I went the drop tube way and it may take a while to make it but the effort is worth it in the end.The sap shooting 10 inches in the air due to the tubes is a neat site to see and the fact it boils in minutes compared to the flat pan in the front proves how well it works.I used SS tubing from milking machine lines as it was a 3rd of the cost.Soldering was a learning experience untill I used a anceint soldering iron I paid 2 bucks for at a garage sale.It worked wonders compared to the propane torch.