Yes the tree tapping band is probably important to consider, I think having the ability to move the lateral lines up or down in future can help with that. Good tree health is also important, and I think I'm going to try thinning instead of tapping to kill a small tree. I may try cvs again However last time I did, when I pulled taps too many were either completely plugged( to the point where not even 26 inches of vacuum can pull vacuum to the spout) and the balls on alot of them we're so slimed up they didn't seat anyway rendering them useless, sure they worked for the first few weeks, but I think they are most important is the end of season, middle of March to April, and if they do what I witnessed then I dunno- failure rate I saw was nearly 30percent. I think the most important thing is to ignore these January warm spells because we all know just because it's warm for a day or two in January you're not going to get a lot of sap because the trees are sleeping. I tapped January 22nd this year I made 450 gallons between then and March between March and April I made about 800, and now my holes are closing the four hundred gallons I made from January to March it's probably a lot less than the syrup I would have made from the middle of March till now, telling me that I did not tap at the ultimate time..... I will not let these January warm spells tease me anymore no tapping till at least the first week of February
18x30 sugarshack
5100 taps high vac
3x10 inferno with steampan
7'' wes fab filter press
10'' cdl air filter press
D&G 3 post reverse osmosis w/recirculation