PVC coated wire ties

[mapleack]

Has anyone tried PVC coated wire ties for mainline or vacuum line? They are more exspensive, possibly twice as much. I'm going to be putting up a couple thousand feet of vacuum line this fall and just stumbled across the pvc coated ties. The galvanized ties are cheap, but might last 15 yrs at most? I'm hoping the vacuum line will last over 20 years, perhaps making the extra investment for the PVC ties worthwhile. What does everyone else think?

[chipa]

The first mainline I put up I used the coated ties. They still look good for the most part. I bought them at Danforths in Vermont. I haven't seen them sold anywhere else.

[vermaple]

I have used coated ties in the past, but don't feel they are worth the extra money. Have never had any trouble with the galv. ties rusting out.

[jason grossman]

if your willing to spend the extra money use ss lashing wire!! it's all i use in my woods and it will last forever. also if your careful with it you can reuse it when you replace the line.

[mapleack]

I'd like to use a wire lasher, but haven't found cheap access to one yet. As far as price of pvc coated ties, I found 8" ones at the same price as galvanized ones, I'm waiting on a shipping quote on them. I've replaced galvanized ones that were 15 years old and quite rusty. I think if shipping is reasonable I'm going to try the pvc ones. The only problem is that I may be 15 years older by the time I know if it was a smart decision or not!!!!

[jason grossman]

i don't have a spooler either so we made one that we use by hand. it works quite well. but there are times that it would be nice to have the autospooler. it cost us about 4.00 in materials and 35 minutes in the shop

[lpakiz]

Well Jason, we need a picture or 2 of that shop-made lasher....

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Anyone use plastic zip ties??

[vermaple]

Anyone use plastic zip ties??

In the past, I have used zip ties. They tend to be pricey and will break down quickley fron uv rays unless you always buy black.

[jason grossman]

the last installation i did in wisconsin, they used zip ties. they are fast, but they had a relative that was able to get them at a below retail cost and in a large quantity. if you buy them retail they are usually cost prohibative. they will break down after a while ,but wire ties rust fast. use stainless lashing wire!!!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I can get 500 of them for aprox $ 1 as I only need the 4" ones as all I run is 1/2" mainline. I have mainly went to them the past few years and they work great and go up fast. I like them as they do not bite into the mainline if you get them a little too snug and they are several times wider than a wire tie, so I would think they provide better support. Time will tell how long they will last.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I use the zip ties and have lines that are 10 years old still holding up. I also have GOOD elec tape that is still going strong after 10 years the trick is 4 wraps so the sun doesnt get to the inner tape that is doing all the holding. The one thing I like about the tape is you can walk the mainlines and run your hand on it to check for squirl damage. I dont wear gloves in the woods much and running over a zip tie that has been cut off is a blood trail for sure.

I have another trick I came up with that I like what I did in one woods is I use the pinch clamps SS and I put put them on the mainline wire and string the wire and then thread the pipe thru them after the wire is tight .They wont ever rust or fail. If you use the 3/4 clamps on 3/4 pipe the wire will fit in the pinch clamp area.

[3rdgen.maple]

I was just thinking outside the box here but why could you not just drill a small diameter hole at an angle on each end of your mainline and insert ss wire through it run the wire down the inside of the pipe and out the whole on the other end. Seal the small whole up and raise the mainline. That skips all the wire ties and such. only downfall would maybe be a break in the lilne when a tree falls on it. Like I said just thinking.

[ennismaple]

What would you hook your laterals to without a wire? The wire in the mainline would also give bacteria somewhere else to grow as you couldn't get it as clean.

We've got a lot of mainlines with both tape and zip ties. The tape is OK but takes a bit longer than wire ties and I figure it's more expensive. Zip ties don't get as tight and if anything falls on the mainline they'll shatter for a fair distance on either side of the point of impact

[brookledge]

Like Ennis said it would be a breeding ground for bacteria. Also I would think as the mainline expands and contracts it would leak at the point where the wire went into the main line
Keith

[doocat]

So where is a cheap place to get the wire ties in large quantities outside of the maple companies?

[caseyssugarshack93]

I was on the cdl website, And they have a new wireless tubing system called rapitube, Should check it out

[vermaple]

So where is a cheap place to get the wire ties in large quantities outside of the maple companies?

I frequently buy them at Barker Steel. Any re-bar, concrete supply place should have them.