Hide Glue

[Worldway]

I was wondering if anyone uses hide glue or Old Brown Glue and what their opinion is of it.  I did do a forum search on the topic and found a couple of older discussions but nothing current.

 

I see that it is a reversible glue in the sense that parts can be unglued using heat and water.  I thought that might be a benefit to someone like me who tends to do a lot of rework.

 

I know there is a downside to hide glue, whereby it has to be heated.  Apparently, and correct me if I’m wrong, Old Brown Glue is basically a hide glue that doesn’t need to be preheated.  I also read that hide glue tends to shrink when drying effectively pulling the parts together tighter.

 

Just wondering if this might be something worth considering.

[Jaager]

I am just speculating, but  Old Brown and Franklin hide glues are convenient because they are used at room temp.  The downside is that the water concentration has to be high enough to produce unwanted side effects in the wood being glued.   If you are serious, you might oughta pay the price of the hassle of a glue pot.   The water concentration is just enough to get a fluid - if you do it correctly.

I break my rules this one time and use a man made synthetic -PVA  - because a hot pot is too much extra work.

[Bob Cleek]

3 hours ago, Jaager said:

I am just speculating, but  Old Brown and Franklin hide glues are convenient because they are used at room temp.  The downside is that the water concentration has to be high enough to produce unwanted side effects in the wood being glued.   If you are serious, you might oughta pay the price of the hassle of a glue pot.   The water concentration is just enough to get a fluid - if you do it correctly.

I break my rules this one time and use a man made synthetic -PVA  - because a hot pot is too much extra work.

One of these smaller sized "crock pots" ("slow cookers") would serve for keeping hide glue heated, wouldn't it? No need to spring for a Lee Valley or Garret Wade $150 model, right?   0.65 qt slow cooker warmer, fondue pot set,chocolate melting pot (amazon.com) 

 

 

[bruce d]

8 hours ago, Worldway said:

I was wondering if anyone uses hide glue or Old Brown Glue

 

8 hours ago, Worldway said:

 

I see that it is a reversible glue in the sense that parts can be unglued using heat and water

Do you have a particular project or task in mind?

Titebond makes a room-temperature hide glue that makes life simple, you may have trouble finding it but try luthier suppliers such as Timberline hereintheUK. If the reversible quality is what you are after perhaps home-made rice glue is the answer. There is a thread somewhere discussing it.

HTH 

Bruce 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  I only used hide glue for veneering.  I mixed my own from granular hide glue (indefinite shelf life), and it does have to be heated.  Old -time wood workers used it for furniture joints, typically tongue and groove - as well as veneering.  It may not be practical for modeling use - just as the old-time bookbinders' flour & water paste has been superseded by water soluble PVA. 

[druxey]

Titebond glues are also heat-reversible. I coat both the veneer and substrate with this, allow it to dry, then heat-bond the layers using an iron. A lot simpler than the alchemy of glue pots - and the odour!