Violin Forum/Message Board

jethro · Member Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 178

Just for fun I have tried tapping acouple of the local pine trees with the idea of collecting some sap for future use (maybe)
I did a 1 inch hole drilled about 5 feet up. I went in about 1-1+1/2 inches
below the bark. Sealed the pvc pipe in with roof cement. Draining into watertite can. How deep do I need to go with the drilled hole ? My trees
are about 14 inches across. I seemed to get out about 50 ml the first
day but then not much more. It doesn't look quite like the sap you see
on the outside of the tree from a scar.... a clear appearance with some
dark streaks (maybe tar )
Do I need to go deeper with the holes ?????

Tim the Tapper

Jack H. · Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:52 am Post subject:

I would think ( and that is dangerous...) that you only ned to go into the sap wood to get the sap....

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

Jethro,
Where are you located? Up here in the frozen north where I am, the trees aren't doing too much right now. Have to wait until spring to get much action.
Personally, I much prefer tapping maple trees. The pine sap just doesn't make it on pancakes.
_________________
Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

jethro · Member Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 178

I am here in sunny central florida. It has been in the 70's and low 80 degrees F for the last couple of months .... so it's plenty warm .
Not 100 like in summer .. but warm for winter !
Is pine the only sap for varnish ? Or is it good because it is in the spruce
family. ?
T.

PeterG · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:38 am Post subject:

I use Balsam fir, collected from the little blisters in the bark. Makes a nice varnish without a lot of fuss. I think balsam fir might be a bit scarce down your way, though.

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

There are quite a few "resins" that are used for varnishes. Copal and Sandarac to name just a couple.
Check Leif's site here: http://www.violins.ca/varnish/violin_varnish.html for some more info.
_________________
Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

KenN · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject:

I have some kind of tree in the Cherry family in my yard. It has bark like a black cherry, but doesn't get fruit. A former owner of the house cut it down once because it had a beehive in it. I was thinking of trying to get some resin out of it this spring ( when is that, mid June?) It does get some little sap drops on it. Maybe a knife, or a small drill hole could incourage more.

jethro · Member Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 178

I have allways heard that you should trim your trees in the winter months
because the sap is "down" .... (whatever that means)
I would guess maybe the tree kind of hybernates by most of it's sap going down to below ground levle .... but this is just a guess.
One of my pines I have drilled a 1 inch hole about 80 % of the way across
the trunk. In a week or two I have gotten maybe 1/2 a cup of sap.
It has been very dry here too.... Maybe they are like us humans...
can't make sap when dehydrated ! Smile

T

violinarius · Member Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Posts: 171

In The Strad magazine they ran a supplement that showed how the sap was collected for the making of bow rosin. They just cut the bark back in the shape of a "V" , with say 5 V's one above the other, and a vertical channel running down through the points of the V's.

There was no need to drill into the tree.

jessupe goldastini · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:07 am Post subject:

yes that is a nono.....those trees will suffer for that dental work...the v-cuts work as well as home made cathaders.......trees create sap internaly, it "matures" as it reaches the outside bark layer...so you only need to tap just passed the bark layer, much more than that you invite infection and bugs and the good ozeing type sap does not live in there that deep ....ofcourse cathadrers should be tapped in at an angle dripping down....they are quicker than the v's...a small peice of sharpend copper pipe works well....maple trees you need to go a little deeper, more like two inches in...but you don't want to make syrup....