Sap Meister stainless steel spouts

[WI Sugarpop]

We used them with sap sacks for 2 years now and haven't had a problem.

[Tater]

We used the Sapmeister bucket spouts with sap sacks this year. None leaked onto the ground. We had 35 taps for 4 weeks and added 7 more taps for the last 2 weeks. Our final run of sap ran a third of the sacks over in 36 hours. Some had dried up, but others were obviously still running well. We made 13 gallons of syrup (plus threw away a couple gallons that spoiled in the pan over a cold snap ). We had numerous days with temps in the 60s, and two of the final couple days before our last run hit 80. If we had tapped those other 7 earlier, we'd have averaged over 1/3 gallon per tap. I was very impressed with these spouts and will likely order more unless I use some tubing next year.

[wnybassman]

I implemented my "fix" to these spouts this year and it seems to be working well. I used a stainless 7/16" nut for a spacer, and found a reasonably priced source for quantity on Ebay.

[coastie]

Anyone use the ones designed for the flat covers yet? Wondering how sturdy the weld is that attaches the tube for the cover.

[jrm]

Last year I bought 4 with the welded tube for a lidded bucket. They've only been used the one season, but I had no issues with the lids/tubes holding. In fact, my taps were all sanitized last night so that we can get tapping today, and I was thinking I had intended to buy mor of them for this year. The remaining taps are the shark fin variety (we'll put out 13 total again this year.) I recall liking the taps last year, I don't recall having the back drip issue, but as someone's else pointed out, that might be due to the slightly different design between the two with the tube and the hookless. I may, however, for "safety" use Noel's cool trick with the nut.

[KV Sappers]

I switched out all my 7/16 to the sap meister hinged spiles this year. I've had no problems with leakage and highly recommend them.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

I believe Sap Meister re-designed these spouts with longer necks and a better drip edge. I wrap a small zip tie around the lip if I have one that drips backward and onto the bucket hook causing sap to leak behind the bucket.

[Jal-Bear]

Anyone use the ones designed for the flat covers yet? Wondering how sturdy the weld is that attaches the tube for the cover.

This will be my third season using these and have had no problems with the welds. The only thing I've had to do is slightly bend the hooks to keep the sap from dripping out the back of the hook.

[jrm]

You know that thing where you hear all sorts of great ideas from experienced folks, and you think "I should try that?" Yesterday, my son and placed 6 taps, 4 of the Sap Meister with hooks. I saw the idea of using nuts and thought it couldn't hurt, but didn't have any in the house to fit. Wanting to catch the sap run, and not losing my son's readiness to do the taps, we went ahead.

Well, I checked back a few hours later (all had started running as soon as they were tapped) and two of the four Sap Meister's were dripping backwards. One was mostly going out of the bucket.

I went in, grabbed wire ties, per another suggestion on here. Initially I put them at the drip edge, which doesn't work. But, I then decided to use wire tires in place of a nut, and placed two ties between the hook and the lid tube. That worked Tom push the angle back and allow the sap to drip into the bucket. One of the three tapes we mistakenly use a shark fin hook and that had no problem as the hook held the bucket a bit lower.

In looking at the taps, I in fact think it was free, and two location, specific, as on the taps that were leaking out, the bucket was hitting a bark ridge, or a trunk bulge, which meant the bucket didn't lay straight.

I still want to replace the rest of my taps, but I think I would take precautions for the problem either using the it route, or adjusting the hooks as jai-bear describes.

[christopherh]

I've been using them a couple years now and really like them. I've had the same problem with a few dripping down the hook. Usually because of bark.