How to remove hide glue from wood. Complicated glue ups that require longer open time working time would be made simpler using hide glue. After fitting first cramp the board to the neck dry with 3 cramps making sure that the board is absolutely straight and where you want it in every respect then remove the bottom two cramps and insert glue with a palette knife then replace those two cramps. I make my own using urea to render the pearl granules liquid at just above room temperature. Tips and tricks for softening hide glue or old formulations of carpenters wood glue.
Its dependable strength and durability made it a choice for making fine furniture for centuries. Any kind of joint that fits tight and would be hard to clamp together ifwhen the wood swells using pva glue then hide glue may be the ticket. Removing old glue from furniture tips and tricks for softening hide glue or old formulations of carpenters wood glue. You can also watch veneering columns to see how reversibility can be used as a asset to a process.
Hide glue was once the most widely used woodworking adhesive. I add a tiny drop of cedar wood oil to each batch and this greatly reduces the smell. Glue smears are common and the only real solution is to sand them off. Glue smears are typically caused by fingers.
Simple explanation and example on how hide glue works and how to use its reversibility potential. But before sanding its sometimes possible to remove a smear by softening it with acetone. If you can wait overnight put vaseline on the glue and gently pry it off with your fingers the next day. While it has been largely displaced in the furniture industry by pva glues it is still used by guitar and violin makers.
Alcohol will crystallize hide glue enabling the joints to be tapped apart. April 24 2012. Liquid hide glue is my first choice for all my woodwork followed closely by hot hide glue.