# Can anyone tell me about turpentine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-about-turpentine/193924 "2003-08-08T22:33:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-about-turpentine/193924/1 "2003-08-08T22:33:52Z")
Not turpentine the poster, but turpentine the solvent. I know it comes from pine trees and is very useful: > [@](#): > > The alpha- and beta-pinene constituents of turpentine, in particular, are the starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of fragrances, flavours, vitamins and polyterpene resins, and form the basis of a substantial and growing chemical industry. However, the simpler, more traditional products in which rosin and turpentine can be used, such as soap, paper size and paints and varnishes, can still be of value to the domestic economy of developing countries… , but how do they make turpentine? I know it starts from tapping pine trees, but what do you do with the sap after that? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-tell-me-about-turpentine/193924/2 "2003-08-08T23:14:20Z")
Turpentine is made by steam-distillation of the pine sap. The sap is boiled and the vapor is collected and condensed. This is turpentine. Usually it will go through further refinement at the factory to purify it even more, but that’s the gist of it.