Recipe for Damar Varnish?

[bcherry]

I have some (looks like) bits of wood from Damar tree. Anyone know a recipe how to make this into Damar varnish? One source gives a recipe for Damar crystals but what I have looks like pcs cut from a tree.
Brian

[Panelhead]

Originally posted by bcherry
I have some (looks like) bits of wood from Damar tree. Anyone know a recipe how to make this into Damar varnish? One source gives a recipe for Damar crystals but what I have looks like pcs cut from a tree.
Brian

Brian,
The varnish is made from the gum or resin. I doubt if you can extract it from the wood.
Try an arts supply store. Most only stock the premade with alcohol. You might get lucky and be able to make your own.
I used some last week on small guage cotton sleeving to insulate bare wire. It did not harden like hoped for.
Works wonders on older A series Lowthers though.
It is used to preserve oil paintings. A high quality arts supply store may carry dammar without alcohol.


George

[bcherry]

Thanks George.
The artists stores here in HK don't have it. I tried to buy some overseas but they can't ship flammables. The pcs I have are supposedly the raw form of Damar from which all Damar varnish comes.
I'm planning to use it to treat a whizzer and dust cap too.

Brian

[cyclotronguy]

http://www.trueart.info/oil_varnishes.htm

[ChuckT]

Hi Brian, we have met before.
I have also tried to find the Damar varnish in art supply store without luck, then a friend of mine find it in some book/school supply store for $21 hkd bottle. You'll need some turpentine also to thin it down. I think that's better than making your own. If you need the address of the store, pm me.
My friend tried it on a Philips full range and it works great.