A convenient depth gauge for maple drill bits is a piece of tubing. It holds up better than electrical tape.Photo on 3-27-19 at 7.33 PM.jpg
Depth gauge for tap holes
A convenient depth gauge for maple drill bits is a piece of tubing. It holds up better than electrical tape.Photo on 3-27-19 at 7.33 PM.jpg
The plastic will eventually wear down and change the depth that you are drilling. I bought a round metal drill bit stop fifteen years ago and am still using it. Once the set screws and depth are adjusted on the drill stop, it never moves. It cost me $4.50 at a tool shop.
Joe
2004- 470 taps on gravity and buckets
2006- 590 taps on gravity and buckets 300 gph RO
2009- 845 taps on vacuum no buckets, 600 gph RO
2010- 925 taps on vacuum new 2 stage vacuum pump
2014- 3045 taps on vacuum, new 1200 gph RO
2015- 3104 taps on vacuum
2017- 3213 taps on vacuum
3' x 10' oil fired evaporator with steamaway
A drill stop is the way to go. I have one one the bit I use and my back up bit as well.Originally Posted by JoeJ
backyard hobbyist
Mason 2x3 w/AUF
2020 - added small vacuum and gravity 5/16 tubing and sap sacks
N 42* 18' 31."
W 79* 34' 15."
https://www.saptapapps.com/map/31868...-aab748a6394e/
[QUOTE=JoeJ;369176]The plastic will eventually wear down and change the depth that you are drilling. I bought a round metal drill bit stop fifteen years ago and am still using it. Once the set screws and depth are adjusted on the drill stop, it never moves. It cost me $4.50 at a tool shop.
The change in depth you describe is 1/100 of an inch for every 600 holes drilled which won't harm the tree compared to using 7/16's taps. And my plastic depth stop cost .0003¢ Screen Shot 2019-03-29 at 10.51.04 AM.jpg
Last edited by Daveg; 03-29-2019 at 09:54 AM.
I had no idea there was such a thing. Sounds better than the tap I use for this, and other purposes.
~Janet
2019 - 6th year sugarin'. 2nd year using propane. 13 taps. Just over 3/4 gal syrup. Light in color and flavor.
Intent to build a new barrel evaporator with my son this summer. Still don't weld. We'll see how it goes.
I like this approach using either tubing or a metal drill stop. When I tried it this season I noticed I needed to adjust depending on the bark of each tree, smooth and then depth or gnarly and thicker on older bigger trees. How do you all adjust for that?
2022 is season 7
2016: 20 taps on buckets, 4 gallons on a borrowed 2x3.
2017: 32 taps on buckets, 8 gallons of syrup, on a "loaner" Lapierre 19x48.
2018: 80 taps. First time tubing. New 10x12 sugar shack, Lapierre 2x5. Made 17 gallons
2019: 100 taps. 22 gallons. Added a small RO 50 gph.
2020: 145 taps, 30 gallons, sold half. Murphy cup is a great addition.
2021: tapped Feb 23, 150 taps, 35 gallons.
2022: 200 taps. I lost 50, added 100. Having fun but short season?
I knock the thickest bark off with the claws of my hammer, not enough to hit live wood, of course.
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