pine resin

[Tengu]

A friend wanted some cones, so I went out searching for some.

(no regular sized cone falls yet; but the pine trees that have the smaller ones are dropping...am I in the wrong season for pine cones??)

I put my hand against the trunk and...

(now you stop laughing)

what is the best way to remove resin in the field?

and what do you use resin for? (aside for glue)

what is the best way to store the nasty stuff?

 

[Ed]

and what do you use resin for? (aside for glue)

Well it's antiseptic, so handy for putting a quick sterile waterproof seal over small nicks and thorn cuts. It's also a good insect repellant when burned on a brazier or some hot coals..... great for de-infesting your debris shelter before you spend the night in it.

As for storing it, I just let it harden and keep in in a solid lump.... just heat it gently to liquify it when you want to make some improvised glue.


Ed

 

[Toadflax]

From doing a lot of work in my garden with felling and chopping up some conifers, I keep getting resin on my hands. Although it doesn't remove it, I found that picking up a handful of sand and rubbing it over my hands stops the resin being sticky.

I haven't tried it yet for removing resin, but I made some soap the other day from horse chestnut leaves - soak and squeeze them in hot water and you get a brown liquid soap. It doesn't lather like household soap, but it does feel soapy and I have been using it to clean the mud off my hands after gardening.

Now I wonder if I should go and get some resin on my hands to see if this will wash it off...



Geoff

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Uses in the Field

Is it not highly flammable ?

Nick

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Can be used as a candle.

Phil.

 

[Ed]

Is it not highly flammable ?

It is....and makes a great firelighter


Ed

 

[Neanderthal]

Best way to store the stuff is to make Pitch Sticks.

Melt the resin (I used a tin can) and mix 50/50 with powdered charcoal over the heat.
The charcoal stops the mix being as brittle.
Dip a stick into the mix, turn to cause more resin to stick to the stick
Put the stick to one side to cool (you could blow on it or dip it in water) and dip in another one. As one cools you can dip it again to add more pitch.

Have plenty of sticks made before you start.

Tried to upload a photo but it failed. I'll have another go in a bit

Stu

 

[Tengu]

Ill go gather some tommorrow

when do the cones fall?

 

[Ogri the trog]

Tengu,
The only thing I've found to effectively remove pine resin is parafin, though its hardly "Field Use".
If you can find some solidified resin, it makes great chewing gum - it takes a while to get used to, as it turns firstly into a powdery mass in your mouth but keep going with it and it lasts for ages with a really refreshing taste. However, do not, under any circumstances, be tempted to chew in anything remotely runny - it'll coat your teeth and you'll be gargling with parafin to get rid of the stuff

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Twoflower]

What would the best way to gather the resin?

 

[bambodoggy]

(no regular sized cone falls yet; but the pine trees that have the smaller ones are dropping...am I in the wrong season for pine cones??)
?

If you're talking about Scots Pines then the seeds ripen about autum time of their second year on the tree and they shed those seeds in the spring after that....once the seeds are shed then the cones will fall off the tree. You might be a little late now and find that the squirrels have cleared rather a lot of what you're after
If you get Weymouth pines down by you then they have almost the same cycle. Other pines do differ though, the Chillian pine for example can keep it's cones for three or so years before dropping them full of the ripe seeds.

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[John Fenna]

My dentist tells me that pine resin makes a good temp tooth filling.... but can you get past that taste? I find it so strong that it makes me gagg - though I enjoy Retsina wine with Greek food......perverse or what?
John

 

[TheGreenMan]

...what is the best way to remove resin in the field?...

According to something I've just read, Ray Mears recommends Pine Tar Soap for removal of pine resin from skin or clothes.

...and what do you use resin for? (aside for glue)...

Pine resin (Rosin) can be added to vegetable oils (with a 'drying' or 'semi-drying' quality, such as Tung, Linseed, Poppyseed and Walnut) to make various types of varnish. Danish Oil is a commercially made varnish of this type.

Best regards,
Paul.

 

[weaver]

Some interesting links...

Gum naval stores: turpentine and rosin from pine resin ...
http://www.fao.org/docrep/V6460E/v6460e04.htm

Prices: Per oz. (28 grams): $3.85
http://www.scents-of-earth.com/colophony.html

Collecting pine resin
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/generalbotany/barkfeatures/a1440tx.html


All about pines
http://www.conifers.org/topics/sitemap.htm

History of resin making in France
http://www.abelard.org/france/les_landes_forestry_industry3.php

 

[penvisser]

using butter will help.

 

[TheGreenMan]

Nice post, weaver.

Best regards,
Paul.

 

[Tengu]

thanks for your advice

 

[weaver]

Since turpentine is made from pine resin it only seems logical that it is the best solvent to remove same. I like to mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with Dawn dishwashing liquid. Works for Poison Oak too.

 

[Earthpeace]

Nice links weaver I went to the Ecomusée de Marquèze last year, its quite good.
They live the part, having gardens that they work with a pair of cows, make bread from the grain they grow ect.
They have a couple of men being demo's on getting the sap from the maritime pine trees .
Like on the link, taking a srip off and going higher up the tree each time. Then they leave a space of bark and start again. When you look at the trees you can see over the years where the bark has grow back in differant heights around the tree.
We happen to have quite a few of these trees. I tried drilling a hole on one and putting a small pipe in with a bag on the end. It did not work because the trees heal too fast.
A good look around in the forst and you can find bleeding tree that the deers have been scraching themself on.
In france you can buy powered pine sap in a bag which you rub into the feathers of your dead game bird/whatever. Then drip the bird into hot water for a few secs pull it out let it cool or pour cold water over it. You then get hold of the feathers a give it a pull the all the feathes come off in like a sheet of feather all at once. dead easy no feather flying around and gets out all pin hairs to, great stuff.
They make an animal flea power with it too but I,ve to check out what else they put in it.
That also works good
You can make a type of mastic by mixing it with fire ash.

P.S glad to see all you guys are busy on the new web site.

http://ecoferme.wetpaint.com/

 

[Lush]

For removing resin stains from clothes I have found the commercial stain removers are ok. You know those little bottles. Pick one that is suitable for tar, and parrafin kind of stains. Works like a charm...