I know this might be a dumb question but Im gonna ask it anyway. Im looking for a tree sap that I could collect to apply and make something like a paper mache only harder after it drys. Preferably something that would hold its shape and not go to soft in the sun. Does anyone know of something like this? I saw some amber the other day and noticed it could hold it own was wondering if it could be recreated without millions of years time.
There are some, but they're not easy to work with. The best is actually from poison-ivy and other related species in the genus Toxicodendron; Japanese lacquer is made from the species Toxicodendron vernicifluum. Harvesting and processing it is, as you might guess, decidedly unpleasant and potentially dangerous work, not something I'd recommend for the average Joe Public without good safety training.
