I got a question for folks, have you ever used glue the old fashioned way, with a glue pot and and heating it for use? Thanks for any feedback you all have, I am interested in this for restoration work, customer wants to keep authentic all the way down to the way the glue is used and applied.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker

Not sure if this will work. But, Mimi had one of those candle heating units- the kind that melts the candle within the glass container so it will give off the scent without lighting the wick. It might get hot enough to keep hide glue "molten". I've used it to warm up finishes before applying. I just dropped the can into the Melter and allow the finish to heat up. It might be worth a try so you don't have to buy the glue pot. Probably pick one up at a yard sale or flea market.

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time Traveler and Purveyor of the Universe's Finest Custom Rolling Pins!

My Dad used one but I don't remember much at all about it. Sorry, I'm no help at all with this.

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Harry Brink
Bulldog Woodworking
Montana

you can use sterno with better results.  

you can also use a coffee can sitting inside a bigger coffee can filled with water ( called a double boiler) that will heat the glue more evenly.

HOWEVER

I don't suggest hide glue for restoration work.  

First off, the glue has failed, whether due to the movement of the wood, shrinking, expansion all the old glue needs to be removed.

If it PULLED apart your gonna end with a sizeable gap that hide glue may/may not work in.

Other than EPOXY, glues are still made from cow parts (most).

Application is basically the same except for heating hide glue, by the way, the hide glue is a one shot deal, right temp, have everything at the ready to clamp, and don't miss.

I personally hate the stuff. never had any luck with it and found out the hard way that it's a real pain when a piece has the glue failing your basically going to end up tearing the whole thing apart ( can you scream loud enough for the neighbors to hear when a board cracks cause just a little glue did hold?) , remove all the old glue, then modify the pieces because the wood has shrunk, and then after recutting, refitting, modifying gluing it all back together with the glue pot.

Unless he has alot of money to make it worth the hassle.

Thanks guys, great information! And thank you Mike for pointing out the pitfalls of doing it the ol timey way.

I wonder what the restorations experts use at the Smithsonian or other outfits like that? I wonder if they try to stay with the original methods or if the find a happy compromise using our modern glues and finishes we have available. Time for some in depth research!!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker

Tite Bond makes a hide glue in a bottle. Never used it but I've heard good things about it. 

I have a friend who does some really spectacular marquetry and he uses hide glue exclusively, not only in adhering the veneers but also in construction of the project. In fact, I have one of his boxes and it's joints (all 45s with no keys) show no indication of failing. He uses the hot glue, not the bottled stuff.

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Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Yes.  I  use hide glue.  It's easy peasy and you really can ignore all the tomes written by self proclaimed experts  and endless nonsense that clogs up the internet endlessly making hide glue seem liker you need  PhDs in  molecular biology and chemistry to understand it. 

Get some hide glue   251 gram strength is a great general purpose glue.  There are different strengths  and you can ignore them.

Shove it in water.

How much water?

Follow the directions or do what I do wing it by eye.

You will need to let it soak over night

Get a consistency you like I prefer something between molasses and maple syrup when heated to 145F

You can add water to it to thin it. Taking water away is sort of difficult.

 When gluing: Keep the glue warm, but don't over heat it (that'll wreck it). 145F is the target.  I don't use a  temp controlled pot, I use my hands and the consistency of the glue to gauge temperature.  I use a double boiler type set up.  I have a yard sale miniature ceramic  pot that looks like a novelty from a Boston Baked Bean company  I place that in another yard sale item a metal pot with some water in it and all of that goes  on a yard sale electric countertop heater that I set to low low low.

I keep telling myself that I'm going to build a glue pot but I never build it.

Apply the glue like any other glue and stick the parts together.  Clamping is often optional as it sets up so fast that you prolly won't get it fully clamped in time anyway.

Mostly I use Titebond but there's times when there is nothing so nice as hide glue.

It is not good at gap filling, so the more closely the joinery fits the better.

Another thing about hide glue: It is sensitive to mold.  Leave your glue on the bench for a few days and you may see mold growing on it.   You can pick it off and use the glue but  mold is eating the glue and that can't be good.

I've used EDTA to try to stamp down on mold development.  EDTA binds specifically to minerals thus removing them from the food chain and mold can't  live without minerals.  Adjusting the EDTA just right is not something I've yet accomplished so I usually end up with way more than needed.

Lots of guys just toss their glue in the fridge overnight.  I don't have a fridge in the shop.