Hide Glue quick enough for Joinery (box and dovetail joints)?

[Nick Sorenson]

I'm curious to the hide glue users here, do you find that it's quick enough for joints (box and dovetails)?

Seems like the working time (cooling of the glue) would be too fast for realistically applying the glue through the fingers/dovetails and executing the joint.

Curious if/how some have worked around this problem.

[Rob Young]

I'm curious to the hide glue users here, do you find that it's quick enough for joints (box and dovetails)?

Seems like the working time (cooling of the glue) would be too fast for realistically applying the glue through the fingers/dovetails and executing the joint.

Curious if/how some have worked around this problem.

Are you asking if it set fast enough in your first sentence and then arguing against it because it sets too fast? I'm confused by the question. Since hot hide glue has been around for a little while, it obviously can be used for such joints.

Hot hide glue does set somewhat quickly but you can moderate this with a touch of urea or other additives in the glue or heat the work piece or both. On a small box, you can always apply the glue, close up the joints and then re-heat with a heat-gun. I've never tried doing that on a whole box but it did work for me on a single joint that I didn't get closed before it started to set.

Liquid hide glue has plenty of urea in it (at least the Tightbond brand, not sure what Old Brown uses to increase open time). Both work fine for complicated glue-ups where you need the extra open time. Both respond to heat to thin the glue for application.

[Frank Drew]

Nick,

I used hot glue (hide glue from a water jacket glue pot) exclusively during my three year furnituremaking apprenticeship, and generations of cabinetmakers used it before me and many still do. As you note, once it cools it no longer holds, so you've got to have a plan and have everything ready and work really quickly, particularly for complex glue ups like larger casework. It's because of hot glue that glue ups are considered controlled chaos. But you don't have to be finicky about applying the glue since cleanup is so easy -- most just slather it on with a brush and knock the joint together.

It really helps to have a warmish workshop, and wait to glue up until the wood has warmed up a bit.

[Alan Schwabacher]

Because hide glue does not mess up finishing as do other glues, there's another option. For drawer dovetails, I have heard of people who dip the pins into the hot hide glue, then quickly push the joint together while the glue still behaves as a lubricant. I have not done it this way, but it sounds very fast and efficient.