Hide Glue...?

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02blues

New User
john
Any of you dudes using hide glue? I have the itch to try it.:slap: Any recs re glue types and or glue pots?
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I used it a long time ago, it's great for things that you may want to take apart later, like musical instruments.

Buy the crystals, soak them over night, heat slowly while stirring, heat the wood and dampen it a little. Work fast or the glue will cool before you have everything where you want it.

The electric glue pots are best at keeping a steady temp without over heating, get the glue too hot and you have to pour or scrape it out and clean the pot.
 

froglips

New User
Jim Campbell
Surprise, I'm a big fan!

Two more common ways to go. Liquid hide comes in a bottle. It has urea in it to keep it from gelling. Be sure to check the "freshness date". Try to get a bottle no older than 1 year.

Titebond and Franklin both sell it.

Also a smaller supplier Old Brown Glue: http://www.wpatrickedwards.com/gluepage.htm

Perl hide glue is my preference, as you only mix up what you need. In its dried form, it'll be useful for years.

If you haven't yet, consider getting a copy of Stephen Sheperds Hide Glue Book. Read my thoughts here: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/...ractical-applications-stephen-shepherd-26411/

I favor a very clean mason jar in a cheap double boiler I got at Goodwill on the stove top. Mostly cause I had it and didn't want to spend the big bucks for a real glue pot. I also freeze my unused glue, so I can screw on the mason jar lid.

I can sadly report the JE Mosers several of us bought from woodworkers supply was not good. Hide glue has a distinctive odor, but the stuff we got went well past what it should.

If you can, check the dates and open the jar and take a wiff. It should not smell awful. In use, I've not had any trouble, but its a stinky endeavor.

Happy to answer any questions or share what I know. BTW, your pets will love it. My dog is very attentive when I am gluing up.

Jim
 

02blues

New User
john
OK. Another obscure corner of the world to explore. Now I will look AND smell odd.
I look strange enough when the steam box is purring in the drive way...OK I like to be the odd ball.

Most interested in one feature. yellow glue can inhibit penetration by the finish. I have read hide glue does not do this...? OK jimbo... whatchaknow?
 

froglips

New User
Jim Campbell
You are correct. Hide glue won't interfere with a finish!

As to looking strange while steaming, I'm not qualified to assess that :)

Jim
 

CarvedTones

Board of Directors, Vice President
Andy
My economy setup:

hideglue.JPG


Candy thermometer and little metal cup (set of them) from the dollar store; the hot pot was about $10 at Walgreens.

The element is in the center and I am carefuly to try to keep the little cup off of it. I add just enough water to come up to about 2/3 on the cup and carefully get it to about 130 to 140.
 

Jerome B

New User
Jerome
I have gotten the glue from http://www.bjorn.net/ in the past. Cleans up easy & I also like it as a grain filler.

Stephen


I have used his hide glue and like it greatly. On the other hand I have tried the hide glue the comes from Woodworkers supply and not been terribly pleased. It has a horrible smell. :tinysmile_tongue_t: Hide glue has a smell, but it shouldn't be quite this noxious. In his book Shepard suggests to not trust glue that smells foul.

I am glad that was posted, because I forgot his name and the link. It is nice to have a trusted source of hide glue that is relatively nearby.

Jerome
 

danmart77

Dan
Corporate Member
http://woodtreks.com/animal-protein-hide-glues-how-to-make-select-history/1549/

Well nice to see another woodworker interested in hide glue. Its good stuff. I've been using it regularly for 20 years and gained some insights.

Before I go on, I think the above site with Patrick Edwards is well worth the time and certainly provides a good look at the glue. PE has been using it for 30+ years.

Like another reader posted, I use the Rival Hot Pot to double boil my glue. Its an inexpensive boiler and if you don't want to continue with hide, it makes a great way to boil water for tea or coffee. I use it to cook soup and hot dogs when I'm in the shop. It's about 15-20.00 on line.

Liquid Hide: I only use Old Brown Glue from Edwards. Its dated and exact. If you warm it up just a bit it becomes thinner than yellow glue and it provides a very slow set up glue. Its great for windsor chair assembly and other tasks that require longer assembly time. Note: it is reversable just like the hot glue and repairs only require the addition of some new glue. No cleaning out the joint like plastic glues.

Where to get hide here in NC? What gram strength?

I haven't bought any glue from the guy down in Matthews for a while but I have used him in the past. He sells the glue in 5lb units. This might seem like too much? If you want to get a feel for the stuff at a lower quantity level, you can get the same glue from the Old Cabinet Shop up in Penn. They get their glue from the only maker in the US(somewhere up in NY state--Higgins and &****). I strongly recommend the 192grm stuff. Its the most popular hide for woodwork.

If you want to see some in action, just send word to me - I'm in Durham.

I would send you a few photos in this message but I just don't know how to select a jpeg photo and attach it without some steps I haven't used. Some day I guess??

Hide is great stuff .. give it a try.

Dan O'Sullivan
 

shopsmithtom

New User
SST
I recently switched to hide glue after reading a glue test in Fine Woodworking where it' s pretty much as strong as anything out there, and better than some well known stuff. It's not for outside stuff, but for interior furniture, it's great. I wipe off the excess with a damp cloth. I don't have any problems with finishing over it.
I use the liquid hide glue as I haven't yet wanted to mess with the whole pot thing, but I might do that too. I don't think I'll ever go back to the yellow stuff for furniture.
 

froglips

New User
Jim Campbell
One more thing to add to this list, I added powdered milk to a batch I used to make a cutting board.

The addition of casein (milk protein) improves the water resistance. I'll report back if it works over time :)

Did I mention Hide Glue save a kitten trapped up a tree, cured the common cold and gave me the winning lotto numbers?

Jim
 

danmart77

Dan
Corporate Member
Andy
I have found a 1 cup pirex glass measuring cup to be the best container to use in the Rival Hot Pot. The weight of the glass cup keeps it sitting low(doesn't float) with a bunch of water in the pot. The cup keeps the rival lid from closing completely but that has not caused the glue to skin over and it still holds the heat in quite well. I tend to keep my glue a bit warmer than you but I don't know that it matters that much. For years I was keeping my glue just a little too thick. After talking with Pat Edwards and Mack Headley(CWilliamsburg) I have gone to keeping my glue a little thinner. It has made a positive difference when hammer veneering.

With the glass cup, I leave the glue on the heat element and I have never had a "burn" like some say they experience. This is after more than 50lbs of 192grm use. So.. I don't worry.

I do use some urea to slow it down but truthfully I think plain old Mortons salt does the same thing. (tip from Bjorn).

Spread the word on the old Rival Pot its a great deal and a reliable tool in the shop.

Oh by the way, another guy mixes up a cup of glue and pours it in a plastic ice tray. He only uses a little at a time so he takes a cube or two and off he goes. He freezes his "jello" and keeps it for long periods of time with no troubles.

dan
 

froglips

New User
Jim Campbell
Sorry, I don't mean to reply to each post, but I really have a thing about hide glue!

Love that ice cube idea, gonna try that. I happen to have these tiny ice cubes that I might try.

Like Lionel Ritche used to sing, "stuck on you...."

jim
 
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