Collecting birch bark for tar

[Robbo]

I'm wanting to try making some birch tar but want to know if i can use bark from trees that have been dead and lying around for a few years? I.e. fungus growing on the tree in places.

There are loads of them though.

Andy

 

[crazydave]

yep its the oil in the bark thats the last to go which is why it makes good containers. all of the bracket fungus is usefull too.

 

[bushcraftbob]

I made some the other day it was great fun, the trees i used had been felled for quite some time so im sure you'll be ok.

n.b - birch tar is awesome stuff!!

 

[rancid badger]

your actually better off using bark from dead trees, the deader the better, as it's easier to remove the bark for processing
R.B.

 

[Matt Weir]

You'll be fine to use old tree's Andy.

Here's one of our experiments and we used bark from a tree that had been felled months ago.

 

[TJRoots]

is the bark ok to use if it still has the corky inner bark or does that need to be removed?

 

[PRKL]

Li´l bit off-topic but i think,ill be adding fresh pics about making birch tar.

 

[badgeringtim]

Just on an ecological point (and i know it'll get a sigh from some people) can i advocate trying not to completely strip any one dead tree or an area since what lives under the bark here particulalrly in older wood can be very important in the local ecology. All the little squiggly things etc.

 

[Ryecroft]

I'm going to have a go at this, looks good fun.

Good point about the habitat for insects however, especially standing dead wood, one of the habitats that is fast disappearing from the UK I think.