The tree will close the holes over time to protect against bugs, disease, etc. typically a healthy tree close it up in the year but some may take longer, especially if older with less growth fervor. Typically tap 6” or so from last years hole. Here’s one that hasn’t totally closed up but has healed enough to prevent sap from flowing out.
Lots of conflicting info about taphole spacing out there. Seems everyone has their own beliefs and methods. Lots of people say 6” any direction. Others say 6” over and 24” above or below. Some say at least 2” horizontally and 4” vertically. To me that seems like a recipe for finding dead wood. I have yet to hit the strip of dead wood that forms around old tap holes going 6” up or down and then 6” over. I space with my fingers like so. Next year I’ll use my left hand to space 6” over (going clockwise around the tree) and then 6” back up. Makes a zig zag pattern around the tree over the years.
First boil of the season! New hood vented to the cupola is working just great. Man it feels good to be back at it!!
Learning to repair Atlas Copco vaccuum pumps in SC this week. Does that count? There was a Sap Tsunami the day (Mon) we traveled down. Woods crew was scrambling, being short handed the two people traveling with me. Oh, yeah...vaccuum leaks are pretty expensive. Air Compressor leak compared to vaccuum leak.
Not turning this into a gun thread but...do you have an AR15? A tennis ball with a leader line works great in one of these: It's made for pop (soda) cans but tennis balls work well to. It uses 5.56/223 blanks and just swaps with existing upper. Sometimes you have to add a little drag on the leader line, especially if it's a new ball with a good seal in the barrel. It might go too far otherwise and get tangled in other trees. As an example, a fresh tennis ball will travel about 75yrds without a leader. A well worn ball with the fuzz all burned off, about 50yrds. Add a hole for the line and the resistance of the line by itself, 25-30 yrds. We usually have the coil of leader on the ground and step on it once it clears the offending top or branch.
I tapped in central Massachusetts this past Sunday. Got about 100 or so done. Lots of dead ash trees damaged lines this past year. Maybe 4 spiles had squirrel chews and needed replacing. I'm getting 28" on my gage for the line near the sugar shack which probably has an 80' drop in elevation. The other line I have a gage on has only reached around 26" so far with about the sme drop in elevation...
First round of bottles done! Cooling and ready to be labeled. 150 gallons through the boil so far. Im noting an increase in efficiency with the hood. Still, this coming summer, building an RO unit is number one priority! Got another 150 waiting for me in the tanks tomorrow. Sap ran all day today again. Three days in a row of killer sap flow.
I’m holding out here in mid Michigan. Fortunately it looks like a good call . Not good sugaring weather in the 10 day forecast . But as we sugarmakers know , about 3 days out is all the forecast is good for . I’m close to being ready , replaced some drops on my 3 year rotation the past 2 days . Problem is I keep seeing dead 6” or so standing elm and have to stop and cut it up . You really shouldn’t be a hoarder during sap season !
Standard 8 oz. bottle. Bottling here this year got so much easier. Used to take me so long. Was done in probably 30 minutes last night.
I’ve noticed the gauges I have get a little wonky after first season use. A couple were “zeroed” at 2 or 3 in Hg. I didn’t take the time to see if they can be calibrated. Just like knowing that they’re drawing a vacuum at all. Could that be part of why you’re seeing mid-20s with an 80 foot drop between top and bottom? How many taps do you have out?
Could be... but I thought my gages were at zero...? I have about 100 taps at the moment. My tees came in last night. I need to make about 60 more drops
Has anyone used duct seal on their vaccuum lines? There is a tech attending the same class I am this week. He does a lot of work in the pharmaceutical and food industry. He swears by this stuff for dealing with hard to fix leaks.
