« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Pitch glue too soft  (Read 4111 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Aaron H

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,437
Pitch glue too soft
« on: August 20, 2016, 06:44:53 am »
I made up a new batch of pitch glue yesterday and I think it may be a bit soft.  I was told that ideally you should be able to just leave a small thumbnail impression in it when it is at room temperature.  With fair pressure this is what my thumbnail impression looks like.
Logged

Offline Aaron H

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,437
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2016, 06:48:41 am »
This is a mixture of (soft) pine resin, a small amount of beeswax, charcoal, and rabbit droppings.

My best guess would be about 4:1 pine resin to beeswax

The pine resin was very malleable before I cooked it down, and I never reached boiling, which I heard only makes it brittle.
Logged

Offline PaulN/KS

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,388
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2016, 07:55:07 am »
Maybe add bit more bees wax to the mix?
 Oh, and trim your nails..  :)  ;)
Logged

Offline Redhand

  • Member
  • Posts: 704
  • Marlen Murdock PM109458
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2016, 08:13:36 am »
I use hard pine resin to make my glue. I used the soft resin before and it wouldn't harden up especially in the warmer temperatures it just stayed soft.

Runny or soft resin was used as a paint binder and on the back of sinew backed bows to help protect the sinew from moisture.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2016, 08:26:50 am by Redhand »
Logged
Northern Ute

Offline Hummingbird Point

  • Member
  • Posts: 147
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2016, 08:18:52 am »
Either get some hard, crunchy pitch and add it to the mix by melting the two together,  or re- cook a while to drive off the turpentine in the current batch.
Logged

Offline Aaron H

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,437
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2016, 08:46:27 am »
Haha, thanks Paul
Thanks Redhand, yea I was afraid of it not getting hard enough during the warmer weather
Hummingbird- I was thinking about heating it longer too.  Hadn't thought about adding the hard resin to the mix, that's a good idea also
Logged

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,609
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2016, 08:51:54 am »
Start with hard, brittle pitch. Add enough bees wax to make it less brittle and the charcoal(or dried rabbit, deer pellets) to add body.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Aaron H

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,437
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2016, 01:17:29 pm »
Right on, thanks Pat
Logged

Offline Pappy

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 32,118
  • if you have to ask you wouldn't understand ,Tenn.
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2016, 05:27:22 am »
Add more droppings or charcoal. I mix up a batch and then drop a spot on a sheet of paper, if you bend it and it breaks[to brittle] add more wax, if it is to soft or sticky add more filler[ droppings or charcoal]
Pappy
Logged
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline Aaron H

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,437
Re: Pitch glue too soft
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2016, 09:33:29 am »
Well I re-heated the pitch glue, let it simmer for a few more minutes to burn off more of the turpentine, and I added a bit more droppings.   Worked great, now it just leaves a small nail impression at room temperature.  Thanks everyone
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »