Rapi-Tube vs Pipe/wire

[wiam]

I actually am interested in using their plastic side tie material. Mostly due to its visibility. Ive already run into wire side ties several times because they are hard to see.

If I have a "path" where this will be a problem I hang surveyors tape on the side tie.

[spencer11]

i put orange flaggin on mine so i can see them

[lpakiz]

The problem with the flagging tape is it only lasts a year or so and then falls off and makes a mess on the ground... I used some rapi-tube strapping for this same reason and so far I like it. As suggested, scrap tubing would work too.

[heus]

I just think that flagging tape all over the woods looks hideous. Its already hard for me to stomach the look of my maple lines everywhere. I know many on here see a system of tubing as beautiful, but I personally think it looks bad for the 46 weeks that it is not in use.

[spencer11]

i like the look of tubing all over the place, when people drive up they ask what it is and then usually end up buying syrup, so it helps me sell some!

[markcasper]

This does not pertain to the topic, but can anyone inform me which is the BEST way to run mainlines. I went to a Leader seminar a week ago @ a nearby dealer and the rep. there was telling of laying mainlines out going across the slope of the hill with any wet/dry's being as steep as possible and the 5/16 laterals also as steep as possible. I had a professional installer out who was not Leader and he said to do pretty much the opposite, that being to run mainlines straight up and down the hill. I certainly didn't question this gentlemans judgement, but am confused on how there can be two different 'rights' while they are completely opposite. The installer basically implied that leader wants to sell more mainline tubing than is necessary.

I am not impressed with Leaders manifold system and would seem to be a reason for failure. Unfortunately I could not stay at the seminar to hear about the reasons for pvc manifolds. The installer I had out thought the same. I'm just looking for others input as I need to get at things asap.

[Middleton Maples]

I never liked the idea of side tying the main line. I feel even if u mark it i'd still close-line myself every now and then. Depending on your woods, the amount of wire you use for side ties can equal the length of your mainline. If thats the case just use pipe and wire, its gotta be faster to put up and maintenance is just a turn of a wrench. If you want to save money don't use hook bolts to hold the ratchet. Just cut a pice of wire and wrap it around the tree and put your ratchet through it (put some tubing through the wire as well to protect the tree). That way there is no bolt in a tree.

[ToadHill]

Mark,

Think of it this way. Would you rather have your laterals going up and down the hill with maximum slope creating maximum vacuum or would you prefer that they go across the slope with less pitch? To me it's a simple question to answer, I would rather run my laterals up and down the slope. It that's the case then your mainlines would have to go across the slope and into the wet/dry lines that would have to be going up and down. The other advantage of this system is that you will have less turbulence in the mainlines which will transfer vacuum better. Lastly, regardless of which way you run the lines you should use about the same amount of tubing and mainline to do a bush. By the way, Leader isn't the only one doing it this way, pretty much all of the other companies and all of the best installers are doing it this way also. As for the manifolds there are advantages and disadvantages to the different ways of doing it. A lot of folks are going to the whip style and really seem to like it.

Hope this helps,

Randy

[maple flats]

I always run my mains across the slope with about 2% grade. Then the laterals run as steep as terrain allows. My wet dry was designed by Leader, but I installed it, and it is also at about 2%. Maybe in a perfect layout the wet dry might be steeper but I fail to see the need. You don't want turbulance in the sap and a steep wet dry will have turbulance.

[ToadHill]

Flats,

I don't think turbulence in the wet line matters all that much since the vacuum is being transferred to the mainlines through the dry line, which normally shouldn't have any sap in it to cause turbulence. If the wet/dry lines run perpendicular to the mainlines and up/down the slope then they should be whatever the slope of your bush is. I'm thinking the steeper the better since that will help to get the sap out of the bush faster. Also, they recommend that the mainlines be between 2-6% to avoid turbulence since the vacuum is being transferred through the air space in the mainline and any turbulence tends to cause the pipe to fill with sap and block the air flow/vacuum. So turbulence in the mainlines is bad, but in the wet line it doesn't really matter all that much. Does that make sense or is there a reason that this logic is wrong?