I thought for 3/16 tubing you need a fairly good drop in grade, not sure what my property is but it is more like maybe 5% slope, so I was thinking 3/16 probably would not work, maybe I am wrong.
Bryan
I thought for 3/16 tubing you need a fairly good drop in grade, not sure what my property is but it is more like maybe 5% slope, so I was thinking 3/16 probably would not work, maybe I am wrong.
Bryan
The total elevation change is what is important, the slope is less of a factor.
Smoky Lake 2x6 dropflu pans and hoods on homemade arch
Smoky Lake 6 gallon water jacked bottler
Concentric Exhaust
250 Deer Run RO
325 taps
I'm far from an expert, but 5% grade should work. I got a little more grade on my lines by tapping high, over my head while on snow at the top of line, and about 3 feet off ground at lower end of line. I stretched them tight, tried not to have any sag. Talk with your local maple supplier, that's where I got my advice (at my supplier, not your's). Dave Evenson
4-11..colder temps coming so I drained the flue pan today that I had filled with sap 3-26..been putting a 100 watt light bulb in the arch on cold nights..took the pressure washer to it and I was happy with the sap cleaning it up in that short of time ..I was going to leave it in longer but did not want to take a chance of the pan freezing up..I did get the use a filter press also for the first time..It worked allot nicer than the cone filters...but they are pricey..stay well
4-17..I am so glad that I drained that flue pan with the upper teens for lows here...the neighbor wanted to tap his two yard trees for some sap to drink and make tea with..I had given him some from the trees that I had tapped during the season so he didn't tap his two yard trees then... he asked with the cold weather would them two run..I said lets see... it got cold now its warming up so I brought over some stuff and he put in a few taps...the sap was nice and clear and tasted good but not too sweet..I checked it with a wine making hydrometer and what I could tell it was only 1-1.5%..he got plenty to use and freeze up..oh ya I forgot to say the two trees were hard maple..
I got started on my hobby Jan 8th. Installed another 500 feet of line and 55 more drops. Planning on adding about 125 to the 2020 count. With only 3" of snow on the ground it sure is a joy to get around.
1960 - 1970s 70 taps on galvanized buckets with Dad and Grandpa.
1970s - 1985 Acted crazy!
1986 - 2005 20-30 buckets.
2006- 2017 70 buckets and bags
2017-2019 100 bags and buckets
2020 Finally retired!!! 75 buckets, 50-75 on tubing. RO Bucket, New 12 X 16 Shack and a 42X42 flat pan.
2021-Adding another 125 taps along with a second RO bucket.
2022- Shooting for 350 taps, with 100 on lines.
Lots of Family and Friends and dogs named Skyy and Nessy!
3-2.. first post for the 2021 season.Our winter was not too ruff on us...we did have a cold two weeks in Feb. with a fair amount of snow over the course of the season...Dec 13th. the wife and myself came down with Covid..no one else in our circle got it...we were lucky... just very tired and not much energy, aches and weird pain with some lasting effects for me but not bad...So today I got 3 of the 5/16 gravity lines out late today no tapping...3-3.. Worked on getting the two longest lines up this afternoon.. I had a long time on one ..could not get the route right...miss one tree throws it all out of wack..no tapping..nice and warm...
3-4...Did not get tapping till 1pm..off brand 18volt battery died...every hole was dripping slow to real good.all 5/16 runs just 4 buckets out with double taps.. some tweaking on the lines the next few days not as warm today but no wind and strong sunshine made the trees open up
I taped in Clark cty last Thursday. Went up today to check the bags. Not much going on yet for me. I only tap 24 trees so I consider myself a micro producer. We tap at the cabin which is 2hrs from our house. Good luck to all!
Hi Dave, love reading your reports. Hope you folks recover 100%. I'm similar - 30 trees, 3 hours from home (for now). Good Luck, keep the reports coming, Tom Moore Vernon Co.