Titebond liquid hide glue and shelf life

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I have a bottle of the liquid hide glue, and I admit it's probably 10 years old. I used it so that I'd I DID need to, I could repair it.
Making a smaller cabinet top. Jointed the wood, used my hand planes to finish the smoothing, adjusted the joints to dead tight.
Into the clamps with the liquid hide glue, came back 3 hours later, release the clamps - and one section is not holding; in fact, the whole piece wants to come off and the glue is still tacky.
Now, I suspect the glue is too old and won't hold. Just wanted a confirmation of my suspicions by someone more knowledgeable.

[Ralph Boumenot]

If my memory is correct, liquid hide glue in a bottle - Titebond - has a 1 shelf life.

[lowell holmes]

Please define "1 shelf life".

I have tight bond that is at least 12 months old. it still works.

[Stewie Simpson]

Please define "1 shelf life".

I have tight bond that is at least 12 months old. it still works.

Most adhesives manufacturers stamp an official shelf life on their products to limit liability in case poor storage conditions cause product failure. The stated shelf life of wood glue typically is one to two years. However, the expected shelf life of many glues typically stretches well past those few years. For example, store a bottle of white or yellow wood glue (polyvinyl acetate, or PVA glue) in optimum conditions, and it can last 10 years or longer. This goes for our popular Titebond® Original, Titebond II and Titebond III PVA glues, too.

http://blog.titebond.com/page/how-to...or-longer-life

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Everything has a shelf life. Trying some on a test scrap is not a bad idea.

[Phil Mueller]

One year. And that may be shorter depending how long the bottle sat on the shelf. Titebond has started to put a date of their bottles. While I’ve had good luck with the stuff, others here have posted failures from new bottles. One test I’ve seen somewhere, is to put a drop on your thumb and using your index finger, press and open against the glue. If it forms strings (kinda like spider web strands), it’s good to go.

[Curt Harms]

Everything has a shelf life. Trying some on a test scrap is not a bad idea.

And not just with hide glue. I write the purchase date on every glue container when I bring it home. That doesn't account for time in the warehouse and on the shelf but at least it's something.

[Doug Dawson]

And not just with hide glue. I write the purchase date on every glue container when I bring it home. That doesn't account for time in the warehouse and on the shelf but at least it's something.

What really trips is when you buy something that somebody previously returned after having it sit on their shelf at home for several years. (I'm looking at you, BORG!)

[Warren Mickley]

Ground hide glue is better in every way. It last indefinitely in the dry state.

[Bob Glenn]

Yes, hot hide glue is better, but it is very hard to use on some glue ups. You have to be quick!

[chris carter]

Put some glue on a piece of paper and make a very thin smear with your finger. Put the paper in the over at 170F for 17 minutes. Let it cool an hour. Then bend the paper. If the glue bends, then it’s bad. If it crackles, then it’s still good. If stored in a cool basement the Titebond stuff supposedly can potentially last 10 years.

I personally find the lack of not always knowing if the glue is good really annoying. And they don’t put a manufacture date on the stuff. So periodically I do that test to make sure it’s okay. But it did convert me over to hot hide glue because then you ALWAYS know it’s good. I make a batch, pour it into a silicon ice cube mold, and then store the cubes in a container in the freezer. You can extend the working time by adding salt when you heat it up in the pot.

[Charles Guest]

Liquid hide glue is wonderful stuff, but its shelf life is one year, tops. If you're getting close, buy a new bottle of glue. Why take a chance with a four dollar bottle of glue on a project build with $100s of dollars worth of wood and $1,000s of dollars (usually) in tools, not to mention your own time.

There is a manufacturing date code on Franklin LHG and Patrick Edwards' glue comes with a date written on it by hand.

"According to Titbeond the codes were changed in 2009 to the following:

The first digit represents A for America (made in), the second digit is the last digit of the year of manufacture, the third and fourth digits represent the month, the fifth and sixth digits represent the day of the month, and the last four digits represent the lot number.

Example:

A904270023 - This material was manufactured on April 27, 2009"

This is an expensive hobby and can be a very exasperating and financially risky profession. If you're down to having to economise on glue, you might as well throw in the towel now before it gets worse.

[Stewie Simpson]

Stephen Shepherd wrote some excellent articles on using Liquid Hide Glue;

http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?p=2105

http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?p=4698

As to the recommended storage life of Liquid Hide Glue, Titebond states 24 months.

Storage Life
24 months in tightly closed containers at 75°F.http://www.titebond.com/product/glue...4-c47daa20f8ed

[David L Morse]

Stephen Shepherd wrote some excellent articles on using Liquid Hide Glue;

http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?p=2105

http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?p=4698

As to the recommended storage life of Liquid Hide Glue, Titebond states 24 months.

Thank you Stewie. Expiration dates can be useful but it's hard to beat an actual freshness test.

[Curt Harms]

Stephen Shepherd wrote some excellent articles on using Liquid Hide Glue;

http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?p=2105

http://www.fullchisel.com/blog/?p=4698

As to the recommended storage life of Liquid Hide Glue, Titebond states 24 months.

I'm pretty sure storage conditions affect liquid hide glue, maybe more than other glues. I keep mine in a cool dry basement and have done some test glue-ups. About 24 months seems right IME.