designed for gravity 30 years ago and converted to vacuum. Over time things have been added Im not going to change the entire bush but will be adding ladders. 3) 3/4 lines merge into 1" top line by ladders about 400 taps The woods is a CLUSTER*%^$$##@@$#%#^&^%(*&)(* but over time