EAST CONCORD, N.Y.—Putting up new lines this fall? Don’t forget the dead end tees.

At maple shows this fall, sugarmakers were being reminded about the benefits of the common dead end tee, also known as the end line tee.

“We love them,” said Nick Wendel of Wendel’s Maple & More, a major Leader Evaporator dealer in western New York.

Dead end tees are identical to conventional tees, but are plugged off on one side. 

Used on the last tree on a lateral line, these specialty fittings allow for vacuum to go from that last tap directly into the lateral.  

The vacuum and sap is blocked from entering the wrapped portion around the tree which is most vulnerable to squirrel chews.

“With no sap or vacuum in this portion small chews are not an issue,” Wendel said. 

They also prevent the sap having to flow uphill in a steep installation to get around the end tree before flowing down to mainline, he said.

The fittings are made by all of the major maple manufacturers.  

In the case of the Leader versions, they make red ones where the right side of the fitting is plugged and green ones for the left.