replacing drop lines

[abbott]

Does anybody replace drop lines every year? I've heard that even if you use replaceable spout adapters, bacteria from the drop line still gets in the tap. Have any studies been done?

Steve

[maplecrest]

drops get loose on the fittings over time. but to change every year would be a pain. you figure about 5 seasons on a set of drops or until loose. ten if you are lucky before changing tubing.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Abbot,
Studies that Cornell is conducting are suggesting that the whole drop line be replaced. Because of the cost involved in both time and money, they are currently not reccomending every year replacement. Rather, get your bush on a rotation, replacing a portion of them each year. It appears to be that the bacteria in the drop line affects the tap hole as well as that in the spout.
Got this info at VVS and at our local county winter meeting.
Doug

[Homestead Maple]

Abbot,
Google up Proctor Research Center, Underhill, Vt. and you will find a boat load of info that would help you with your questions. This a very reliable and informative site for maple research.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I think a lot of proctors studies too are done with vaccum and when the vaccum goes off, it back flushes sometimes towards the trees. I don't think it is as much of a problem with gravity vs vaccum, but I stand to be corrected, just my opinion.

[Russell Lampron]

Proctor is doing research on replacing drops every year right now. The experiment is with vacuum. When lateral lines freeze or the vacuum is shut off vacuum in the tree will pull some of the sap back up the drop and into the tap hole bringing bacteria with it. This causes the tap hole to dry up sooner.

On a gravity system they have found that the sap will be far enough down the drop so that it can't get sucked back into the tap hole when the tree starts to draw moisture from the roots.

[powerdub]

I take into consideration the law of diminishing returns. There comes a point where you start spending more and more to gain less and less. Replacing spouts every year has increased my sap runs well into the time where the sap goes to crap. How much more sap will I gain by replacing the drops too? I can't answer that but I don't think the time and money spent on drops will create the same return as did the spouts. It works for me.

[michiganfarmer]

Along these thought lines, is there an easier way or a tool to get tubing off the barbed fittings of spiles, and tees other than slitting the tubing with a kitchen knife? Its pretty rough on the hands.

If this should go in a thread my itself, let mem know

[abbott]

slitting the tubing with a kitchen knife? You must be crazy - get a good pocketknife for that. Sounds like you're trying to re-use old fittings - i've done a little of that myself. While i was cutting tubing off fittings i hatched up a crazy idea to replace drop lines: make a T with two barbed sides and one smooth side. Use a 5/16 quick clamp to secure the dropline. If you used the BME stubby stainless, you could boil the spout and replace the dropline every year. Does anyone else think this is a good idea? If so, don't go running to the patent office before me!

[Homestead Maple]

The guys that maintain the tubing system at Bascom Maple told me they use a pair of pruning shears that have the sharpe straight blade on one side and the flat anvil on the other.

[maple flats]

Steve Childs, cornell maple specialist is studying drop replacement on gravity systems. He hopes to have the answer within a year or 2. He thinks about a 5 year replacement but that is not established yet.
As for changing drops, I cut off the tee and replace entire drop including tee. I changed about 150 this season. Plan another 150-200 next season. The third year will have all of the taps I up thru last year replaced. The ones I changed were 4 and 5 years old.

[maple flats]

I forgot, Steve Childs is taking into account the gain in production when changed vs replacement costs (materials & labor)

[mtbguy]

Atkinson maple syrup does have a tool to cut tubing off the barbed fittings without damaging the barbs. Tubrem (https://www.atkinsonmaple.com/index.html?PipelineAccessories.html#addtocart) is the cataloque part name/number and it sells for $84.95 can $ in the 2007 catalogue which I think is still current. www.atkinsonmaple.com

[Big maple]

those pliers work very well once you use them a couple of times, but if the T has been setting against a tree and pulled tight on a curve it doesn't like to go back into the tubing. Very handy

[KenWP]

To bad a guy can't buy part rolls of tubeing as a full roll is about 400 hundered feet to much for me.

[Z/MAN]

Any reason we can't just boil the plastic spiles instead of replaceing them?

[michiganfarmer]

The guys that maintain the tubing system at Bascom Maple told me they use a pair of pruning shears that have the sharpe straight blade on one side and the flat anvil on the other.

OH YEAH! Fantastic! Thanks

[michiganfarmer]

Any reason we can't just boil the plastic spiles instead of replaceing them?

I have a bunch I cant use this year. I wil try it and report back.

[danno]

The guys that maintain the tubing system at Bascom Maple told me they use a pair of pruning shears that have the sharpe straight blade on one side and the flat anvil on the other.

I use the pruning shears, but it's easy to nick the barbs which will invite vacuum leakage.

My neighbor has this clever took for removing fittings from tube. He took a pair of pliers and with the pliers closed he drilled a small hole through the jaws about 1/16" from the tip of the pliers. So now there is a sharp edge on the two jaws of the pliers which make grabbing and cutting the tube of the fitting quite easy.

[Homestead Maple]

Ya, that would probably work. Just grind the blade on the pruning shears in a couple spots to match the barbs and it works too.

[TomBaumberger]

I use trigger start propane torches, (Bernzomatic TS-4000) to heat the tubing till it is soft and pull sideways to remove it. been using this method for almost 20 years now and cannot think of any reason to switch. If you don't melt it completely, the barb is in perfect condition for a new line. If you nick the ridge of the barb with any type of knife the fitting will leak.

[KenWP]

If you put the ends in a pot of boiling water it should soften the tubeing enough to pull the ends out.