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Thread: Buckets produce next to nothing

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
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    Starksboro, VT
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    6

    Default Buckets produce next to nothing

    Hi- New to this. I have about 180 taps up on the hill behind my house that are producing great on 3/16 taps and tubing with the "Natural Vacuum" 30 ft drop technique. I also have three 16" maples in my front yard that I tap and I hand one bucket on each. These are taps with traditional bucket spouts. While my trees on the 3/16th system are flowing great, I get next to nothing from the buckets. Not sure what I'm doing wrong with the buckets.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Potsdam in far northern New York
    Posts
    775

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    So many variables. Are they Sugar Maples, or perhaps some other like Red or Silver Maples? Are they healthy trees? or, could you have tapped into an unhealthy, previously tapped spot? Do they stand in a perpetually shaded spot like next to a building or big pine tree? I have 500 buckets hung, which I like because I get visible feedback from every single tree. Out of 500 taps, I have one Oak tree. one tree that is just about dead, one that was tapped near an old tap hole, and three Norway Maples that aren't really worth my time. In past years I had a couple of huge Silver Maples that look perfectly healthy that didn't give a gallon of sap all season. I don't bother with them anymore.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Alaska (East Central Minnesota For Sugaring)
    Posts
    302

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlueDevil1442 View Post
    Hi- New to this. I have about 180 taps up on the hill behind my house that are producing great on 3/16 taps and tubing with the "Natural Vacuum" 30 ft drop technique. I also have three 16" maples in my front yard that I tap and I hand one bucket on each. These are taps with traditional bucket spouts. While my trees on the 3/16th system are flowing great, I get next to nothing from the buckets. Not sure what I'm doing wrong with the buckets.
    You're likely doing nothing wrong. It probably has more to do with the individual trees and/or their location than tubing vs buckets.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

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    When did you tap the ones on buckets? Maybe you tapped too early, buckets do not ran as long as taps on vacuum, mechanical or natural vacuum makes no difference to the tree.
    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    428

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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Greer View Post
    So many variables. Are they Sugar Maples, or perhaps some other like Red or Silver Maples? Are they healthy trees? or, could you have tapped into an unhealthy, previously tapped spot? Do they stand in a perpetually shaded spot like next to a building or big pine tree? I have 500 buckets hung, which I like because I get visible feedback from every single tree. Out of 500 taps, I have one Oak tree. one tree that is just about dead, one that was tapped near an old tap hole, and three Norway Maples that aren't really worth my time. In past years I had a couple of huge Silver Maples that look perfectly healthy that didn't give a gallon of sap all season. I don't bother with them anymore.
    Michael, you made me laugh with 1 Oak. On April Fools day I went over to my neighbors Sugarbush when he wasn't around and tapped 2 Poplars and filled the buckets with sap to the top whereas his other buckets only had 3"-4' in them.
    1960 - 1970s 70 taps on galvanized buckets with Dad and Grandpa.
    1970s - 1985 Acted crazy!
    1986 - 2005 20-30 buckets.
    2006- 2017 70 buckets and bags
    2017-2019 100 bags and buckets
    2020 Finally retired!!! 75 buckets, 50-75 on tubing. RO Bucket, New 12 X 16 Shack and a 42X42 flat pan.
    2021-Adding another 125 taps along with a second RO bucket.
    2022- Shooting for 350 taps, with 100 on lines.
    Lots of Family and Friends and dogs named Skyy and Nessy!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Dresden, ME
    Posts
    163

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    Quote Originally Posted by Trapper2 View Post
    Michael, you made me laugh with 1 Oak. On April Fools day I went over to my neighbors Sugarbush when he wasn't around and tapped 2 Poplars and filled the buckets with sap to the top whereas his other buckets only had 3"-4' in them.
    That’s AWESOME!!
    2010 - barrel stove & a steam table pan. 10 - 12 trees
    2011 - same deal as the year before. My son is now hooked along with me.
    2012 - Took over the garden shed and set up a Mason 2x3. Hoping to tap 30 - 50 trees. Ended up with 100 taps out.
    Finished the season with 16 gallons made
    2013- - Purchased a Smokey Lake 2 x 3 Hybrid pan. WOW, what a difference!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

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    This made me So happy!
    Quote Originally Posted by Trapper2 View Post
    Michael, you made me laugh with 1 Oak. On April Fools day I went over to my neighbors Sugarbush when he wasn't around and tapped 2 Poplars and filled the buckets with sap to the top whereas his other buckets only had 3"-4' in them.
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    When a tree runs on vacuum it will continue to run through a warm spell and you'll continue to get sap long after the buckets stop running. More than likely if you used good sanitation practices on your bucket taps you did nothing wrong. Like Dave said above, you may have tapped them too soon, but with sterile taps the tap holes should stay open for up to 6 weeks.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

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