A couple of elementary questions

[GANGGREEN]

OK, new guy here. I've been tapping with buckets for a few years but decided to run some lines this year and don't have a clue what I'm doing. I'm running 25 to 30 taps off a 300 foot long 1/2 inch main line (my sugar bush isn't that great in this area and it required a fairly long main line. The drop is pretty good so I don't think I'll have much problem with a gravity system but I'm not sure about the really basic stuff like anchoring the main line.

Case in point, I put a high tensile wire up to anchor it to. I didn't have those tightening ratchet thingies so I just tied the wire to this tree and that and it seems fairly taut. I attached the main line to the wire with zip ties but the whole main line just slides down the wire when I try to take the sags out of it. I'm guessing that I need to anchor the top of the main line to something before pulling it really taut but I'm not sure how to do so. Do I simply tie the uphill end of the main line around the top tree? Drill a hole through the main line and wire it to the tree?

Secondly, I'm not sure what to do with the open portion of the main line. I presume that I wouldn't want it to be open to allow bugs, water, bacteria, etc. into my sap but what do I do? Are there commercial caps sold for that purpose? Obviously, if I tied the upper end around a tree or something it would be a closed system but I'd think tying that 1/2 tubing around a tree would probably not be the best thing to do.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

[GANGGREEN]

Oh, here's another question. I have those turtle thingies that tie my 5/16" lines into the main line. There are four 5/16 inch prongs coming off each turtle. Let's assume that I only have one or two 5/16" lines coming in at any particular spot where I'm using a turtle. Can I leave the other ones just exposed like that or do I have to cap them in some way to prevent sap from running out at those spots?

[maple flats]

By turtle I think you mean a fitting with the 1/2" straight thru and 2 angled legs on each side. You would just use what you need and put caps on the rest. Tubing suppliers have caps available. As far as how to get tension. After you anchor the mainline on each end, use about 14 ga wire to side tie the wire to as many trees as needed. You can pull one spot in one direction and the next pull to the other side. Tie the wire to the hi tensil wire, not the mainline. Pulling this way is far better than the ratchets for hi tensil. Those only work good on softer wire that can take the sharp bend where it starts at the spool and comes out of the pass thru hole. I always broke hi tensil before starting to side tie for tension. You can pull it much tighter than a ratchet ever could anyways.
For your mainline on the support wire, there are several methods that work depending on the particular situation. You can tie the end fitting to the end tree or to the circle formed by going around the tree or you can go to a convenient limb or anything. Just tie it to something strong enough to hold any pull in the mainline. When I end I do the above and sometimes I use a chinese finger pull. My preferred is a chinese finger at the top end anchored well to the tree or whatever and then on the lower end I put another chinese finger, but this one I add an adjustable rope and a well tensioned spring. I pull as tight as I can by streatching the spring and tieing the rope. The spring gives a "live pull". This is however a little costly and most don't do this much.
As for the turtles, being a 1/2" mainline you are limited in what is available. If you step up to 3/4" there are lots of fitting choices. Next is the ties. Zip ties are do able but not really ideal. The best thing and it's not very costly (likely less than zip ties) is to get a tie twister (usually less that $5) and wire ties. All maple dealers have them in various lengths. For your 1/2" I would use 5" ties, just double it over around the wire and mainline and insert the hook on your twister and swing your wrist in a circular motion to twist tight. Tighten just short of breaking (you'll figure it out pretty quick as a few break). The ties have a loop on each end. These will support better than zip ties and will be less likely to slide. Use a tie every 12-15 inches on flatter slopes and you can go to 18 or maybe 24" in steeper.

[PerryW]

Put fittings on both ends of your mainline (the kind with the stainless steel hose clamps found in any hardware store.) Then wrap a thinner gauge wire (like electric fence wire) tightly around the fitting and anchor it to the same tree that your mainline wire is attached to. The top fitting should be plugged. Attach a short piece of mainline to the bottom fitting and run into your tank.

Also, no need for a ratchet. Attach thinner gauge wires to your mainline wire as side pulls to tighten the wire.

[GANGGREEN]

Very, very helpful guys and just what I needed to know. Thank you.

[farmall h]

gangreen, if you do not have the caps to fit over the "turtle" barbed fitting just use a short piece of tubing and hook two barbs together. As for the 3rd barb (if not used) use a short pc of tubing and plug with something plastic or ss bolt. That will do in a bind! But if you go get your rolls of tubing, spouts, tees, end rings, hooked connectors, you should pick up a handful of caps. Use the suspended wire on your 1/2" mainline to hook your "hooked" straight connector with lateral line. To get a good picture of this set-up go check out some of Caseysugarshack.com videos on you tube. Pictures are worth a thousand words! Hope this helps.:)

[Haynes Forest Products]

Gangreen In Wisconsin we call then thare things STARS.:)

[Haynes Forest Products]

Oh Yea Im afraid to ask about the name:o

[farmall h]

Haynes I think he's referring to those blue mainline connectors with the four barbs nipples, 2 on each side. I think you can still get those in the Leader catalogue and hardware stores that carry some supplies. I remember my father getting a bunch of those back in '78 when we first started. I still have 1 or 2 hanging about.

[GANGGREEN]

It helps a lot. I'll check out the Youtube videos too.