This document provides information on maple sugaring equipment and techniques for beginners. It discusses why maple sap is sweet due to the tree's photosynthesis process, and factors that influence sap flow such as freeze/thaw cycles, wind, pressure, snow coverage and past precipitation. It provides guidelines for tapping trees including the appropriate number of taps based on tree diameter, optimal tapping locations, and proper tapping depth. It also covers tools, spouts, collection equipment, boiling and testing syrup density with a hydrometer.

1. MAPLE SUGARING
EQUIPMENT
BEGINNERS
SEMINAR

2. WHY IS SAP SWEET?
• PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS A CHEMICAL REACTION:
CO2 + H2O + SUN = C6H12O6 (SUGAR) + O2
• BIGGER TREE = MORE PHOTOSYNTHESIS = MORE SUGAR
• THE TREE STORES STARCH IN IT’S ROOTS
• LATE FALL AND WINTER THE TREE TRANSFORMS STARCH
INTO SUGAR TO PROTECT IT FROM THE COLD
• COLDER WINTER = MORE SUGAR
• SUGAR CONTENT IN SAP VARIES WITH: TREE SIZE, GENETICS
AND DAY TO DAY.

3. TREE
UNDER
VACUUM
• At night, with the cold, sap
leaves the roots and goes up.
The bigger the tree, the faster
sap travels. Goes from inches
per hour to over a yard per hour
(figure 1)
• During the day, under the heat,
TREE
sap goes back down by gravity
UNDER
and the pressure in the tree (up
PRESSURE
to 102’’/HG) .
• The lower the atmospheric
pressure, the better the run.
SUCCION
WATER ABSORBTION
Figure 1
TREE IS RUNNING

4. FACTORS INFLUENCING FLOW
•
•
•
•
•
•
LENGTH OF THE FREEZE / THAW PROCESS
WIND (IMPORTANCE OF A WIND BARRIER)
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
MICRO CLIMATE OF A REGION
SNOW COVERAGE
PREVIOUS PRECIPITATION LEVEL

5. TREE GROWTH
• ON AVERAGE A TREE
GROWS 0.1’’ TO 0.2’’
INCH PER YEAR
• 3 TO 5 MORE INCHES
ON THE DIAMETER IN
25 YEARS
• IN 25 YEARS
YOU CAN RETAP THE
SAME HOLE

6. HOW MANY TAPS PER TREE?
• 8’’ TO 16’’ DIAMETER = 1 SPOUT
• 16’’ TO 24’’ DIAMETER = 2 SPOUTS (HEALTHY TREES ONLY)
• 24’’ AND MORE = 3 SPOUTS (HEALTHY TREES ONLY)
• TODAY MANY PEOPLE DON’T TAP THAT HEAVY
• 8’’ TO 20’’ DIAMETER = 1 SPOUT
• 20’’ AND BIGGER = 2 SPOUTS (HEALTHY TREES ONLY)
• NEVER 3 SPOUTS PER TREE

7. WHERE TO TAP?
• TAP AT LEAST 3” AWAY FROM LAST YEAR’S TAP TO
AVOID NON FUNCTIONAL WOOD
• AN OLD HOLE WILL ALWAYS MAKE A BUMP
• 6 TO 8” HIGHER OR LOWER IS ALSO GOOD
• WATCH FOR BROWN TAPPING RESIDUES

8. COMPARTMENTING
• DEFINITION:
• COMPARTIMENTING IS THE HEALING MECHANISM OF THE
TREE TO ISOLATE THE WOUND CREATED BY THE TAP
• THE TREE MAKES A ZONE OF NONFUNCTIONAL WOOD,
BROWN COLORED, WHERE NO WATER CIRCULATES
• THE NONFUNCTIONAL WOOD ZONE UNCREASES UNTIL THE
WOUND IS ALL ISOLATED
TAPPING A TREE IS HURTING IT, WE NEED TO MINIMIZE THE
WOUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

9. COMPARTMENTING
• FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SIZE OF THE
NONFUNCTIONAL WOOD
•
•
•
•
GROWTH RATE OF THE TREE
USE OF SANITIZING PRODUCTS
HOLE DIAMETER
QUICKNESS TO UNTAP

10. COMPARTMENTING
• SIZE OF THE NONFUNCTIONAL ZONE
• TWICE THE DIAMETER OF THE
HOLE
• 1/8’’ DEEPER THAN THE TAP
HOLE
• 6 TO 8’’ HIGHER AND LOWER
THAN THE TAP HOLE, FOR 5/16’’
SPOUT (12’’ FOR 7/16’’)
• THE VOLUME OF
NONFUNCTIONAL WOOD IS 50
TO 150 TIMES THE VOLUME OF
WOOD REMOVED BY THE
TAP HOLE

11. QUANTITY OF DEAD WOOD

12. TOOLS
• A GOOD DRILL WILL LAST ALL DAY
– NEW RED LITHIUM WORK IN COLD WEATHER

13. TAPPING BITS
•
•
•
•
USE SHORTER BITS (WON’T BREAK EASILY)
SHARPENING DESIGN IS KEY
TAP MAXIMUM 2000 HOLES WITH A BIT
NEVER TRY TO RESHARPEN, SEND THEM
BACK TO CDL TO REUSE THEM
• MAKE SURE TO USE THE RIGHT DIAMETER

14. TAPPING ANGLE
•
•
TAPPING DOWN, ICE WILL ALWAYS PUSH
BACK THE SPOUT
TAPPING UP TOO MUCH,
LOSING DEPTH

15. TAPPING GUIDELINES
• START SLOW TO MARK THE SPOT THEN;
• DRILL SPEED SHOULD BE BETWEEN 1400 AND
1600 RPM
• KEEP THE DRILL TURNING WHEN PULLING
OUT TO HELP HAVE A CLEAN HOLE
• USE A STOPPER TO HAVE A PRECISE DEPTH

16. FLOW VS TAP DEPTH
100%
50%
•
•
•
•
•
0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.75 3.2 3.6 4.0
TAPPING DEPTH IN INCHES
RECOMMENDED TAPPING DEPTH: 1 ¾” TO 2”
MOST SAP PRODUCTION AT 2.75”
TAPPING TOO SHALLOW; SPOUT MIGHT PULL OUT
SPOUT SHOULD BE ¼” IN THE WHITE WOOD
TAP FURTHER WILL BLOCK CHANNELS AND LOWER PROD.

17. TOOLS
• IDEALLY USE AN 8 OZ HAMMER
• PRACTICAL TO HAVE A SHARP BACK TO CLEAN UP
THICK BARK

18. TAPPING GUIDELINES
• HIT THE SPOUTS WITH THE RIGHT STRENGTH (WRIST)
• USE A CDL 8 OZ HAMMER
• WATCH FOR THE CHANGE OF SOUND AND STOP HITTING
• DON’T HIT TOO HARD (TREE COULD SPLIT)
• TOO SOFT AND THE SPOUT MIGHT PULL OUT
• NEVER LEAVE AN UNTAPPED DROP LINE

19. SPOUTS
• SMART SPOUTS
• 7/16”
• Hookless

20. Items used Sap Collection

21. SPOUTS & SANATIZING
• A NEW SPOUT = 25% MORE PRODUCTION
• COST $0.40 PER TAP FOR NEW SPOUTS
INCLUDING LABOR AND IT PAYS OVER $2.00 IN
EXTRA PRODUCTION
• CAST ALUM SPOUTS SHOULD BE SOAKED IN
FOOD GRADE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AT THE
END OF SEASON

23. WOODEN PLANK ON BOTH SIDES

24. WHEN TO TAP
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
• History of the area
• Weather forecast
• Orientation of the bush
• Altitude
• Size of the sugarbush

25. WHEN TO TAP
• HIGH TEMPERATURE
– Tap when it’s running; no effect
• LOW TEMPERATURE
– Slower
– Trees more fragile

26. UNTAPPING
• NEED TO BE DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
AFTER THE LAST RUN
– THE LATER, THE MORE NONFUNCTIONAL WOOD
(UP TO 20% MORE)
– SPOUTS HARDER TO PULL OUT
– CLEAN TUBING AT THE SAME TIME

27. CLEANING PRODUCTS
SPRAY BOTTLE
PEROXIDE

28. HOW TO USE A SYRUP HYDROMETER
• Fill the hydrometer test cup with syrup until it is
approximately 1 to 2 inches from the top and place it
on a level surface. Do not fill the hydrometer cup with
the hydrometer inside, as the syrup on the stem will
add weight and affect the reading. Slowly lower the
hydrometer into the syrup until it is floating on its own
or resting on the bottom of the hydrometer cup. This is
a very fragile instrument. DO NOT drop the
hydrometer into the syrup, as this can cause the
hydrometer to shatter.

29. HOW TO READ A SYRUP HYDROMETER
• It is important to take a temperature reading at the
same time as the hydrometer reading, because density
changes with temperature. Take the hydrometer
reading once the hydrometer has stopped bobbing. If
you take the reading right from the evaporator drawoff (at 2110F), if the syrup is even with the top red line,
you have the right density. If it’s below the line, the
syrup is heavy. Add some sap to the boiling syrup to
dilute. If the syrup is above the line, the syrup is light.
Continue to boil the syrup.

30. HOW TO READ A SYRUP HYRDOMETER
• FIRST IDENTIFY WHAT SCALE YOUR
HYDROMETER IS WRITTEN IN: BRIX OR
BAUME
• HOT TEST LINE ON A BAUME SCALE IS 32 AND
COLD TEST IS 36. COLD TEST SHOULD BE
COMPLETED AT 60 DEGREES F. HOT TEST
SHOULD BE 211 DEGREES F.
• BRIX RANGE FOR MAPLE SYRUP 66% TO 68.9%

31. CARE & MAINTENANCE OF
HYDROMETER
1. When purchasing a new
hydrometer stand
hydrometer in the box and
mark the hot test line.
2. Do not drop hydrometer
into cup this will cause the
paper to slid and your
reading to be inaccurate
3. Also wrap in paper and
store in original box during
the off season

32. Questions about the cooking
process of your maple sap
into maple syrup.
?

33. QUESTIONS
?
THANK YOU