Tapping with tubing
Originally Posted by
ScottT
Drove up into the Thumb where our sugarbush is this past weekend. Taking care of some preseason preparation work. We are pretty remote so no water, no electricity (small generator only).
Hoping to add a few additional taps this year and hit 30 taps. A lot of water on parts of our property this year. A number of trees we could tap are under water. I wonder if anyone experienced any difference in sap flow between trees in water and out of water?
Also hoping to lear about running lines this year and how best to do this without a vacuum pump. Anyone in the Thumb area willing to give a few tips, please DM me. We only boil on the weekends.
2024 goal is to produce 100 - 8 oz bottles.
Scott I began using 3/16 tubing a couple of years ago. I created a slope by starting the tubing out high and it doesn't take much. I am just a small producer, but using the 3/16 tubing with 5/16 drops really made a big difference. I use a 55 gallon drum to collect into and that will fill up in about 2 days with 15 taps. I am adding more tubing this year.
2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
made 17 gal. syrup
2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start