Double Bass Mixing hide glue

[Groove Theory]

Hey folks, so I got some of this hide glue to fix a small joint separation:

http://www.amazon.com/Hide-Glue-Instruments-Furniture-MusiCaravan/dp/B00K1JTMHW/

but there are no specific instructions with it, that front label in the pic on amazon is all there is.

I mixed it 50:50 with distilled water as I've done with other glues (maybe slightly more water than perfectly 50:50, but it was pretty close, I used graduated beakers to do the mixing so if I was off it wasn't by much) but it seemed just a little on the runny side to me once it was fully warmed up. it worked fine to fix the separation, the joint seems pretty solid now, so I'm not too concerned with that. But just wondering if anyone has any experience mixing with this specific brand for future reference since I've got a bunch of it left I'll probably be using it as needed until I run out.

Thanks!

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

First, $16 for a pound of glue granules is excessive. Metropolitan Music charges $10 for 500 grams (1.1 pounds). I hate to see people overpay.

Did you mix the glue and water by VOLUME or by WEIGHT? By weight is correct, and you want the glue to be a little runny at 140 degrees so it gets all the way down into the open seam. Is there a reason you used distilled water? I use (heavily chlorinated) tap water.

 

[Groove Theory]

yeah, it might be a bit expensive, but for something that'll last me years, and I needed it quickly, I'm not too concerned about a few dollars this time, I'll keep metro music's in mind for the future for sure, thanks for the info on that.

I mixed it by volume, I'll do it by weight next time that's likely the reason. it wasn't excessively runny, but just a little more than I expected at 140*.

the tap water where I live is pretty hard water. I'd rather spend an extra $1 to get distilled and know that it's pure than be unsure on it. its just my OCD with stuff like this.

 

[kdrabbit]

I usually get hide glue from StewMac, costs $17/lb. Also, for great explanation on the use of hide glue refer to Frank Ford's great descriptions on the frets.com website ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed]). My hide glue recipe is similar to what Frank refers to.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Hey folks, so I got some of this hide glue to fix a small joint separation:
http://www.amazon.com/Hide-Glue-Instruments-Furniture-MusiCaravan/dp/B00K1JTMHW/
but there are no specific instructions with it, that front label in the pic on amazon is all there is.
I mixed it 50:50 with distilled water as I've done with other glues (maybe slightly more water than perfectly 50:50, but it was pretty close, I used graduated beakers to do the mixing so if I was off it wasn't by much) but it seemed just a little on the runny side to me once it was fully warmed up. it worked fine to fix the separation, the joint seems pretty solid now, so I'm not too concerned with that. But just wondering if anyone has any experience mixing with this specific brand for future reference since I've got a bunch of it left I'll probably be using it as needed until I run out.

Thanks!

Luthier's Mercantile has a good description of how to use hide glue, as does Frank Ford on frets.com

http://www.lmii.com/products/finishing/adhesives/granular-hide-glue

$15.99 shipped is very similar to Luthier's $10.00 plus shipping - no big deal.

Distilled water isn't a bad idea at all, especially if you have very hard water.

When I started using hide I used to sweat the mix but not any more. It gets thick as it sits around in the pot waiting for me to use it and so I just add some more water. If it gets too runny, I wait a few minutes for some of the water to evaporate.

 

[Groove Theory]

yeah, what Frank Ford described is almost exactly what I did except I measured by volume rather than weight, next time I'll do it by weight for sure. I also used a small brush and also a syringe to inject a little glue down into the separation, worked pretty well.

I tuned it up today and checked everything out, looks like the seam is holding very well, can't really tell it was ever separating in the first place.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I was discouraged from using a syringe, and taught to flex the plate back and forth to wick glue down into the open seam.

 

[Groove Theory]

oh yeah, I wouldn't do that, I never said the syringe was a replacement for properly working the adhesive in. Really I don't see the problem with a syringe vs any other kind of delivery method like brush or otherwise as long as it is properly prepared, worked in, clamped, etc. especially with a water based glue, other adhesives like epoxy maybe not as much but I'd never use epoxy in a luthiery project . In my instance we're talking about a small separation MAYBE 3" in length, and maybe 1/32" wide at the most. the combo of syringe and small brush (and working the glue in) was an excellent delivery mehtod, definitely better than a brush alone for such a small gap.

its not my first time woodworking, not even my first instrument I've worked on or built, I just have never needed to repair my DB, and don't use hide glue in my other projects, hence the mixing question.

since we're kindof woodworking folk in this area, you might enjoy some of my other projects. here's my most recent luthiery project from a few years ago...not a DB, but I designed and built everything on this from raw materials:

and a somewhat recent non-luthiery project, my black walnut rocking chair, again designed, and built from scratch, even made the custom finish mix using equal parts pure tung oil, poly, and mineral spirits to make a nice hand rubbed look/feel but still very protective finish, its about the same as what people like the late Sam Maloof used.

 

[eh_train]

its not my first time woodworking,

That's quite an understatement. Nice work!

I think that you'll figure hide glue out without much difficulty...

Cheers,

Paul (Eh_train)

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Sucking glue up into a syringe costs you time. I've done just fine using my finger, a basting brush and the blade of my trusty pocketknife. Honestly, most of the time I knife it in and clean up the residue before it sets. I don't do pretty work, but it holds.

Nice-looking hippie sandwich, and that's a beautiful chair. Can I get one in cocobolo that's tall enough for me to sit in while I play my bass? I'm old and my back hurts...

 

[Groove Theory]

Thanks Paul!

'eh syringe takes pretty much the same amount of time, fractions of a second more maybe, completely negligible to the set time of the glue IME. though I suppose I do work in a hospital so maybe I'm just really familiar with using them quickly, but either way, I did have everything done, clamped, and residue cleaned up before it set too. Everyone will have their own method and what works for them, I say if it aint broke, why fix it 'eh? heh

Thanks, I wish I still could make a chair, a cocobolo playing chair/stool would be nice....at the time I built those my landlord had a very nice woodshop, he gave me a key and told me to go have fun, so I did. he had tons of really nice woodworking equipment, but he ended up moving a few years ago, and I've since moved, etc. so I don't have access to the tools I once did. I did buy a house recently with a nice area in the back yard I'm planning on building a woodshop on it, its on the to-do list of home improvements I need to work on. it'll just take some time to procure everything even after the shop is completed.