Shop Tour 2020

Thanks for the suggestion Willard! Though I’m not sure I’m the right person to address those questions. While I have used hot hide glue for about 20 years now, I’m not necessarily a hide glue scholar. In fact, based on your question/comment alone, I’d say that you are likely much more qualified than me to answer those questions as you’ve likely done more research into it than I have.

I have made liquid hide glue using salt, a la Don Williams’ method – 1 part salt, 2 parts glue granules, 3 parts water. I’ve not used urea personally, but I’ve heard enough anecdotal evidence of its use that I don’t doubt it works (I think Patrick Edwards uses urea to make Old Brown Glue). As for gram strengths, I’ve only ever used 192 and 251 as they’re all I’ve ever needed for the work that I do. I’ve also never added any of the ingredients purported to make the glue water resistant.

My late friend Stephen Shepherd did a lot of experimentation with hide glue and wrote a book about it that discusses a lot of these things. I’ve never done any of the experimenting myself other than using it hot for general woodworking and hammer veneering, reversing it several times as a result of a mistake during glue up, or making my own liquid hide glue as noted above.