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Catface

Started by DanG, February 06, 2015, 10:46:57 AM

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DanG

This morning, long-absent Forumite Blake22 posted this pic on Facebook.  I'm posting it here with his permission. :)  It seems that he has adopted the practice of rescuing these relics of the past whenever he finds them in the woods. 



This is what is locally known as a catface.  It is the scar that is left on a pine tree from the process of collecting pitch for the naval stores industry.  Apparently the loggers just lop off the butts of these trees when they run across them.  Blake says he's going to fetch out another one soon, so I'll try to get him to take pics of the process.  :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

doctorb

DanG-

Very interesting.  I am completely in the dark about this.  I'm going to have to google some of your description to get a better "picture" of what I am actually seeing in that pic.  What is the horizontal piece of metal intended to do?  Thanks for any further info on the process.

And after a little research, it all makes sense.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_stores_industry
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

pabst79

 DanG, That is pretty interesting, the link from doctorb says that this practice mostly ended in the late 20th century, but doesn't say how long ago they started doing this? How old could it possibly be? Really cool that's for sure.  smiley_roller
Not sure which came first, but I have chickens and eggs.

DanG

Doc B, at one time that metal piece was either a deflector to guide the pitch into a pot which would be hung on a nail below it, or it may have been a metal pan for actually catching the pitch. I've seen both methods used.  The herringbone shaped grooves were hacked into the tree to help guide the pitch to the center as it seeped out.  The workers would come around every few days to collect the pitch and scrape down the catface to stimulate more seepage.

Pabst79, this was an ancient practice that I assume began in Europe centuries ago. It still exists today, and likely always will, but under greatly reduced demand.  Before we had modern plastic adhesives and boats were made from wood, pine tar was a very important substance to keep boats & ships from leaking.  The turpentine that was distilled from the pitch was an important ingredient in some paints and was used as a thinner and brush cleaner.  It was also used in medicine as a topical disinfectant.

The last time I remember seeing any major activity in the turpentine woods was in the mid to late 80s.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

LeeB

I don't mean to imply that you are really old Dang, but 1880's or 1980's?  ;D
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

mesquite buckeye

When I was down in Michoacan, Mexico in the late 1980's there was a lot of tar tapping on the trees of the high mountains there. The area is now probably to dangerous to visit safely, with lots of drug cartel types all over the place. I think this is where the big overwintering area for the monarch butterflies is located.
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

DanG

Quote from: LeeB on February 06, 2015, 12:12:25 PM
I don't mean to imply that you are really old Dang, but 1880's or 1980's?  ;D

I'm noticing a distinct lack of respect for one's elders here!  :snowball:
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

DanG

Quote from: mesquite buckeye on February 06, 2015, 12:32:31 PM
When I was down in Michoacan, Mexico in the late 1980's there was a lot of tar tapping on the trees of the high mountains there. The area is now probably to dangerous to visit safely, with lots of drug cartel types all over the place. I think this is where the big overwintering area for the monarch butterflies is located.

It's funny you would mention the Monarchs on this particular thread, Mesquite.  That slab came from just a few miles from the Monarch's launch site for their trans-gulf flight.  :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

LeeB

'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

DanG

And don't you forget it, Sonny Boy!
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Ocklawahaboy

I occassionally run across one of those but that is the nicest one ive very seen. They are usually barely recognizable when I find one these days. I would LOVE to have one like that.  I was hiking through the ocala national forest and found an original clay collecting pot that would have hung at the bottom.  it has a couple of cracks but is in tact.  I was amazed that it lasted through all the pulpwood harvesting that forest sees these days.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: DanG on February 06, 2015, 12:46:18 PM
Quote from: LeeB on February 06, 2015, 12:12:25 PM
I don't mean to imply that you are really old Dang, but 1880's or 1980's?  ;D

I'm noticing a distinct lack of respect for one's elders here!  :snowball:

DanG does not have an age. He is just DanG. DanG was, is and always will be......just DanG.  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Roxie

When I saw that picture, it brought to mind seeing a piece of wood that looked like that when i was young.  Never could figure what caused that pattern, but now I know.   :)
Say when

SwampDonkey

I think pine tar was used one time to tar twine for fishermen and even for making reeds for weaving. You can buy tarred twine, but it's probably not pine tar now.

Here's a fellow in Sweden making reeds with tarred twine. The site is a US distributor.

http://glimakrausa.com/glimakra-products/stainless-reeds 
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

clww

Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

Chuck White

Kind of reminds me of tapping Rubber Trees as seen on Nat. Geo. channel!

Same principle.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

DanG

Blake sent me another pic last night.  This one is of the stump before he separated the slab from the heart wood.  All of the sap wood has rotted away, but the heart and the catface wood is very heavily impregnated with pitch and will remain intact for many years.



As a side benefit, this thread may encourage Blake to rejoin us here as soon as he can get a computer.  He has been facebooking on his phone for several years but says he misses us.  Lets hope he does come back.  He's a really neat guy! :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

mesquite buckeye

I think they used little clay pots in Mexico as well. About fist sized. ;D
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

DanG

The ones they used here looked a lot like a terra-cotta flower pot with no hole in the bottom.  They had a small hole near the top to hang on that nail you can see in that last pic.  They would probably hold about 2 quarts if memory serves.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Ocklawahaboy

Here's some pics of the one I found out in the woods.  When I remodel the man cave, I think it would look great hanging on a cats face. I didn't really give you anything for scale but I would guess the capacity is almost a quart.




Blake22

I see DanG is taking care of biness.
Blake

Ocklawahaboy

Quote from: Blake22 on February 07, 2015, 08:15:02 PM
I see DanG is taking care of biness.
Blake22, I'll be passing your way and digging into one of Jimmy's burgers and some 10 layer cake next week.

Blake22

Must be eating at the Red Onion??  I wish I had a piece of 10 layer cake for breakfast.

Blake

scsmith42

Blake / DanG - very cool!  Thanks for sharing the pix.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Blake22

I found another nice one during deer season.  I need to go get it out of the woods today.
Blake

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