Transforming Sap collection
A fresh look at sap collection at it's simplest form!
About TJ Wood LLC
About SapMaster.net
Our History
With a professional life around tool making and new product devolpment and Maple syrup as a hobby it wasnt long before the two paths crossed resulting in the most efficient tap ever brought to the market. SapMaster
Our Mission
Our mission at SapMaster.net is to provide syrup makers the highest yielding spout for sap collection while improving tree health and sap quality for our customers, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and professionalism. We are committed to building lasting relationships with our clients, and working together to achieve success thru study, observation, testing and collaboration.
Our Team
Our team at SapMaster.net is made up of a family passionate in quality and long lasting products. experienced professionals who are passionate about what they do. My oldest Son Cameron is a Engineer and has been a big help with modeling and drawing. You know how your always cussing about those engineers? I decide my wife and I would make our own. He works in the tunnel boating company, Akerman Kelvin is a music professional and is very helpful with all this communicating. I'm a first generation sugar maker with a make it myself attitude. I'm very lucky to be a sugar maker being from the flatlands of SE Minnesota. The Western slope. My wife Kim is amazing! Supports me in every stupid idea I have. We are so blessed to have two wonderful daughter in-laws.
Our Design
We go over all the features and why in this video. From the push on barb with no parting line down to the short seal area and on to bottom and front loading of the sap made possible by the stabilizing pilot bearing.
Our Testing
Our testing started with the 2023 sap season using SapMaster prototypes made from a screw Machine. After very promising results a production mold was procured. Testing continued during the 2024 season using production taps. We are very satisfied with the test results seeing huge gains in sap production. We changed the mold so the barb would not have a parting line to insure no loss from micro leaks.
Field Study 2023
2023 Field study used 100 SapMaster screw machined prototypes on 5/16 inch tubbing and 360 foot of 3/4 inch mainline with 40 saddles powered by a 12 volt diagram pump.
The concept was proven to be effective and slight changes were made for production tooling.
Field Study 2024
2024 Field study used 44 SapMaster on 5/16 inch tubbing and 360 foot of 3/4 inch mainline with 40 saddles powered by a 12 volt diagram pump.
The SapMaster produced 182% more sap on average over the observed data range. This bush was able to pull 28 inches of vacuum using a small 12 volt diaphragm pump. We were very pleased with these test result. These results are not from a side by side study but my experience with this bush convinced my to spend a pile of money.
2024 Production Facility
2024 Production Facility went thru many changes centered around the Smokey Lake Corsair. 2024 was TJ Woods first year on a concreate floor with drains. After twenty years boiling outside on a flat pan using bags and buckets. As a first generation sugar maker i wanted to build a maple syrup business with out investing personal money. so did as could. My partner and I built just about everting, he a cabinet maker and I a Tool and Die Maker. I learned in a hurry, making it was the easy part. Selling it for a profit was going to be a challenge. Reaching out to family and fiends although profitable was unmanageable on the scale i was dreaming of.