What taps and tubing to get?

[Canary2323]

3 year doing this and still learning, finally built and 55 gallon drum boiler to make it easier. Small set up only 10 to 15 trees, been using home Depot bucket and tubing I get the with some grey spigots. What a friend has told me to get, that been said is there better options or good for my size hobby?

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[SognSyrup]

I started about there too. If you're sticking with 10-15 trees and can still handle carrying buckets, it's probably not worth setting up anything more extravagant. Tree spacing would also be a factor before deciding to do anything different.

[psparr]

A roll of semi rigid tubing would last quite a while. Will run you around $55-60 plus shipping. And clear polycarbonate taps are cheap. Replace the taps each year and reuse the tubing.
Just my 2 cents.

[SognSyrup]

Sorry I maybe read that wrong. I thought you were inquiring about a different setup. I agree with psparr, a roll will take you a long ways and give you room to grow. Taps are super cheap too.

[maple flats]

Just go to any maple dealer and ask what they suggest. Be sure to get 5/16" taps and an official 5/16 tapping bit. Regular 5/16 bits will not give as good a tap hole. Never use that bit for anything other than tapping trees and it will last you a very long time. After tapping the trees, boil the bit in plain water, then take it out and let it dry. Following that, place it in a zip lock bag and save it for the next season. If you have a desiccant pack from anything that was shipped to you, even some prescriptions come with them, it will keep the bit dry and in new condition.
I get over 1000 holes from a bit.
The rest will depend on which brand that dealer carries.
For just few taps like that, just use a thermos full of hot water, hold the last 1/2-3/4" in the water for a few seconds, then push the tubing onto the tap. For tubing use any brand 5/16 maple tubing, semi-ridged. Measure how much you will need, add a fudge factor and buy that, most places will cut to order for small orders.
The most important part is to have fun.

[Bucket Head]

All good advice from those guy's above. It's best to use maple equipment for maple syrup. Save the big-box store stuff for when something in the basement springs a leak.

My father and I did the thermos method for years. We didn't buy a tubing tool until we were over 200 taps! The hot water trick works well and it was within our syrup budget back then, which would have had a rating of "Low", lol.

Steve

[Canary2323]

A roll of semi rigid tubing would last quite a while. Will run you around $55-60 plus shipping. And clear polycarbonate taps are cheap. Replace the taps each year and reuse the tubing.
Just my 2 cents.

Is there a preferred online dealer for these?

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[Tsmaple]

Bascom is the easiest website to work from I've found, everything listed nicely


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[adk1]

Leader 30P and clear cv spouts

[unc23win]

Any producers close by? Buy supplies from them? Heck for that amount if you were my neighbor I'd give you the supplies and probably help you set it all up.