Is Lee Valley Hide Glue Any Good?

talk to lj’s (shipwright) he has worked with hyde glues a lot and does a lot of marquetry using veneers.

-- working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Are you referring to their Antique Restorer’s Veneer Hide Glue?

$17 per pound is far from inexpensive. Compare that to Old Brown Glue’s store where a pound is $10 and it goes down to around $8 per pound in quantity.

-- Half of what we read or hear about finishing is right. We just don’t know which half! — Bob Flexner

Are you referring to their Antique Restorer s Veneer Hide Glue?
- Rich

Yup that’s the stuff:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/glue/20002-antique-restorers-veneer-hide-glue

$17 per pound is far from inexpensive. Compare that to Old Brown Glue s store where a pound is $10 and it goes down to around $8 per pound in quantity.

- Rich

Thanks for putting me onto this. I hadn’t seen it before. Unfortunately to get a pound shipped to me (Canada) it’ll be 52USD after shipping (but before whatever customs charges me) making it about $68CAD for a pound. Lee Valley is still looking pretty cheep to me but I see your point. Do you use this? If so what does it cost you to get it shipped?

Thanks again

I know all about shipping glue from California to Canada. Last time I bought from Patrick (ASFM) the shipping was more than the glue.
To answer your question, it’s fine but I would recommend the 150 gm strength over the 260. The 260 will be stronger which doesn’t mean much but it will also give you a quite a bit shorter open time and will be more brittle.
I like the 192 gram from Milligan and Higgins but that gets into the shipping issue. Unless you are using it for lutherie I would go with the 150 gm strength.

-- Paul M ..............the early bird may get the worm but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese! http://thecanadianschooloffrenchmarquetry.com/

192 gram is the preferred strength, open time etc. for lutherie. Paul is certainly correct on the 260. Some folks add urea to the 260 to increase open time. This takes some experience as it can have negative effects on the glue.

-- Darrel

I know all about shipping glue from California to Canada. Last time I bought from Patrick (ASFM) the shipping was more than the glue.
To answer your question, it’s fine but I would recommend the 150 gm strength over the 260. The 260 will be stronger which doesn’t mean much but it will also give you a quite a bit shorter open time and will be more brittle.
- shipwright

Thanks a bunch Paul, I’ll give it a go. Also, I love your vice bench! I’ve been eyeing it for a while and am halfway through building my own :)

Some folks add urea to the 260 to increase open time. This takes some experience as it can have negative effects on the glue.

- Foghorn

That’s interesting, I’m going to start with just the glue but will keep this in mind if I need option with open times. Thanks :)

Funny you should mention my bench. Yesterday after all this time I had occasion for the first time to use the two wagon vices together as intended. Just in case someone thinks I’m off topic, the panel is assembled with ~180 gram HHG some of it with rub joints.

-- Paul M ..............the early bird may get the worm but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese! http://thecanadianschooloffrenchmarquetry.com/

Funny you should mention my bench. Yesterday after all this time I had occasion for the first time to use the two wagon vices together as intended. Just in case someone thinks I’m off topic, the panel is assembled with ~180 gram HHG some of it with rub joints.

- shipwright

paul this is lj’s,there is no “off” topic.every thread goes off topic at one point,it’s a given-lol.

-- working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Funny you should mention my bench. Yesterday after all this time I had occasion for the first time to use the two wagon vices together as intended. Just in case someone thinks I’m off topic, the panel is assembled with ~180 gram HHG some of it with rub joints.

- shipwright

Looking good Paul!

-- Darrel

Getting back on topic, is there a particular use for hide glue? I’m totally ignorant and this is an opp for a brief tutorial…

-- Bstrom

Getting back on topic, is there a particular use for hide glue? I’m totally ignorant and this is an opp for a brief tutorial…

- Bstrom

Paul has had the most extensive use and experience but I’ll throw my more limited experience out in a truncated form so he doesn’t have to always reply. :) Pros: 1. Hot hide is extremely strong, stronger than the wood like the majority of wood glues. 2. Hot hide glue is glass hard and won’t creep like the majority of wood glues including epoxies over time and if particularly, in a stressed joint. 3. Hot hide glue is able to be released using a combination of heat and moisture. Heat alone will not cause it to release. This is what gives a great advantage for musical instruments during a “hot car event” which will cause many modern wood glues to release. (Instrument builder, sorry). 4. Adhesion: Hot hide has been known to take away glass chips when trying to scrape it from a glass surface. It also will adhere to itself when old hide glue exists in the ,rare instance within this group, of a failed joint. :). It doesn’t need to be totally cleaned from the surface like a PVA as PVA will not adhere to old PVA. Cons: 1. Short open time. Joints need to be prepped and ready. A hair dryer or heat gun as well as a warmer environment helps to extend open time. 2. That’s about it. Hide glue is still the best! :)

-- Darrel

Pretty well said.
Then there is the fact that you can make rub joints that don’t require clamps
... and that you can hammer veneer without using any clamps or press
.... and that the glue (fresh or cured) can be cleaned up with water and won’t block your finish
.... and that if you spill a bunch on your bench (don’t ask) you can just wait for it to gel and then scrape it up and put it back in the pot.
... and the fact that if you have a failure in a veneer job because you weren’t quick enough you can press it with a hot caul and it’s better than new.

... I’m getting tired. What was the question again?

-- Paul M ..............the early bird may get the worm but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese! http://thecanadianschooloffrenchmarquetry.com/