Hide Glue Q & A

[ubeaut]

The following is an email I received and the answer to it. I thought it might be of some interest.

DEAR SIR,

I AM RESTORING A TABLE WHICH HAS A DAMAGED LEG WHICH IS FITTED BY MEANS OF A DOVE TAIL CAN THE HIDE GLUE BE REMOVED TO ALLOW US TO REPAIR THE LEGS AND HOW WOULD WE DO THIS WITHOUT DAMAGING THE WOOOD.???

KIND REGARDS
MARK GREENBERG
SOUTH AFRICA.
--------------------------------------------
I guess Mark had to shout (use capitals) because South Africa is so far away
--------------------------------------------

Reply

Hi Mark

If the glue joint is still solidly ttached then it can be undone by injecting ethanol into the joint and then giving it a sharp tap whit a mallet.

To remove the old hide glue just use hot water. You would be well advised to re-glue the joint using hide glue and not any of the modern glues. The hide glue will re-bond with the glue that remains in the pores of the timber giving you an excellent new joint. To my knowledge none of the modern glues will work properly unless you get a clean timber to timber contact, and this will mean opening up the joint and making it looser.

Hope this is of help to you.

Good luck
Neil Ellis
-------------------------------------

I hope this is also of some help to others who find themselves faced with a similar problem.

Cheers
Neil

[Mac Simmons]

Another alternative to hot water is to use Vinegar to dissolve hide glue.
This will remove any residue that should remain in the grains.

------------------