Birch bark oil

[BowEd]

I got oil from real old very dry birch bark myself.It should be quality bark though I guess.Any extra weight in fresh bark has to be just moisture.The oils in it don't evaporate while drying.
The whole process should take around 5 to 6 hours,with hot coals around and on top of gallon can for at least 3 to 4 hours,with the extra 2 hours of cooling off time to make it 5 to 6 hours.

[paulc]

It seems I have made birch pitch glue!!! So stoked! Thanks so much BowEd!!

[BowEd]

It must have gotten pretty warm in that bottom can to harden your oil.No matter though.It can be used as pitch too.I believe turpentine added might rejuvenate it back to an oil state.

[paulc]

It was actually on purpose...I knew I had crud in the bottom of my oil jar from a couple dirty burns.  I let it all settle for a couple days and then poured off the clean oil and left the sludge behind.  I simmered it a couple times till it seemed to harden so that my finger nail will just barely dent it once it is cool.  So I have oil and pitch now.  Time to make something with'em!  Paul

[BowEd]

Cool....It's some very useful stuff....Bomb proof!!
I usually make pitch from resin/charcoal/and some dry matter.

[mullet]

I have some thick, old birch bark I'm going to try it with. We don't have birch down here but we do have an invasive tree that should work, Maeluca, or "paper" tree. I know they use the oil for lots of lotions and different things. I think I'll try it to and see what happens.

[BowEd]

Good deal Eddie.Let me know how it turns out.I can't vouch for it though.Only birch bark.

[paulc]

I was wondering about some of these pines all over south Georgia...and surface area/yield...like prune a bunch of branches, cut to fit vertically in paint can and render that...

Might be worth a shot....P