# scotch glue



## jim1950

Who is still using hot scotch glue?


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## dzj

Guilty.


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## dickm

Occasionally. I do bits of antique restoration, and my rubric is to use Scotch glue if repairing old glued joints, but modern glues if it's repairing breaks in the actual timber. Seems rational!


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## Droogs

When I'm doing work, it's about all I use for proper pieces in "real wood" including veneer facing mdf. If structural mdf parts, then it's PU


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## JimB

I still use it but with Droogs' provisos.


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## dzj

Panel glue ups with a rub joint. No clamps/ cramps.
Veneering also. You just need an iron and a veneer hammer.
No vacuum bags, presses, clamps, cauls. No worries about bleed through.
Never used liquid hide glue. Nor have I added urea or salt to increase open time.
When I need more time, I opt for regular PVA or some such.


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## mrpercysnodgrass

As an antique furniture restorer it is my go to glue, I also use fish glue quite a lot and rarely use PVA.


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## Exluthier

We know that hide glue is still holding together furniture and instruments that are hundreds of years old; the evidence speaks for itself.

Modern composite materials though? I use a modern glue ...


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## Frank House

jim1950 said:


> Who is still using hot scotch glue?


I use modern glues quite a lot, but scotch glue still has a place for suitable jobs (to keep in practice, and where appearance, smell etc are not a problem). I prefer its upmarket relative hot hide glue for really important jobs where water resistance is not needed but repairability is.


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## thetyreman

is there a difference between scotch glue and hide glue?


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## CaptainBudget

thetyreman said:


> is there a difference between scotch glue and hide glue?



One's made from whiskey, the other is a pig to locate once it's in your workshop...


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## John Brown

CaptainBudget said:


> One's made from whiskey, the other is a pig to locate once it's in your workshop...


That's Irish or American glue.
Scotch glue is made from whisky.


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## Adam W.

thetyreman said:


> is there a difference between scotch glue and hide glue?


Yes. Scotch glue is pearlised animal bits and bobs. Hide glue is granulated animal hide.

Hide glue tends to be clearer and have a higher gram strength. It's also more expensive.


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## Ozi

CaptainBudget said:


> One's made from whiskey, the other is a pig to locate once it's in your workshop...


I know it's a mess but I don't think I could loose a pig in my workshop


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## TRITON

You mean glue ?


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## CaptainBudget

John Brown said:


> That's Irish or American glue.
> Scotch glue is made from whisky.



****ing Autocorrect!


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## JohnPW

From Oxford English Dictionary:

_"Scotch glue n. animal glue of a type originally made in Scotland, and traditionally used in furniture restoration, carpentry, etc.

1826 Hull Packet 18 Apr. 5 Tons Transparent Scotch Glue.
1907 R. L. Fernbach Glues & Gelatine v. 96 Scotch Glue.—Several samples of this variety of glue have come to the writer's notice, one made in England, another produced in France.
2003 P. Brett Wood Occupations i. 47 Animal glue—Also known as Scotch glue. Made from animal hides and bones... These glues are supplied in cake form and must be broken up, soaked and heated before use."_


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## Droogs

I've always taken Scotch glue to be bone based glue from all animals used in agriculture and hide to be made from cow hide only. As each of the various "natural" glues have very different gram strength, they are used for different purposes within a piece of furniture. For instance a veneered and inlaid credenza with boule marquetry panels could have had as much as 4 different types of animal glue used in the making. Or a picture frame such as @Adam W. is working on could have the same as a rabbit glue would be used or even fish glue for the gilding and hide for the frame and scotch glue for sticking on carvings etc. 

There is a fantastic pamplet done by the US dept of Agriculture as part of the knowledge series about forrestry, farming and related trades they produced during WW2 as part of the war effort. The leaflet is all about animal glues and how to use them by gram rating. I can't find it just now but if I remember will try later


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## Adam W.

I'd really like to see that pamphlet Droogs.

From what I know about gram strengths of glues, which is limited in practice to rabbit skin glue only, is that it is one of the stronger glues with a gram strength of 360.

I'm using it for everything on the frame which is glued, but vary the glue : water ratio, which is what I imagine would have happened in the day, but I could be wrong.

For gilding it's 1:10
For applying stucco it's 3:10
For veneering I used 3:10, but found that it had an almost instant grab, so I had to be spot on with the laying on of the veneer.

Which type of animal glue the Venetians used in 1500 is another question and worth asking.

I've read that a gram strength of around 190 is better for veneer and hope to find a glue which will give me this. Although I have some hare glue which is pearlised bits of rabbit, quite why it's called hare glue I'm not sure, but it's cloudy and I imagine not as strong.


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## Droogs

currently stuck in hospital but will try to find it once I get home


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## Adam W.

Droogs said:


> currently stuck in hospital but will try to find it once I get home



Oh, sorry to hear that.


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