new drop lines

[steve J]

I want to install some new drop lines and try out some of the new spouts that leader came out with. I know getting the old line off the T will be a trick I stop by D G maple and they had this toll to cut the drops off with and they wanted $105.00. Darn thing is nothing but a cheap pair of pliers that has been modified and some sort of cutter welded on. Andone got I more resonably price solution out there?

[PerryW]

I have never used a tool. I just soften the tubing ends with thermos of hot water, or just carefully warm the tubing up with a BIC lighter and just shove them on by hand.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

The problem with heat to assemble 5/16 line is that It will twist on the fittings and under vacuum, there will be a leak. I had to change most of my drops when I went to vacuum.
I am changing about 1200 drops this year. I use the 2 handed tubing tool and attach on either side of the t. I use my cutters and cut the t out and just put the new t and drop line in. rying to strip a fitting usually leads to nicks and more leaks.

[Homestead Maple]

I was talking with some of Bruce Bascom's help one day last season and this question came up about a tool to cut the tubing off a fitting without damaging the barbs and the guy told me to take a pair of the one handed pruning cutters that have a blade on one part and the flat anvil on the other and grind the blade just slightly where the barbs might come. He said press down on the fitting and give a twist and the tubing would seperate. For $12.99 and a little grinding it works great.

[driske]

That Bascom solution sounds like it merits a try. We've been using the pruner, never made the notches to clear the barbs though. That tweak will save alot of barbs from nicks, to be sure.
Next tool that needs to be invented is going to be a device to separate C-V adapters from stubby's, after season. 1/4 twist and some pressure = super tight fit. I know some of the first 100 I put in are going to be inseparable.

[Brent]

before you beat yourself up trying to trim the drop line off, make sure that the Ts will accept the new stubbies for the end of the season. I had a lot of cup type Ts and you can't get the stubby to jamb into them.

You might want to replace the Ts. They're not that expensive and its a lot faster to cut it out, tighten the line a bit while you're at it, and put in the right T

[markcasper]

Brad Gillian or his son, whoever was at andersons last spring said never to reuse any fitting that had tubing on it, that it will end up in minor nicks and more leaks.

[markct]

i have had good luck with a cheap pair of pliers i ground the end off so the jaw grip part makes a sharp edge and grad the tubing with that, or sometimes i just use the end of linemens pliers and grip near the barbs on the side and stretch a "fold" of material then it pulls right off

[Clan Delaney]

I have never used a tool. I just soften the tubing ends with thermos of hot water, or just carefully warm the tubing up with a BIC lighter and just shove them on by hand.

If I hadn't read this post last week I would have spent all day yesterday wrestling tubing onto the double barbs of a dozen T's. (yeah, yeah, one dozen... not much but still a PITA!) A dip in the hot water and blammo! Right on there.

[1poorsap]

i do the same as mark. u dont kave to worry about it leaking afterwards that way

[farmall h]

Oh what a wonderful thing...unrooled 400ft of 3/4 black 160 psi today and hung it using the Rapitube strap. Had that tight and at good grade in less than an hour. Ran laterals the rest of the day and installed drops/spots. Will have to put manifolds on and then run another 200ft...wish this was around 10 years ago.:)

[Brent]

I have never used a tool. I just soften the tubing ends with thermos of hot water, or just carefully warm the tubing up with a BIC lighter and just shove them on by hand.

This is the method I use. I got a thermos with an open handle that will hook onto my belt. I pull the lid, jiggle the end of the tube in it for 5 seconds and they push on just great. While its still warm I give it a tug and the sharp barbs bite in real good. The memory in the tubing causes it to shrink a bit between the barbs.

Must look pretty strange from a distance, old guy, all by himself in the woods, head down, jiggling something, then looking satisfied. Hmmm.:D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Oh what a wonderful thing...unrooled 400ft of 3/4 black 160 psi today and hung it using the Rapitube strap. Had that tight and at good grade in less than an hour. Ran laterals the rest of the day and installed drops/spots. Will have to put manifolds on and then run another 200ft...wish this was around 10 years ago.:)

Bob,

Are you using wire on your mainline with the Rapitube strap since you aren't using rapitube mainline??

[Buckshot]

Yes. Did 12 taps onto 5/16 with boiling water, works like a charm.

[vtsnowedin]

A long , long time ago I was using a one gallon cooler full of hot water for the hot water method. If the sap was running I soon learned to only work up hill from the main as the sap coming in from the trees above will fill the jug and cool off your water. I had tapped and stuck in the drop lines and was running the laterals from drop to drop and cutting them in. My oldest then five or so was running ahead and sucking the sap from drop lines she could reach. I still remember her grin and giggle as I caught up with her and told her to move on to the next one.

[farmall h]

westvirginiamapler, Nope, no wire. That's the whole idea! If you take a look at the video on the Rapitube site they show installation without wire. The 160 psi 3/4" black seems pretty ridgid. I'm happy with it. ps: grip tensioners are vital in installation...the longer the grip the better.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I knew the rapitube had no wiring, just wondering if you did the same with your 3/4". I agree the 160 psi is fairly rigid, so it may work good. Let us know how it does after season is over.

[farmall h]

WVM, will do. I have another 400ft to throw up and should be set for the season. Ya know, I would like to get a hold of a piece of the Rapitube tube to sample it against the 160 psi black. Put a micrometer on it.