fatwood question

G

grunt soldier

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Dec 4, 2009
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ok i am just curious. i have looked forever on the net to no avail. how long should you let a stump sit before you take it. i have one that is monstrous that i am waiting to harvest. but i am really curious as its only been down about 2 months. am i good to go or should i wait a bit longer on it

thanks in advance
 
I found this info after doing a search for "how to make fatwood"

"Step1:
In winter find a pine tree. the weather should be cold very cold. Cold enough for the pine trees sap to have gone into the root system

Step 2:
Cut that pine tree about 4 feet off the ground or shorter. Remember that the shorter you make it the less space the sap has to move but the less wood you will have to harvest

Step 3:
In spring the sap in the root system will rise
and the remaining stump will be come empregnated with pine sap or become fat.

Step 4:
After a few years the sap will become hard and you will then harvest it by cutting off the remaining stump. you can harvest sooner or later."

~found at a how to page.


Another source states:
"Decades ago during logging operations numerous pine trees were cut and hauled away.
Today the only remains of the tree is the stump. Over the years after the tree had been cut down, the stump continued to bring up pitch from the roots. With nowhere for the pitch to go it eventually hardened enough to become brittle and often turned the wood colors from red, purple, and brown. After this happens the stump is ready
to be harvested."
~a Fatwood Company site
 
I'd say get out there & keep on looking. Where there's one, there's more (well usually). I've seen many threads posted about "hey I was on my way to this place and spotted some pines and stopped to harvest" or "We went on a nice day hike and look what we ran across". Not to worry, I would've been excited too. Oh, and a big wave to ya neighbor, plenty of pine around in the midwest.
 
Ive actually done an experiment where I waited 2 years on a pine stump that I cut to see if it turned to pitch. It was on its way to becoming a pitch stump but was nowhere near being what we are all after. The best stuff you see is very old.
 
Howdy,

All the pitchwood stumps I have seen are old (decades).

Everything is rotted away except the pitchwood. The outside of the stump is grey.

DSC04530resized.jpg


DSC04521resized.jpg
 
Thanks NCB & Col. Those pics are excellent, up close and personal. Now I'll have a better idea what to look for when I finally get my out and about this year. I'm hoping to run into some.
 
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