Soule cast spout w/hook

[concord maple]

Does anyone know if this spout is 5/16" or 7/16"? I've seen this spout advertised through leader, bascom, and the maple guys but I haven't seen it mentioned what the size is. This spout has the hook formed right into the spout. It sure looks like a hookless 5/16" with the hook. I picked up a leader tree saver hookless 5/16" to try on my buckets but I would need to modify alot of buckets to get the spout through for the buckets to rest on.

[Fred Henderson]

It isn't hard to do just use a unibit. I got 200 of those spouts and will add another 200 this year.

[Scott Prindle]

Both Soule spiles are 7/16. The Leader hookless spiles are 5/16.

[concord maple]

Thanks for the info. I definitely want to stay 5/16". Just started checking buckets with the Leader hookless. May not need to modify as many buckets as I first thought.

[concord maple]

Just finished checking all buckets with a leader 5/16" hookless that I picked up just to try, some buckets were good and some I had to enlarge hole. However, upon tapping spout to remove from a 6" X 6" that I was using as the test stand the spout broke off at the backend of the flair part of the tap that would go into the tree (at the back side of the flair where it tapers down to go to the hook). How far up the flair out section do you put these spouts into the tree and what is the best way to remove? At $2.40 a spout, I would hate to break these and have to replace each season. I was tapping it pretty lightly when it broke off.

[Scott Prindle]

I have used these spiles for a couple of years now and I like them. I ONLY use a rubber mallet to drive and remove them. I have not broken any to this point (knock on wood). I don't know if there is a correlation between not using a hammer and no breakage or not.

I drive them into the tree about as far as where the flared part ends.

I got into the habit of using a rubber mallet with all the spiles awhile ago, it eliminates the "mushrooming" that you get with a claw hammer.

When I had to enlarge bucket holes I got a cutting bit and chucked it to a drill and went at it. Pretty easy.

[Russell Lampron]

Love those hookless 5/16" Leader spouts. I have always used a claw hammer on mine and have never broken off like that. I started using them when they cost $.85 each. That wasn't that long ago!

The Soule and Warner spouts are 7/16". Even after boiling them the holes dried up in about 3 weeks. The leader 5/16" spouts will run for about 6 weeks.

[concord maple]

Scott/Russell,
When I first inserted the tap, I used a claw hammer and I didn't think I went as far as to the back of the flair. I used this hammer to remove it then just to see how easy or hard it would be (came out with no problem taping from side to side and trying to use the claw). When I reinserted it again with the hammer I went the whole way to the back of the flair, worked around with the buckets using the tap to help enlarge the holes a tad and a drill bit on some, and when I was finished I used a pair of vice grips and tapped the spile from side to side to loosen when it broke. Again I don't think I hit it as hard as I did the first time I removed it with the hammer. Anyways, all my buckets will now fit on the hookless 5/16". I just maybe need to be careful when I remove them from the trees.(Wondering if the Pressure treated 6" X 6" I was using wasn't giving any on the side to side tapping to loosen it up as a tree does; just a thought)

[Russell Lampron]

Concord Maple I don't twist the taps or tap them from side to side when I remove them. I put the claw of the hammer against the tab on the spout, pry against the tree and pull the tap straight out just like pulling a nail.

I only seat the tap in the tree as deep as it needs to go to get a solid tunk. Driving the tap into the 6x6 as far as you did was too far. I have found that on smaller trees as much as a 1/2" of the flare is still sticking out. On the older big trees it will sink to the flare and sometimes deeper because of the thicker bark.

[cncaboose]

With 200+ of the Leader tree savers I manage to break 1 or 2 a year when pulling taps. I use a small lightweight claw hammer. If you break one just be sure to drill out the broken tap in the tree so the hole can heal. I'm sure your 6x6 is WAY harder than green maple wood.

[sapman]

I was running about 4-500 of these taps til a couple years ago. And yes, a couple seem to break each year.

An alternative is to try the stainless hookless spouts that CDL or somebody sells. I think I tried 50 of them. Their problem is the big flare at the dripping end tends to drip out of the bucket, unless you drill a level hole. Also, you need a pretty big hole in the bucket. I used them mostly with sapsak holders, which already has a large enough hole. Overall, we thought the spouts were OK (and they are a LOT less money than the Leader hookless), and I'd probably buy more if I were expanding with buckets.

[Fred Henderson]

I was running about 4-500 of these taps til a couple years ago. And yes, a couple seem to break each year.

An alternative is to try the stainless hookless spouts that CDL or somebody sells. I think I tried 50 of them. Their problem is the big flare at the dripping end tends to drip out of the bucket, unless you drill a level hole. Also, you need a pretty big hole in the bucket. I used them mostly with sapsak holders, which already has a large enough hole. Overall, we thought the spouts were OK (and they are a LOT less money than the Leader hookless), and I'd probably buy more if I were expanding with buckets.



I tryed the SS hookless from Maple Pro a few ago and had the same problem of sap dripping on the ground. I retuned them but if they were longer they would be just a cats meow.

[3rdgen.maple]

You guys that don't want to mess with making a larger hole in your bucket can just put a hook on the soule spout before tapping them in. The hooks are pretty cheap. I have done this and it works pretty good.

[Farmboy]

I hate the soule cast taps they break soo easily. I broke 1 off in a tree last year and broke a few hooks off.

[sapman]

Fred, I agree on those stainless spouts. They should have a snout coming off the front of the flange. When I got mine, Bruce Bascom told me to tap them level, so that did seem to work pretty well.

Tim

[3rdgen.maple]

Guys Just maybe you are driving the soule spouts into the tree's a little hard. I have broke one in 5 years light taps into the tree is all you need. Just like Russell Lamproon says tap tap tunk. Now I sad tap not hammer lol.
I can wiggle mine out by hand when I pull them.

[KenWP]

I have to learn to drive spouts a little better also. Of course if it stopped freezeing after i put them in the first time it would help. Seems the reds don't take as big a whack with a hammer as a suger maple.