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Thread: I know it's early :)

  1. #11
    Haynes Forest Products Guest

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    The Old Chinese finger handcuff trick.......a wrap of tape on the end helps keep it tight.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

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    To add my gauges where I want one, I have both 5/16 and 3/16 x 1/4" female adapters (the 1/4" is a female pipe thread, for the gauge, the other 2 are barb fittings to attach to the lateral or sometimes the drop. Most often I start at the lateral with a tee just like for a drop line but then instead of having a tap. I attach the adapter and screw in a vacuum gauge. Vacuum gauges are cheap and will not all be very accurate, but I only change on if it appears way off. They are there just to help find leaks and to satisfy my curiosity of what the lateral is doing. Don't spend too much on them, a high quality gauge is not worth it for a lateral, if you have a vacuum pump someday, you may want a better one just at the releaser, but I use the cheap ones there too.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    35

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    Thanks all for the great replies / information.

    Does anyone have a picture of using a hallow core rope at the end? I was trying to get a visual of this but haven't been able to find one.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    west virginia
    Posts
    966

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    Netsplitter if you are near the I-64 corridor, I suggest you contact some West Virginia producers, most use 3/16 tubing and many are members of the WVMSPA, it would pay you to go look at a tubing set up before you string up tubing, you have time since your not putting in thousands of taps, shoot me a Private Message thru this site, I will give you some ideas who you should contact.
    Mark 220 Maple
    1100 taps on low vaccum, 900 on gravity.
    900 plus taps leased and on high vacuum
    35 cfm Indiana Liquid Ring Vacuum Pump
    80% Sugar, 20% Red MAPLES
    http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/g...Maple%20Syrup/

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    35

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    Thanks 220, I fully agree. I have probably have watched every tubing video I could find on youtube, it has given me a bit more confidence towards what I will be doing. The setup does not look too difficult for the size that I am doing.

    A couple more questions I do have.

    1. If I have 3/16 tubing that will act as both the lateral and mainline If I have a handful of trees that are in an odd spot, would it be fine to simply run a separate 3/16 line to them, and then use a 3/16 tee to connect this line to my "main" 3/16 line?

    2. When I was looking at tubing, there was a bit of a price difference between leader rigid tubing and leader max flow, anyone used both and can suggest why?

    3. If I had one long 3/16 running going somewhere close to my house, and then 3 separate 3/16 lines all tied into this long 3/16 run, is it true to say any leak within any of those 3/16 runs would affect the flow of everything?

    4. What time of year do you start to run your lines / be fully ready to tap? Or better yet, when would you "like" to be completely done and ready?

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Bruceton Mills, WV
    Posts
    66

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    Netsplitter:

    In general, it is not a good idea to tee two (or more) 3/16" lines together. You may decrease natural vacuum on one or both lines because of the flow restrictions. The 3/16 does not behave like a "normal" piping system, the flow is dominated by the surface tension/siphon forces. Also, the tees in a 3/16 system are a major constriction.

    Generally, if you have good grade, each separate 3/16 line is run to the collection point. Or you can connect them to a larger line. A lot of design decisions depend on your specific situation: grade, number of taps, distances, etc.

    I would live to be ready to tap by the first of the year, but usually, I am still installing at that time.

    Give an email (keith.heasley@mail.wvu.edu) or call if you want to discuss.

    Keith
    2018: 684 taps: 525-3/16" Gr.,159-3/16" Hybrid; Mountain Maple Super Sap Sucker, CDL 600 RO - 131 gal.; retired from WVU in May
    2017: 439 Taps - 3/16" Gravity, Goulds 18GBS15, CDL 2X6 Drop Flue, Wes Fab 7" SB Filter Press, Smokey Lake WJ Bottler - 90 gal.
    2016: 258 Taps - 3/16" Gravity, Honda WX15, NGMP 2X6 Flat Pan, Deer Run 125 RO - 68 gal.
    2015: 20 Taps - Jugs, Turkey Fryer and 2-Burner Stove - 2.5 gal.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    35

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    I ran my first line yesterday.

    I went back up today and started from the top and tighten the line up. Is there a good rule of thumb for how tight the line should be?

    When you install the T's for the taps into the line, I assume that you would want your lateral to be finalized tight wise correct? Do you ever get the T's installed, and have to pull the lateral to retighten the lateral?

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

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    The lateral should be tightened before the Tees go in. However, you can further tension after if needed, just make a side tie to another tree. For that you can use small rope or even more convenient, use 1/2" chain lock strap. Side ties are seldom needed however. I got a spool of that 1/2" chainlock about 8-10 years ago and still have at least half left. On the 1" chainlock I use a few hundred feet every year and even more when I'm running new mainlines.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Chatham NH
    Posts
    1,308

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    One thing I have learned , the hard way , is you want your drops cut into the tree either on the uphill side of the tree or the down hill side, all my new lines are on the uphill side of the tree that way if you need to tighten the lines when you tap or remove Tee, the drops are not fighting you.

    I don't know if that makes sense, in other words if your not methodical about where you cut your lateral in and you want to tighten your line with by pulling with a side tie, or cutting some tubing out your drops might not be long enough when pulling and they become too tight when adjusting line tension between trees because they are working against each other if you have one uphill and one downhill of the tree.
    Nate Hutchins
    Nate & Kate's Maple
    2022 1000 taps?
    3x10 Intensofire
    20x36 sugarhouse
    CDL 600gph RO
    A wife and 2 kids.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    35

    Default

    @maple flats - Thank you, makes sense. I think I have my first run tight, but not too tight. I didn't want to make it so tight that when I installed the T's, I would fear the tubing would pull off. Hoping I found a good middle ground.

    @n8hutch - That does make sense. I put all the T's uphill of the tree's just in case I needed to tighten the lines a bit - thank you!


    One additional question

    If something were to happen (say a tree fell and messed with the run). Would cutting the tubing, and using an 3/16 - 3/16 end hook to re-attach the tubing be what you would do?


    ------------------------------

    Weather is looking good here where I am located. I have been following a couple producer who live in the same state, but north of me. They seem to plan on tapping right after Christmas. I think if the weather is looking steady around that time, I may begin as well.

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