Buckets vs. Sap Sack

[jmbinventions]

How often do the sap sack pop or break? They seem cheaper then aluminum buckets and I would like to try them, but how often do they break?

[Clan Delaney]

I've never used the sacks myself, but have heard from people who have. As with most things, cheaper is cheaper for a reason. You could kick a bucket up and down the road and it would still hold sap, but a plastic bag only needs a hit from a stick, a nip from a rodent, or to be rubbed up against the bark too hard to start leaking. You collect sap drop by drop, that's all it takes to lose it.

[ackerman75]

jmbinventions,
I have used both and I like the buckets better but sap-sak-holders do work well too, just be shure to take along a roll of ducktape or new bags when you dump them. I have not had any break

[ericjeeper]

I am a small backyard sugarer. I prefer the sacks.The initial investment was far less. They are pretty tough, I have never had a squirrel chew into one.But have had the bark poke them. Last year I was planning on saving the old bags to use as a barrier.... Now to figure out where I put them.
I bought some used sak holders so I saved some more money. I did buy 100 bags I figured it would be cheaper than shipping a few every year.
The only complaint is when there is ice in the bag they are difficult to pour out.The ice sort of dams up the bag when inverted. If I am pressed for sap I will remove it from the bag to get the ice too. I cook the ice.. Heck people say there is no sugar in the ice. But if the whole bag is frozen solid.. Does that mean the tree is not producing anything but water? The way I see it at 40:1 ratio it will all freeze.

[brookledge]

Eric
Not to comment on the sacs, but in regards to frozen sap. Once the temps get cold enough you are right all of the sap will freeze. But the sugar is the last to do so so if you have a partial freeze the ice will be mostly water. I have tested ice from buckets before and most of it is less than a half of a percent.
Keith

[benchmark]

I haven't used buckets
but between my brother and i we have about 200 taps out with sacks i made most all the holders so they were a cheap way to go. now i kinda want to get into tubing. :rolleyes:
Anyway with the sacks i haven't really had any problems with them. I've had a few leak from rubbing against the tree when its windy or a branch puncture but its been minor. they seem to stay on the trees well when its windy had couple flip upside down though but i haven't had any blow off that i can remember. only ones i had popped were on the ground with the taps pulled out-- dang it need to seat the taps in little deeper. anyway i've had good luck with them.

[RileySugarbush]

Sacks work well for us. Cheap, the holders store in little space, and NO WASHING!

[Dennis H.]

I was looking into using sap sacks this year also, but when I started pricing the holders and bags, they started to get $$$.

I found a company that sells pastic buckets and bought 120 2 gal with lids for something like $3.10. Just the holders were right around there and then you had yo get the bags.

I then took a length of 1/2" copper tubing and heated it with a torch and melted a hold just below the edge of the lid when it is on the bucket. It hangs on a 5/16" just nicely.

I do have nothing against the sap sacks, if I could have gotten them at the same price as the buckets I would have gone with them, its just the $$$ talks BS walks.

Just a tip if you go with the sacks, I saw a clip on youtube about a guy who does use them and what he does is takes a length of duct tape and reinforces the bottem seam. He also says that it some what deters the rodents, must be the smell of taste, not sure.

[briduhunt]

I was just at my local Walmart collecting the free frosting buckets and was looking in the apint dept and found food grade 5 gallon plastic buckets with matching lids for $1.24/each. I thought that was a good price and I am looking at purchasing some to fill in for the more buckets I need this year. I thought I would pass the word for anyone else looking for cheap buckets. I did see the proper lables on the buckets indicating that they are food grade.
Just a little input.

[ericjeeper]

Great buy. I just paid 3.99 for buckets from Rural King. I just use them to gather from the saks to the storage/haul tank.