Posted by rustycase on Tuesday, August 13, 2013
I did get a little bit further on the home-made fiddle resin project...
A few weeks ago I pulled a bunch of sap drippings from a dying plum tree.
Yesterday, I crossed the creek to see if the squirrels had left any almonds on a tree, (they left very few), and I discovered some very clear sap on that tree...
Since the almond is pretty much spent for the year, I clipped a bunch of small branches and will watch to see if more sap is produced from them. It is very hot here, so there should be some over the next few days, at least.
Also, I got out the pruning pole and knocked a large chunk of dried sap off the pine tree in the front yard.
The pine chunk is probably about 3 ounces, which should be enough to make a nice cake of resin once it's heated, strained, combined with a bit of beeswax, and poured into a mold.
There is possibly 2 oz of the plum tree sap, which is much darker than that from the pine.
The almond sap is very clear, and quite distinct from the other two. I am hoping I will be able to get more of it without damaging the tree!
Next project will be to weld some wire handles onto some tuna cans which I will use as a vessel in a double boiler.
Humbled by this instrument Says:
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 @9:59:38 PM
I wouldn't prune more than a rosinable amount, for it might sap the trees strength. Moreover, you should probably trunkate the pruning once you get to the root of what you want. Then branch out, find other ways to make home-grown rosin. My favourite rosin comes from a tree we have up here in my (MY) Sierras (yeah I pluralized the plural) on the north side of Mokelumne Peak, the Pinus horribilus. Makes best rosin around.
rustycase Says:
Thursday, August 15, 2013 @11:30:10 AM
Yes. Agreed with all that!
I did first read a bunch about pruning trees... and I was very cautious.. too cautious! My clips have produced nothing over the last couple days...
Yes, we have a bunch of horible sap dripping pine trees around here,,, I was just experimenting with those right here in the yard. I could hop on my kids dirtbike and blast up onto the hillside and grab a bunch...
Tnx!
rc
rustycase Says:
Tuesday, August 20, 2013 @8:20:37 PM
I tired of waiting for results.
So I made a slash on a couple branches that were growing in what I felt was the wrong direction.
Not a solitary drop of sap.
Oh well !
I showed an almond the squirre had eaten to one of the dog-walkers that pass by my garden, each day...
Nice hole knawed in the husk to get the nut out from within... it is the husk that produces that nice looking, very clear sap, when it is damaged, by the squirrels...
I suppose that means, next year, for the almond resin aspect!
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