Pine sap removal

[Linarestribe]

I've been searching the forums and library for ideas on removing the sap from pine blanks. Should I turn them the try something or is there another process?

Thanks for any help
Jorge

 

[Andrew_K99]

My PITH pen turned fine with the sticky stuff although sanding was a real pain! I sprayed a bit of accelerator on the black and wiped it down and a bit on the sand paper which helped a lot. I'm guessing acetone would work as well ... I'm just hoping the finish holds up and the sap doesn't affect it.

AK

 

[Linarestribe]

I thought I read that someones CA finish may have clouded because of sap but I couldn't find the reference.

Jorge

 

[Monty]

The blank I used for my PITH pen had a lot of pine sap. Cleaned it off with acetone and turned it. Like Andrew, sanding was a pain, but I was able to get it smooth. Wiped it wit accelerator and saturated it with thin CA and then sanded again. Finished with 3 or 4 coats of thin CA followed by 2 of medium, MM through 12000. I let it set for over a week before I sent it out to my PITH partner. The finished looked as good as the day I finished it.

 

[Linarestribe]

I think I'll try these steps. Thanks for the tips.

 

[sbwertz]

I wiped with DNA between grits to get rid of the sap.

 

[Linarestribe]

I wiped with DNA between grits to get rid of the sap.

I just read of someone soaking spalted wood in DNA for a day then letting dry. Said most of the punkiness was gone.

I just zapped it in the microwave at 50% for 1 min and a bunch just oozed out. I wonder if I do that a few times I can get it mostly out and hardened.

 

[KenV]

Pitch will ooooozzze until it hardens and it will take a while. Mineral spirits (paint thinner) is good to remove it -- and shellac will seal it and allow a top coat finish.

Pitchy pine is hard to work with but can be translucent with an oil soak finish.

Expect a lot of zaps ---

 

[robutacion]

One of the most efficient ways to remove the Pine resin from any surfaces is normal gasoline...!

If the piece you are trying to work with has lots of resin in it, is a good chance that that pine is not as dry as you thing.

Just remember that pine resin is extremely flammable so if you are trying to remove its resin, make sure is no open flames near you...!

It will a lot easier if you turn the blanks as is right to the sanding stages, by then the wood thickness is minimal so is the resin veins within the wood so, a little gasoline will wipe the resin out quite easily, hold the wet rag to the barrel with both fingers (burnishing action), and keep moving the rag/cloth/paper towel to a new/clean area, making sure it is soaked with gasoline, let is dry for a few minutes, sand and finish.

There is a reason why I didn't mention acetone to clean the barrel at that thing stage of the wood, as acetone will most certainly affect the glue you used to glue the tube with so, to void that, gasoline or any other solvent that will not affect the glue, will be OK...!

Good luck

Cheers
George

 

[sbell111]

One of the most efficient ways to remove the Pine resin from any surfaces is normal gasoline...!

If the piece you are trying to work with has lost of resin in it, is a good chance that that pine is not as dry as you thing.

Just remember that pine resin is extremely flammable so if you are trying to remove its resin, make sure is no open flames near you...!

Same goes for teh gasoline.

 

[DurocShark]

I thought I read that someones CA finish may have clouded because of sap but I couldn't find the reference.

Jorge

That was my pith pen... All knots cast in PR. Took some doing to get the ca finish clear. At the end it still wasn't my usual glassy finish.

 

[RHossack]

I baked the snot out of mine for a few hours and the pitch in the knot turned hard and turned pretty well. It certainly gives a honey-colored look and in some places the tube showed through but that accented the blank.

I need to post pics of it ...

 

[ctubbs]

Pine tar is just the sap with the turps removed. The best wy to remove the tar is to use its natural solvent and wipe that off. Learned this in the auto clean up shop.
Charles

 

[Linarestribe]

I baked the snot out of mine for a few hours and the pitch in the knot turned hard and turned pretty well. It certainly gives a honey-colored look and in some places the tube showed through but that accented the blank.

I need to post pics of it ...

What was your process for baking?

 

[Rick P]

Pitch will ooooozzze until it hardens and it will take a while. Mineral spirits (paint thinner) is good to remove it -- and shellac will seal it and allow a top coat finish.

Pitchy pine is hard to work with but can be translucent with an oil soak finish.

Expect a lot of zaps ---

Spot on.

 

[Lee K]

as far as how long sap will ooze ..... I am making one of my banking associates a pen with heart pine from a 125 yr old house, and it STILL oozes ... smells great, but its tricky. I am on my 2nd CA attempt, the first one clouded up on me real bad. Mineral Spirits wiped on before finish. Lets see how that goes ( I ran out of turpentine )