How to Prepare & Use Hide Glue

This episode originally aired on February 3, 2013.
It's Get Woodworking Week 2013, and that means that it's time once again to do our part to promote woodworking and grow the craft. Of course this should be a year long activity, but this week, we really focus on newcomers and rank beginners to the craft. Today, I want to talk about an often misunderstood part of traditional woodworking, hot hide glue. Contrary to what some would have us believe, hot hide glue is not complicated to use and is actually very forgiving. You also don't need expensive glue pots to use it. You can of course buy one, and they do work wonderfully well, but you shouldn't think that they are necessary to use this glue. In fact, you can get started with little more expense than the glue itself. An empty jelly jar heated in a sauce pan of water on the stove top will work just fine. You can also use an inexpensive hot pot and an empty glass jar, an old cast iron glue pot like I use (about $10 on ebay), and any number of other creative solutions to heat the glue. Whatever you choose to use to heat it, here's how to go about it.

[@TheSMEAC]

Bob, I always find myself going back and rewatching/listening to your content. I think it’s remarkable that there’s not been any of your content I haven’t learned from and which I don’t return to revisit/refresh my mind. ❤

[@daveyespo]

Mr Rozaieski, you are a born teacher. I so glad I stumbled on this channel. Thank you!

[@mathewbjones]

For anyone looking for a cheap and easy alternative to a double boiler (which I failed to find in the UK), I've been mixing up my glue in a glass jar with a sealable lid and then standing it on a USB coffee cup warmer. Leave it for about 30 minutes and then take off the lid and it's ready to use. Most coffee cup warmers will hold about about 140f - 60c.

[@emmanuel-stone]

I recommend a wax warmer, used for cosmetic waxing. It works perfectly :)

[@khyberali9738]

best video on hide glue.

[@tchaptchapcharles2758]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the public.❤👍👍👍😘

[@annedromeda9857]

Delightful, thank you.

[@wildfeather]

Great. Helped clear up a few questions. Thanks for sharing!

[@andrewwedman3953]

Good introduction. I have used hot hide glue for some projects and it works well. Use a baby bottle warmer to keep the glue at a constant temperature. Listen for the sound of the glue when you stir it. If it makes small clicks, then it is usually just right in consistency and temperature. To help take a joint apart, it was suggested in addition to warmth and moisture to add a drop of alcohol. (I have never needed to try this).

[@hughgilchrist5463]

As a cabinet maker many years ago 70s I had forgot how to make hide glue as i have a wooden table leg snap on me so the first thing I thought of was hide glue because I don’t think modern glues are not as good so I put a search out in untuned and there you were thank you for explaining the procedure of how to make hide glue you explained it perfectly xxxxx 5 star thank you

[@therealvaliantthor]

Thanks for posting, great info!

[@sinaTonewood]

useful video, hide glue is really great wood glue but forgotten in today carpenter-nary

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@derekdiamond1977]

I read that you just need cold water, it does not need to be heated, is that true?

[@briansmith9698]

Bob Rozaieski could I use a pot and add granules and water to the pot make it over stove?

[@BobRozaieskiFineWoodworking]

You can do it directly in the pot, but you run the risk of burning the glue. I’d suggest putting the glue and water in a clean glass jar, then putting the jar in a pot of water on the stove. Doing so creates the same double boiler system as a traditional glue pot.

[@christkandosii3337]

Can I mix the stuff hot? I want to use sinew you to fix an arrow. My thing is that I don’t have a hot pot right now, I’m a young man and while I have a job my resources are tight. Anyways can I just take some hot boiling water off the stove and pour it over the granules, maybe that are already wet with some cold water just to get them wet, then pour the hot water on top of it. I work fast I can finish the project?

[@BobRozaieskiFineWoodworking]

Tyler Finn You don’t need a dedicated glue pot. Get yourself an empty glass jar and add some glue granules and cold water to the jar. Then get a small saucepan from the kitchen, put some water in the saucepan and put it on the stove on low heat. Put the jar in the saucepan and bring everything up to temperature nice and slow. When the glue is ready, you can just take the jar out of the saucepan to wherever you need to use it.

[@jamesbond-us9vb]

3

[@thomasarussellsr]

The title says how to prepare and use. You didn't use it?

[@Gershwin48]

The trouble here is that you employed a cast iron cup assembly I’ve never seen and probably never will. If you started with a set up that is cobbled together with easily found items, it would be much better. If I don’t have your cast iron rig will I be searching for the same temperature sensation or something else? A close-up showing viscosity would help. C’mon.

[@BobRozaieskiFineWoodworking]

Just use a saucepan and an old glass jar. Same thing.

[@johnt.willette2630]

I thought I heard you to say, the "outer pot gets FILLED with water, the inner pot with glue, etc... If you 'FILL' it with water won't inserting the inner pot make it flow over??

[@BobRozaieskiFineWoodworking]

Not as long as you don't over fill it.

[@mrjoeyman]

OMG, grow up people. Good vid, thanks.