#9 or #12

[backyardsugarer]

Picked up nice woods to day of about 500 taps. Now all I need to do is run about 700 feet of mainline in the dead on winter. Any opinion on#12 wire? I went to tractor supply tonight at it hold up to 1,500 pounds. #9 is thicker but wondering if it is worth it? Thanks.

Chris

[brookledge]

I use #4 wire but only because I had tons but I'd say the #9 would be better.If you have branches drop on it you don't want it snaping. plus when you pull it tight you don't want it streching
Keith

[caseyssugarshack93]

i use 12 ga you can get a 4000ft roll for a 100 bucks, Worth every penny

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I've used both. If your line is going to be 1", the #12 will be fine. Use a smaller gauge to side tie and if something falls on it, the side ties will break rather than the mainline wire.

[gmcooper]

I use mostly 12 gauge now with 1" or less. No problems after 6-8 years with it.

[farmall h]

I have used (believe or not) barbless barbwire..got it @ Agway a few years back. Rugged stuff. You can tighten that with the 4-wheeler winch 'till you play a tune on it! The only drawback is that it is 2-wire therefore the wire slot on the saddle doesn't fit perfect.

[howden86]

I have used both 9 and 12, I like 12 better

[PerryW]

I use 9 ga wire to hang my 3/4" mainlines and 12 ga wire for the sidepulls

[maple flats]

I have used 9 and 12 1/2 hi tensile. I far prefer the hi tensil if your 1" or smaller line will not be rather short. I buy it at TSC and get 4000' rolls. I also use a triple crimp sleve with crimp tool to connect and to form end tree loops. Then I side pull with lighter wire to tighten line. If anything falls on the line the side pull breaks and I never had a high tensil break. Do not try to make sharp bends in hi tensil however.

[maplwrks]

I use 12 ga all the time and use 14 ga for side ties. It is important to use a lighter wire for side tying. If something were to fall on it, the side ties should break, not the mainline wire.

[jcb]

We use 12.5 with 14ga tie backs and it works great.

[caseyssugarshack93]

I been using 17 Ga for the side ties and it seems to work real well, if somthing land on it will break that easier i think anyway, may try some 14 to, but i like the 17 for sideties,

[backyardsugarer]

I will have 3/4" mailines so it sounds like #12. Thanks guys, now all I have to do is run it and about 2 miles of 5/16" tubing in the dead of winter. Couldn't be happier though to land this woods.

Chris

[red maples]

I string mine up with the #12 and also use the 12 for the side ties but I tie sthem loose which will hold the tightness of the wire but when something falls they come apart...already worked great when a dead tree fell last week durring that nasty wind!!! held up great!!!

[jason grossman]

i use #9 on all installations unless the owner wants to use something else. i use 12 for the side pulls. 12.5 or 12 hi tensile have never held up to the amount of tension i use. but whatever you use always remember use a smaller (weaker) wire for the side ties. this is a "built in" safety so if something happens you only loose a side pull and not a mian line wire.

[ennismaple]

I will have 3/4" mailines so it sounds like #12. Thanks guys, now all I have to do is run it and about 2 miles of 5/16" tubing in the dead of winter. Couldn't be happier though to land this woods.
Chris

Sound like fun. 2 miles = 21 rolls of tubing @ 30 taps per roll = 630 taps which is 2 days stretching if you go hard. It'll take a bit less time to cut in dropines and about a day to install 100 saddle manifolds - so you should be done this time next week, right?

I like the opinions on the mainline wire. We've never used #9 or #12 but I need to put up some dryline this summer and wasn't sure which to use - looks like #12!

[backyardsugarer]

I am going to try to get the mainlines up this Sunday if it get above 15 degrees. That is if vendors have what I need at the NYS conference Friday Night. Thank goodness for the 3 day weekend next week so I can get after those 5/16" lateral lines.

Chris