Custom Tubing Install

I am weighing the options in dealing with replacing an entire tubing system this fall.

Option #1. Do it all myself and will probably take 2 years to complete.

#2 Have the whole woods custom tubed.

#3 Hire only the surveying, i.e. layout done.

#4 Hire the surveying, layout, and mainlines and I do the rest.

I am asking: Does Leader or someone reputable do just the layout, marking, and or only mainline install? I am quite capable of installing the 5/16" lines and drops. I am having an issue with where to run the mainlines etc. I have quite a screwed up topographical woods and am interested in some professional assistance. If anyone has had only partial work done by a professional, I'd like to hear. Thanks. What is the cost for partial jobs? You don't have to be specific but a ballpark range.

professional installs for just mainline is .20 per foot for wire and .20 for mainline. Plus materials. Surveying the woods wood cost you per hour plus transportation.

Around here the dealers will come out and do a consult no charge, with the assumption that you will buy the tubing from them.

Nick

Jason Grossman who is member on her does custom installs. Might PM him.

Looks like Thad knows what he is doing for sure. There is also Glen Goodrich in Cabot, VT.(802-426-3388) He has been out that way in the past. His setups were tested at the Proctor Maple Research center so he has the respect of those individuals at least.

Mark ... are you looking for contour mapping of your woods? Can be done, ... but it costs more than a couple shillings. I work for a company that lays down survey control then flys over taking aerial imagery to make stereopairs for either 1 or 2-foot contours. Accuracy is done to half the contour interval. That means if you wanted 1-foot contours the accuracy is 6 inches or better (usually within 3-4 inches of the ground). So along with the elevational surface and contours, you could get individual trees mapped out and if one overlayed the position of the trees with the surface, one could conclude their own layout for branching the lines. Cost based on acreage and time. I'm not pushing it, but if you're interested in a ballpark quote I could ask the guy in our office that does the project estimating. jason

Quote:

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Originally Posted by peckfarm

His setups were tested at the Proctor Maple Research center so he has the respect of those individuals at least.

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We have used several different commercial installers over the last decade, including Goodrich (Cabot, VT) and Corey (Fairfield, VT), and have also had some systems installed by various CDL, Leader, and D&G installers. In general we've been reasonably happy with them all.

It is important to realize that when we do hire commercially, we often have very specific recommendations the installers need to follow. Most of the time the systems are considerably different than what most people would install for the regular producer. Most important thing....whoever you work with you should make sure 1) they know exactly what you want, 2) agree on a price before they start, and 3) inspect their work as they go along and at the end of the job. Everybody stays happy that way.

Mark if you are interseted in talking about tubing i do any or all aspects of the job. i will be in wisconsin the third week of april, estimating and setting up jobs for the coming season.

I hired Jason Grossman last year and hope to hire him again this year if that means anything.

Tom

Thanks for everyones points. I am considering/digesting the information provided.

Is it the norm to have a service contract signed between parties?

We took down over a 2000 tap system starting in October and had it back up by start of the sugar season in the spring. Put in the wet/dry system and replaced ALL the old tubing in the woods or washed and reused it in a new layout that we came up with.

At most we had 2 teams of 3 people for a short stint at the last month before season. They helped us get the job wrapped up, getting tap lines out but the Laterals and Wet dry lines were basicaly installed with a 2 person crew (myself and Father inlaw)

We did the surveying and layout ourselves... Pretty clean and logical system all things considered.

The little sighting tool was invaluable for setting the 4-6 degree slopes on the lateral lines. I used a basic compass to hold my direction while passing through the woods following the topography. I put ribbons on the trees, then tied the cable to myself and took off through the woods following the routes marked by the ribbons.

Jason Are you going to be in Sturgeon Bay Wisc.

i will for sure be in milwaukee, green bay ,antigo, and marshfield then going into the U.P. so a side trip may be possible.

Well you need to stop in on Jim S. I have a buddy that just got a new RO so Im assuming more taps are in order. He has the woods done for him so I was wondering.