Water Resistance for Hot Hide Glue?

Re: Water Resistance for Hot Hide Glue?

Sgian Dubh

In Modern practical Joinery by George Ellis, he claims that a teaspoonful of powdered bichromate of potash (potass spelt Ellis's way) per half gallon of hide glue confers water resistance. I've also heard of exposing the glue to formaldehyde to make it more water resistant. I don't know if either suggestion truly work, but you asked, so there you are for what it's worth. Might be worth a bit of research on your part. Slainte.

Re: Water Resistance for Hot Hide Glue?

Rum

Near the bottom of this long lost (but thankfully saved) web page is an process that is purported to work with "alum" (aka aluminum sulfate or potassium - one may work better than the other - I don't know).

The naive adding of it to the glue pot reportedly renders the mix into a goober like substance that is at best difficult to clean out of the gluepot.

You might also look at casein glues although I'm currently unaware of any commercial ones (they may exist).

https://web.archive.org/web/20010609020446/http://www.dioptra.com/khill/articles/varnish.html

Re-quoted here for convenience and posterity.

"I found this method and adapted it from a book called Henley's Formulas. It can not be found in the section heading of glues or waterproof glues. Rather it is hidden somewhere in the book under another heading which I can't remember. In fact, the author describes the accident that caused the discovery but only as it related to something else.>

My method for making waterproof hide glue is as follows: make a super saturated solution of alum (aluminum sulfate). Next, take one teaspoon of this solution and add it to a quart of water. Then use this water to soften your glue granules. When the glue has absorbed what water it will, heat it and use it. You can not add more solution to the glue once it has been heated as it will cause the glue to coagulate into a single lump. But you can thin this "alumed" glue with tap water. I use a convex glass plate to cover my glue; it allows the condensate to drip back into the pot. Because of the presence of alum, this glue resists spoilage for some time. I find also that it can be allowed to cool, chilled and reheated several times before it begins to disintegrate."

Re: Water Resistance for Hot Hide Glue?

TomD

Thank you both, that does not sound all that appealing. It seems to be moreso a preservative, or overlap with it.

I think I will try to do it with regular hide glue first. I think they used to glue split cane fishing rods with hide glue, and for a variety of reasons pretty much got away with that. I was thinking of gluing on fletchings on arrows. Not in the traditional way it is done where people tie on the feathers. Just the modern way with a fletching jig. Hide would have a lot of advantages: I don't find some of the glues currently sold all that great, we are going through a replacement of solvents process; hide might work well on carbon where it would just wash off when restoring them; Hide is strong and stiff, and thermosetting; it sticks to just about anything; It is safe to use. The only downside would be moisture, but that is not present in all situation. Varnishing the bases might help. If the hide glue is fast and easy to use, then the extra minor step of protecting the bond would not be all that bad.