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Dry still revisited

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Stringman:
Just a quick refresher on the use of a dry still for extracting tar from things like pine cones and birch bark. Once extracted, the tar can be boiled down and mixed with a binder and bees wax for making primitive pitch glue.



You will need a metal bucket with hole in center (plus a lid), and a can or bowl for collecting the tar.



Dig a hole and bury the can to the nub.



Place the bucket over the can and push a little dirt around the bottom edge of the bucket. This will keep the fire from igniting the turpentine vapors coming from the can.



Fill the bucket and replace the lid.



Start a fire around the bucket and make sure it's got plenty of heat. Doesn't need to last a long time, but it does need to get hot.





The vapors coming from the bucket show you it's working.

Pat B:
Very cool, Scott. Thanks for posting this.   8)

RidgeRunner:
Yep! That is the way I do it.
Only I dont cook cones.
Rich Pine wood and Pine sap incrusted pine bark are what I cook.
Works well.

David

Stoker:
Very cool.. Bout how much sap you get out of a fiver of cones?
Thanks Leroy

Stringman:
Not real sure, this was t a very good batch for me. Could be due to the cones being old or not enough cook time (I was impatient.) I would say 2 cups is not unlikely.

I'm gonna drag out my bag of birch bark and try again. I've had good results with them in the past also.

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