Tubing Condition and Advice for Installations Taken Down After the Season

[Ghs57]

We have to take ours down as well (5/16"). We use 3 lunchboxes in two woods, about 400', 1,000' & 1,200' from the tanks. We got some wire spools from our local electric utility & wrap our tubing on those. On the longest ones we use one for the home runs, and one for each system from the lunchbox out. We use a label maker & cover the labels with clear tape so they will last, but the sap & air lines are just marked with colored tape.
Attachment 20600

We really don't tie off to or go completely around any trees, except for the home runs to keep them off the ground. We tied off a lot the first year we did 3/16", then noticed systems we were seeing pictures of didn't have ties so we left them off & saved a lot of time. If you do need to tie off there's a good method explained in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQX9L1KnBh8. And even if you don't use the "finger cuff" method he describes the hollow-braid rope is pretty inexpensive if you order a big spool from Amazon, and grips the tubing well.

I'll watch that. I tag my lines with blue painter's tape and a sharpie - it actually holds up surprisingly well. Same thing if I have to break a line, which is almost a necessity. I have names for each line, like Stream, or Cottage, and the infamous Split Tree and Number 4, among others. I use the hollow braid rope on my Cottage line. I'm looking forward to doing things a little differently this season.

[Sugarmaker]

Chris, how do you mark the lines to know where they go the following season?

I cut a piece of plastic from a gallon plastic jug and slip it over the downward side of the line. It has the tree owners name and the set number written on it. Some folks/ locations have three or four sets of tubing. I organize them by three groups and put up about 10 sets at a time.
Regards,
Chris

[Trapper2]

I cut a piece of plastic from a gallon plastic jug and slip it over the downward side of the line. It has the tree owners name and the set number written on it. Some folks/ locations have three or four sets of tubing. I organize them by three groups and put up about 10 sets at a time.
Regards,
Chris

Nice, Thank you

[Ghs57]

If you do need to tie off there's a good method explained in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQX9L1KnBh8. And even if you don't use the "finger cuff" method he describes the hollow-braid rope is pretty inexpensive if you order a big spool from Amazon, and grips the tubing well.

Turns out I watched that a few years ago, but it was a good refresher. I actually copied his spooling device back then.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Some other options for 5/16 end of line tightening and removal. The CEC LOOP is made from two end rings and a piece of 5/16 30P tubing. Install it prior to putting on your first drop on the end tree. If more than one drop, continue around tree. last drop has a blind tee to stops sap flow towards the LOOP in the blind section. Add a end hook and the system is complete.


Uses CDL end rings only! Have not found and others that work good on 5/16 tubing. I use Leader 30P as it is stiff enough to work with the LOOP. Also uses a blind Tee to keep sap out of the line continuing from the last drop around the tree to the CEC LOOP.
The LOOP can slide up and down to tighten the line at both ends of the system if needed.
The end hook which hooks into the sliding LOOP allows for the line to be installed around the end trees and or taken down with no tools.

Here the LOOP also works at a gathering container to keep the line tight from last tree to the container.


Regards,
Chris