customcurb

I probably went a tad overboard compared to euca trees and reused tin roofing. Concrete slab and poles, block walls, steel and tin roof. Bore hole has a submersible electric water pump to fill concrete ring tanks, electric is a yanmar 9hp diesel connected to a 5000w generator head. lights are small 12v fluorescent type strung to car battery. 12v battery charger runs when yanmar runs. an outhouse and concrete ring septic tank with secondary dispersal tank. This is 'upcountry' where there are no decent hardware stores, definitely no Globalhouse or Homepro, work was done by our worker and hired yokels.

Hindsight is that I probably should have looked at solar+battery rather than diesel and 230v generator. I think it's possible to get a 12 or 24v well pump and if that ran slowly but often to fill water tanks and work as a pressure pump, I think the overall cost would have been same and more constant electric source. ymmv

ps skip the bloated puppies as they tend to die off as they are not fed for shit

I would like to make mats 2x a week rather than every day. had been told by another rubber farm that they kept latex 10 days using ammonia, but I also read that ammonia isn't a good preservative/anti-coagulant if you want to produce a mat.

question on how long can keep undiluted field latex before it coagulates: anyone know how long you can keep field latex in a closed blue drum before it turns hard? Please, only if you HAVE done so before.

thx

customcurb

mark,

interesting on spacing. i'm inclined to go towards 4.5x4.5 as you said as tree canopies aren't rectangular. but, the wider paths between rows might have to do with tractor access. i haven't measured or asked a tractor operator yet, will.

with our 7yr old trees that canopy seems to block sunlight to the lower/est branches, which are turning dark and not growing leaves. I've been told that this is 'self-pruning' which I hope is correct. I suspect with wider spacing more sunlight would result in more leaves overall. Does closer spacing encourage taller trees or not and might that be good or not?

google isn't much use for all things rubber, and some of the finds are all in thai anyways. Will continue to search and ask. The interest is in followup to an observant friend not in the rubber business, who believes that with the million+ new trees coming on line for each the next few years and the million+ babies that will be planted soon - the short of it is he believes there will be a significant shortage of tappers (let alone ones that aren't just wood carvers) in the coming years. Labor demand may force costs up and quality may suffer. A product that reduces the 'touch time/labor cost' seems to make sense if there's no or little loss of output. Will report in if and and what I may find.

As I'd mentioned before, was at a small rubber trade show recently and came home with many samples of fertilizer and sprays. I did see what looked like very large spray cans but with what looked like little metal cubes on the on the end of a small hose attached to the spray can. I figured it was some sort of tree stimulant (which I'm not leaning towards) and didn't bother asking about it.

Two days later my friend said he thought it was an airless continual tapping rig which would drip into a bladder bag until it was removed. Said the tree cut would be rather short and small (like 5 or so centimeters long) but with no air contract to the latex at the cut, it should drip into the collection bag (also sealed) for days and days.

That sounded like an interesting idea to look at, if it was so, but I don't know any more about it as I didn't get literature (all in Thai anyways).

Anyone heard of such a setup ?

Mosha,

there are numerous 'rubber supply shops' that sell knives, acids, etc etc etc and three of them gave me the crazy falang look when I asked for ammonia - I expected this. Google translate says Ammonia translates to Ammonia (with a slight accent) so I will persevere. Odd that Lotus doesn't have it either, or maybe not so odd.

Anyone have a lead on where I can buy ammonia in Issan as will need in processing?

Another note, visited our 25 rai plot first time in about 3 weeks (not opened yet) and find many hundreds of trees seem to have darker lower branches with few leaves, and some blacked dried lesions on the trunks. Upper branches look fine, plenty of new and existing leaves, tall, and 85% of all are ready to cut when season starts. I was a tad freaked in concern of dying trees. Went to the govt rubber replanting office with some friendly and hopefully knowledgeable people. Following the previously mentioned trade-show one of the govt people is supposed to visit our plot and advise. At the trade show a seemingly knowledgeable, outspoken and very confident rep at one of the booths supposedly pointed the problem as a fungus and recommended a couple of bottles of whatever to be mixed with 200 liters water and sprayed around trees. I bought enough for 6 rai treatment and will be spraying in 1-2 days, says 15-30 days should show noticeable improvement.

I have noticed this condition on quite a few other plantations and plots since I saw on ours, and previously on a friendly falangs plantation a month back. Quite interested in seeing if the treatment works.

An rubber trade show?? Sort of, on a few rai of the local govt building with stage and seating for evening band and talks with booths around the prerimeter. About 30 or so booths for rubber assorted interests and a govt sponsored pavilion for promoting the rubber business along with hands on tapping trials. We bought various potions and ya for trees, and a 3 supertabs tapping knives. Took our soon to be student tappers along on the second day and they seemed interested in learning some. Picked up a govt sponsored book and dvd that seems to be totally full info. Unfortunately it's all in Thai so that leaves me out and wife doesn't have the attention span and diligence to sift through all and then translate to me. Sigh.

We await the rubber tappers school in a couple weeks and then getting trees open.

Anyone suggest where in issan to buy one of those digital gram scales? the smallish ones that are accurate for up to say 100 grams max ?

Nicholasmerwood

I and wife are in buengkan, we have 25, 8, and 16 rai plots and are close to finished assembling a 'processing factory' ala similar to Jims. If you need a first hand account of your plot in question I might able to take a look, and there are a few other falang I know in the area with lots more rubber land also. I've no more money to buy as I've spent most all on the processing factory so I certainly wouldn't be sharking your deal btw,

Jim seems to be sitting well with a good number of trees and making mat makes sense. We've got far fewer so we're taking a slightly different approach to making mat, or at least will be in a month or so when we're finished with the setup. In buengkan province you can't swing a cat without hitting a rubber tree there are so many, albeit far too many farms are cutting way before the trees look ready.

Other thing to consider, you probably know this but still, kee-yang STINKS - the factories that process kee stink for many kilometers surrounding, the trucks that go around an buy kee reek and the lots where the kee sits for a day or a few before being purchased reek badly. I go with the 'smells like money' approach but if you and/or your mrs is apt to be offended by it, beware buengkan.

custom

Wife and I have an 8 rai plot that used to be fine for rice (with berms higher than the paddy sections) but that had the berms knocked down via tractor. Last rice season the in-laws took the throw and pray planting approach hoping rice would grow in the lower areas. It did but in a somewhat random way and not as well as would in a correct paddy.

Today we saw a small plot elsewhere around the area that combined rice paddies in between rubber trees on larger berms, and the paddies were smaller as there were extra berms between them, likely to increase the number of rubber trees in the given land area. Trees looked to be 3-4 yrs old and in decent shape, but not outstanding.

I thought it was a cleaver and efficient idea to maximize the use of land and reduce the prep cost, but wanted to field the idea before perhaps doing same on our 8 rai plot.

Any suggestions/comments, and might a couple of tilipia ponds in between the tree'd berms work also ?

Thx

Custom

At the local factory I drive past daily, Rubberland, I see stacked bales in the back area (of what looks like compressed block rubber) that could take 100+ fully trailer lorries to haul off, and probably more. I have no clue if that's good or bad. None the less there are dozens of truck of kee motoring around daily and half the trees are bare. And, there's a large grower locally (grafts for baby trees) that has what looks like over 10,000 babies recently grafted and beginning to grow.

all's well so far

aussiebebe, so far all companies have said no to a 12 yr old truck, which makes zero sense to me as it would be cheaper to fix than a new model, but tit.

Theo007, who what where is Safety ?

And the overall point is I'm not as concerned about paying for my own truck's damage in the event of accident, as I am the liability for repairing a 1 million baht+ vehicle that I might hit when only having 200,000 baht coverage. Same applies to the occupants who could have a couple million in hospital bills if a bad accident and I've only got 100,000 or 200,000 baht per person coverage. Have spoken to 3 insurance company people and they are clueless, and a known insurance broker who hasn't yet responded to the point of higher liability.

The Thai answer is probably "don't hit expensive cars" not doubt.....

I have a 12 yr old pickup truck which came with 900b insurance from the dealer, which is probably covers the cost of bandaids at best. I'm trying to find 3rd party injury, death, and damage coverages of at least 2M thb per person/vehicle involved. While not likely to hit (no pun) those limits if an accident, well, that's what insurance is for just in case.

Any recommendations on company that can offer higher limits?

thx

Glennb6

Buengkan

thaiericsweden,

And what about "Emergency In-Patient treatment at a hospital" when a 72 hr notice is impossible ? I read the details on the connected website and couldn't see an answer.

glennb6

Hi, It's time I buy a rubber sheet rolling machine. Had wanted the 4 pair roller (last set with ribs) with integrated kneader roller machine from an-anek.com but they're quoting 4-6 months lead time if paid in full up front. Really had hoped to have one up and running early March

Will consider built from parts by a fab shop if they know what they're doing, but not really wanting to run a single roller machine.

If anyone has any leads or suggestions....

Thx

Glennb6

well ummm.... didn't I pick a fine time to move there to farm rubber :- /

I like to follow the financial forums and blogs online in the hopes that I might learn a tiny bit on what's going to happen financially and economically in the US primarily and around the world. My takeaway opinion is that the US is <deleted>, most of the rest of the world is too, and even china is also (albeit better able to hide the truth being a loose communist state). When major economies crash there will be less of a need for most all "things" except maybe for food (and even Doritos and beer will change from being a staple to a luxury). I figure that some "things" are made with rubber eh so... I will also be learning to grow food and perhaps chickens.

Just hope that rubber prices hold up and there are no major crashes.

glenn

t-20 days

Thanks Mosha, would seem well worth figuring how to climb that chain, in a quiet unassuming way of course.

Can I get input as to the price relation between what's being stated on this thread and what I read on http://www.thainr.com/en/index.php?detail=pr-local and and http://www.rubberthai.com/rubberthai/ ? Thanks all

http://www.sti-inter.com/home.htm

www.an-anek.com/2010/ (use google translate)

The OP question was directed at THB<>USD rate. For this thread, never ,mind the politics, politicians, and can or cannot argument please. I have my thoughts but am keen on others opinions too, as to the direction of this exchange rate, as I make the assumption that the US economy will suck worse over the next couple years.

Note I find odd that the THB has been holding right around 30:1 given the moderate faltering of the USD. Perhaps reflects the USD Thai govt holds as reserves?

glennb6

I might as well jump in here too as I have $kin in the game.

Jim, on your videos you said making RSS will make you 20 to 25 baht more per Kg than selling raw field latex. Are these numbers still valid? Can you elaborate on the numbers you are or are not making on the rubber processing business with field latex bought from other farmers ?

Thanks

Glenn