Drying Pine Pitch

[NCTurner]

I know I have seen it posted before, but what is the heat cycle for drying pine pitch?

 

[CrealBilly]

I know I have seen it posted before, but what is the heat cycle for drying pine pitch?

Hot and long brother hot and long

 

[scsmith42]

160F for 24 hours.

 

[NCTurner]

Thanks, is that for 4/4 or could it be applied to say a 16/4 bowl blank?

 

[scsmith42]

Gary, I know of no reason why it could not be applied to the bowl blank.

When exposed to heat, pine sap will crystalize at the highest temperature that it's exposed to. 160 - 180F is the standard, as this is hot enough to keep the crystalized pitch from turning back soft in most environments. When it is exposed to heat, as you get close to the temp that the pitch was set at, it will start de-crystalizing and become soft again.

For an interior use, such as a bowl, you could probably get away with a lower temp, but you may have some problems with the heat from turning.