How to Make Your Own Glue From Tree Resin
Glue did not always come in a bottle. American Indians combined tree resin, also known as pine sap, pine tar or pitch, with other natural materials and melted them over fire to create a sticky and waterproof substance known as pitch glue. They used pitch glue to make, coat and repair arrows, tools, canoes and lodging materials. Today, campers, hunters and other outdoorsmen use pitch glue in much the same way but mainly for temporary fixes and repairs.
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Things You'll Need
- Tree resin
- Charcoal
- Fibrous plant material
- Knife, screwdriver or putty knife
- Tin can
- Aluminum pot
- Flat rock
- Grounding stone or round rock
- Matches
- Flat fire grate or green sticks
- Long utensil or thick stick
Instructions
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Look for a gooey lump on pines, spruces and other conifer tree trunks and bark. Resin accumulates on injured bark, creating a natural barrier that protects the tree from insect invasion and disease. Look for pine tar that has hardened; it's easier to transfer and store. Pry off hardened pine tar with a knife, screwdriver or putty knife. Accumulate as much resin as possible and store it in a pot or tin can for future use.
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Gather up fibrous plant material, such as grass, milkweed, palms, coconuts and leaves. Fiber is a connective tissue that is strong and flexible, and it is easily identified by its stringy appearance. It's used in clothing and rope, and when finely ground, makes a binding agent for glue. Waste from herbivores, or plant-eating animals, contain ground up fiber, so look for moose, deer and rabbit pellets to save time.
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Break off charcoal pieces from burnt campfire wood. Lay wood pieces on a flat rock or other hard surface and finely ground with the bottom of a can, grounding stone or rounded rock. Repeat process on the fibrous material or animal scat.
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Build a fire pit or a Dakota fire hole. A Dakota fire hole burns more efficiently than a fire pit and acts more like a stove, providing a stable cooking area. Whichever method you choose, strive for hot coals and a low flame, as glue is highly flammable. Top the hole or pit with a flat fire grate or make your own by laying green sticks side by side. See the resource section for directions on how to build a Dakota fire hole.
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Set an old aluminum pan on top of the grate. Add resin. After the resin melts and comes to a boil, add ground charcoal and ground plant fiber. A good starting ratio is 5 parts pitch, 1 part charcoal and 1 part plant fiber, but you may have to experiment to get the right consistency. Stir with a long utensil or thick stick, making sure to keep a safe distance between you and the pot in case of flare-ups. After the mixture turns black, thick and tar-like, remove the amount needed with the end of the stick and apply to the surface that needs glued. If glue hardens too fast, heat up the surface and reheat the glue.
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Let pitch glue cool and while still malleable, roll into balls and save for future use.
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Experiment with various natural materials to obtain different consistencies of pitch glue. Add bees wax, fur, wood ashes, animal fat or iron filings to resin and tweak until you get the consistency you desire.
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Tips & Warnings
Pitch glue is flammable. Keep a safe distance when melting it.
Do not let children near the fire pit when making pitch glue.
Keep children away from glue until cooled.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit sap on the bark image by Miroslava Holasová from Fotolia.com
