Type of Bucket

[adk1]

Ok, the down and dirty, for a new producer, what brand, material type bucket would be the most ideal..Only talking 20-50 tops..Give me your thoughts

[TF Maple]

I had gallon jugs hanging on the trees last year and didn't like it because in the big sap runs they were running over. Sometimes in the wind the jugs didn't stay lined up with the taps too.
This year I bought tubing and ran a tube from the tap into plastic pails sitting on the ground. I got the pails for a dollar each, with covers, from local bakeries. Drilled a small hole in the cover so when the tubing is inserted, it is a tight fit and rain can't get in. Worked great and the pails are about 3 to 4 gallons capacity and food grade since they had frosting and pie filling in them. I think this is the least expensive way to tap unless you can get free buckets.

[KenWP]

I use plastic buckets and jugs and those little beer kegs and you name it. Milk jugs suck as they are only a US gallon and run over. I like the real sap buckets but they are tres cher but easy to work with. The bucket on the ground works good also. I had many buckets with no tops so I used plywood for a top with a rock to keep it there.

[Bucket Head]

We too did the bakery buckets with tubing through the lids. A rock, brick, piece of broken cement block, etc., for a weight. They worked great and no sap went on the ground. No bugs in the sap either!

Its both the best and cheapest way to collect sap on a small scale.

Steve

[3rdgen.maple]

Aluminum buckets will get my vote everytime. They do not rust, easy to clean, do not absorb any off flavors or unwanted crap, stack nicely for storage and you can find used ones in like new condition for around 3 bucks and they will last you your entire life and everyone elses too.

[sapman]

The issues I have with aluminum, are they don't really accept peak covers, are very light (blow off tree), and don't hold as much as standard galvanized buckets. If you can collect real often, they work out well.
Now I completely agree on the good price you can get them for, and no worry about rusting or leaking seams. I bought a bunch mail order one year, and paid for them with a few good runs!

[3rdgen.maple]

If you bend the peak covers Tim they fit good for me. Never found one on the ground yet and been using them for years. As far as how big they are the runs have been so bad I cannot remember what a full bucket looks like anyways lol.

[stoweski]

I used aluminum buckets, 1-1/2 gallons or so. Bought them with spouts for $1 each off of craigslist - where else?

Bought peak roofs from Bascom's used section. They were brand new and fit the buckets well. Only had 5-6 out of 80 buckets blow off the trees - and we had some high winds here this year.

My only problem with the buckets is that they didn't fill up with sap very often. But then again if you ask others how their season went I'm sure they'd say theirs didn't fill up much either. :(

I don't think it was the buckets fault.

[tuckermtn]

[QUOTE=KenWP Milf jugs suck QUOTE]

I'll probably get in trouble, but though I would just picking on you Ken- I've seen some pretty nice MILF jugs...

[adk1]

where do you get these bakery buckets and did you buy bulk tubing, install the spouts etc yourslef of purchase them premade? Interesting....what about tops?

[TF Maple]

Bakeries are the best places for the buckets because they use more frosting and pie filling than any place else. Restaurants are another good place and then grocery stores that have delies or bakeries in them.
I bought a 500 foot roll of tubing and the clear plastic spouts from the Maple Guys. Cut the tubing into pieces about 3 feet long.
The buckets I got came with covers and I drilled a small hole in them.

[briduhunt]

I have about 150 buckets from my local Wegmans bakery. I just stop in about 2-3 times a week all year round and you can get between 1-10 buckets with lids per stop. Best days are Friday and Sat. as they do a lot of cakes for the weekends and also around graduation times.
Buy a roll of tubbing and a bag of taps and cut your own. I custom cut to each trees needs as I can not always get a level place for my buckets on the ground the same distance as the other trees.
Another good place os the local Tim Hortons. Get with the manager to make arangements to pick up when they want them gone. They just throw them out also and if their dumpster is not as full the do not have to pay as much for dumping fees

Just my 2 cents.

[adk1]

so do these places charge you for these buckets>? Might be the way to go for sure!

[TF Maple]

The most I ever paid was a dollar each and that was with the lid. I have found a few places where I get them free.

[adk1]

Does anyone know how much the blue sap sacks hold? Also, where do you get aluminum buckets and lids?

[TF Maple]

I think the sacks will hold 2 gallons but they can rip with that much weight so it is really more like one and a half gallons. Aluminum buckets are about the same size. I wouldn't like them because in a good sap run they will need emptying more than once a day. And I don't want to have to run to the sugar bush more than once each day. I like the buckets that hold 3 or 4 gallons and there were 2 days last year when that almost wasn't big enough, and it was a poor sap running year.

[adk1]

well, I guess that depends on the size of the sugarbush. I wont have but 50 taps max. I am going to setup two 'dump stations" in strategic spots to dump sap into and then have it piped to a holding tank adjacent the sugarhouse.
Contemplating on goign the sap sack route or buying aluminum buckets. non of my trees are what you would call mature, average 12-15" dia right now

[mike z]

I like the Al. buckets. They take up much less room, which makes handling them alot easier. I carry 30 or so under one arm when hanging or retrieving. Clean up is easier too. Mine are 2 gal. Once in a while I'll have one run over. I believe the smaller size encourages more frequent collecting. Which is a good thing. Bugs, bark, moths, etc all get filtered out before boiling anyway. May even add a flavor boost. They are the fail-safe, dependable way to go.

[Dennis H.]

I bought 2 gal plastic buckets from Uline. They look just like plastic 5gal pails but only 2 gals. When I was looking for buckets I couldn't find anything cheaper than the plastic and that included shipping fees.

I used a piece of 1/2 copper pipe heated to melt a hole in the side just below the edge of the lid when it is on. The melting of the hole helps to make a re-enforced ridge around the hole for added strength. Also I leave the tear off thing on the lid that helps keep the lid on.

Just a thought.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I would rather make sap runs than run the evap. I know no harm is being done to it and every time you show up to the tanks its a surprise:) Plus the tradition is to stop off at the other sugar shacks and tell lies and drink their beer. I make a run at about 5 PM and drop the kids off to help with chores at a friend farm and get them at 8 and drink beer all is good.

[vtjeeper]

I used about 10 pickle buckets this last year and I think it gave my syrup a slightly off flavor. I am not 100% sure thats what it was but it seems like the only thing I can't rule out. next year will be vacuum and tubing and no pickle buckets. frosting buckets sound good, especially if you can lick them clean when you pick them up :D

[Ausable]

I used about 10 pickle buckets this last year and I think it gave my syrup a slightly off flavor. I am not 100% sure thats what it was but it seems like the only thing I can't rule out. next year will be vacuum and tubing and no pickle buckets. frosting buckets sound good, especially if you can lick them clean when you pick them up :D

Now You have me thinking - In the U.S. - A Whiskey Aging Barrel can be used only once and then they are sold off (At least - they were). Many are cut in half and are used as planters. ---- Wonder if they would give Maple Syrup a desirable "Off" flavor

[TF Maple]

Now You have me thinking - In the U.S. - A Whiskey Aging Barrel can be used only once and then they are sold off (At least - they were). Many are cut in half and are used as planters. ---- Wonder if they would give Maple Syrup a desirable "Off" flavor

I just saw a show on Public Broadcasting where the guy was taking used Bourban barrels and filling them with maple syrup. Leaves them sit for a year and sometimes 2 years. Then he rebottles and sells it as bourban flavored and uses it in his restaurant. He mentioned he gets some flack from maple producers for adulterating maple syrup.