Hide Glue in Your Cupbord?

[Jim Koepke]

Though it may be mixed with sugar and food coloring.

Gummy bears and gummy worms were used to make a hide glue and it seems to work.

It is the subject of two posts, first the trial:

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2022/1...e-gas-station/

Followed by the result:

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2022/1...mmy-bear-glue/

Looks like it might be a way to come up with a little glue for the shop. Stores still sell gelatin like Knox Gelatin. I used to have a neighbor who mixed it up as a drink to make her nails stronger. Not sure if it worked, but this was back in the 1950s.

jtk

[John Keeton]

I admit this is really intriguing, but I can’t help but think - “is it only body heat and the moisture in the innards that keeps one from getting an horrendous case of constipation????”

Granular hide glue is pretty cheap, so I will probably stick with that. I’m afraid my grandkids would quickly consume my “gummies” if I switch!

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Gummy bears sound like a much tastier place to start than fish skin. One of my bow making books tells about a Native American glue recipe that starts with the chewing of a mouthful of Sturgeon body parts for a day or two. It was considered a big honor and the Tribe Matriarch was responsible for teaching the youngsters to make fish glue.

[Daniel Culotta]

I read these too, and grabbed a couple of packets of Knox gelatin at the store to try to make liquid glue with (water, gelatin, salt). I don’t think it’ll be cheap enough to make it worth a wholesale switch, but good to know in a pinch if it works, plus a fun experiment. I’ll report back with results.

[Chuck Hill]

Granular hide glue is pretty cheap, so I will probably stick with that. I’m afraid my grandkids would quickly consume my “gummies” if I switch!

Save money by giving them the granular glue to chew on! "Grandpa's candy taste awful!"

[John Keeton]

Save money by giving them the granular glue to chew on! "Grandpa's candy taste awful!"

Chuck, all I gotta do is throw in a bit of sugar and it should be fine!!

[Jim Koepke]

I admit this is really intriguing, but I can’t help but think - “is it only body heat and the moisture in the innards that keeps one from getting an horrendous case of constipation????”

Granular hide glue is pretty cheap, so I will probably stick with that. I’m afraid my grandkids would quickly consume my “gummies” if I switch!

If you have Amazon Prime, this may be cheaper if it is all you need > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IE65OI4...pa_dk_detail_1

If you purchase 5 pounds, it is a bit cheaper.

The big difference is with commercial hide glue there is going to be a strength rating, the food grade gelatin will not have such a rating.

jtk

[Mel Fulks]

Granular hide glue is pretty cheap, so I will probably stick with that. I’m afraid my grandkids would quickly consume my “gummies” if I switch![/QUOTE] John Keeton

A couple of old timers I worked with would only use real hide glue bought in flakes . Not the ground up kind. Like wine-0’s ,they wanted to
see the clarity. But the rabbit glue clearly has the best clarity. Was bought in sheets that looked like textured plastic.

[Jim Koepke]

Granular hide glue is pretty cheap, so I will probably stick with that. I’m afraid my grandkids would quickly consume my “gummies” if I switch!

John Keeton

A couple of old timers I worked with would only use real hide glue bought in flakes . Not the ground up kind. Like wine-0’s ,they wanted to
see the clarity. But the rabbit glue clearly has the best clarity. Was bought in sheets that looked like textured plastic.[/QUOTE]

Rabbit skin glue is used (or used to be) by people doing gold leaf on many non-glass surfaces. On glass a gelitan capsule was melted in hot water. That would be enough to hold it on glass.

I believe rabbit skin glue is also used on glass to cause it to chip. When the glue shrinks it pulls off hunks of glass. Years ago you might see this at a bank counter.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

I’ve thought about trying hide glue on pinned M&T joinery. Thanks for the reminder.

[John Keeton]

If you have Amazon Prime, this may be cheaper if it is all you need > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IE65OI4...pa_dk_detail_1

If you purchase 5 pounds, it is a bit cheaper.

The big difference is with commercial hide glue there is going to be a strength rating, the food grade gelatin will not have such a rating.

jtk

Jim, I pay about $19 shipped for 192 granular hide glue. I can get about 16-17 chairs out of a pound.

[Arnold E Schnitzer]

I've experimented with avocado as a glue. The genesis of the idea was trying to get dried avocado off dishes and utensils. I build string instruments and of course work with hot hide glue. The avocado experiment was pretty successful, though tongue-in-cheek.

[Rob Luter]

Jim, I pay about $19 shipped for 192 granular hide glue. I can get about 16-17 chairs out of a pound.

I understand that hide glue is the historically accurate sticky stuff for chairs but in retrospect I’ve repaired a whole bunch of antique chairs where the glue dried out and the joints let go. The solution was always to disassemble, scrape, and reglue with PVA. Is there an advantage to hide glue other than historical accuracy and a generous open time?

[Mel Fulks]

I think the only things really requiring hide glue are music instruments. Especially the bowed instruments. They say the makers would
glue the backs on with strong glue and the tops with weaker glue. Bowed instruments are usually opened at top ,not back, when needing
improvement while being tested by the maker ,or for repair.

[Jim Koepke]

Another update from LAP on the gummy glue > https://blog.lostartpress.com/2022/1...m-glue-update/

jtk