Tying Up Mainline

[BradWilson]

I've hung about 1500' of mainline in the last week and now I have a question. When you have multiple mainlines coming down the same, side of the road, let's say. Can you tie the first mainline to the steel and then tie the subsequent mainline to the first line? Or should they each have their own dedicated steel?

I have learned a ton in the last week. I study it here and in the manuals and put it together out in the woods. WOW, lots of work but it's starting to look like what all you guys have done. Thanks again.

[Jason Gagne]

We alway tie our main lines to a seperate wire because:
-great tension on each line
-you do want air to warm the lines in the morning to start moving sap
(snow & ice love to build up in bundled line)
-you never know when you have to move a or many line

[Dennis H.]

There is 2 places that I have done just as you have said. Worked just fine for me.
Now I didn't hang the 2nd from the 1st though. I wire tied the 1st pipe to the wire then wire tied the 2nd around the wire and the 1st pipe.

I also used this method to carry a pipe that was vac only to a releaser along wit the sap line to the same releaser.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I would recomend it be on seperate wire. If something happens, like a big tree on it or whatever, it will make more work to fix the problems. And you want very little problems when you are right in the middle of the season. Do it right the first time. Learned my lesson the hard way to many times. Take your time and you will be just fine. You will make mistakes but thats how you learn. You will be up to 3000 taps before you know it. Good luck

[Thad Blaisdell]

My feeling has always been, Do it right the first time, If you dont have time to do it that way how in the heck are you going to have time to fix it later.

[brookledge]

I think it would be ok. The only thing I'd recommend is you use heavier ga. wire. I only use 4ga. wire(I think) it is about 1/4" in diameter and is very strong. If you have two seperate lines side by side and a tree falls on them you will have two lines down.
Another question I have is why are you doing it? Most will tie them into a single line as you work your way down up sizing the main line as nessecary.
I only have sections where dry and wet run together but not multiple wet lines.
I don't know your situation but I think you would be ok running say 2 3/4" lines into 1 1" etc. as you come towards the collection tank
Keith

[Dennis H.]

The cross section of 1" isn't the same as 2, 3/4" pipes.

The area of a 3/4" pipe is .442 sqin. The area of 1" pipe is .785 sqin. So that would make 2, 3/4" pipes .884 sqin. The 1" would just be under the size of two 3/4" pipes.
Now if you are just carring sap in that line and you don't have to carry vac then I have to imagine that 1" would be just fine.

How far is the run that you want to double up the lines? Is there alot of trees over the line that could fall onto it?

I agree with the other guys that when doubled up if one goes down then your out both. But the only way to get around that is to route each seperate line a different route so that there is no chance of a single tree to take out BOTH lines hung on seperate wire.
Me personally I would have a quick look for any trees that could be problem and either trim them or route the line away from them if possible.

[brookledge]

The point I was trying to make is large sugar bushes may start at the tank with 2" mainline or bigger. And as you go further into the woods it will tapper down and have smaller branch lines. You usually don't see say 4 or 5 3/4" mainlines all running side by side. So that is what I meant. i agree that 2 3/4" lines are bigger area than 1 1" line I was just making an example
Keith

[jason grossman]

Brad, in my exprience you can go either way with the same results it is just personal preference. If you do run both line together just remember the wire needs to be at least #9 and tight! you may also need to post it because of the extra volume. i have a 1" wet and a 2" inch dry on the same wire and it works fine. but it is posted every 15ft. 2" pipe is very heavy!

[Thad Blaisdell]

2" pipe for 800 taps is a bit overkill dont you think.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Probably only needed 1 1/2.

[jason grossman]

The 2" line (2000 ft) was my vaccum transfer line to start, hence the size. then that was reworked and part of it became the first section of my wet/dry, it was too expensive to scrap. you guys think 1" blue is expensive!, price out 2" food grade!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BradWilson]

Ok, so here's how it turned out. The line that I was worried about, needed to be replaced. It was in bad shape. As I put up the new line I wound up about 150' short of the manifold. So, I tied it into the line I was going to it to. It's well under the 250 tap max so I should be ok. Here's the pic of how it ended up.

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/BradWilson101/Sugarin/th_B-Linebranch.jpg (http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/BradWilson101/Sugarin/?action=view&current=B-Linebranch.jpg)

[brookledge]

Brad
A little off topic but the pics of your sugarhouse are nice
Keith

[BradWilson]

Thanks Keith. It's all rough cut lumber that came off the property. It's taken 2 years to get this far and we're almost finished. I tell ya, sugaring is more addictive and more expensive than cocaine.