I’ve always believed-others may reasonably disagree-that design, selection of individual top and back woods, and individual voicing accounts for perhaps 75 percent of the sound of a guitar. I personally love the sound of these guitars, but I attribute their success to more than the glue. In my shop, animal glue is typically used on our more expensive guitars, the ones that, not incidentally, also get the most desirable woods. The funny thing is, player preference was nearly evenly divided between the two instruments.Ī number of makers whose work I hold in the highest regard swear by the sonic virtues of animal glues, and I freely admit that they may know something I don’t. The pair of newly finished guitars was informally blind tested by quite a few players of all levels of ability, many of whom reported hearing subtle or distinct differences. The two OMs were built simultaneously and with adjacent-cut tops, backs, sides, necks, and braces tops and backs were voiced as closely as possible. I attempted to test this theory for several years by making a pair of identical guitars, one constructed entirely with hot rabbit-hide glue and one using only Titebond polyvinyl aliphatic resin glue. Clean disassembly is easily accomplished by the application of moderate heat or by administering a well-directed shock-old glue is entirely removable with warm water and a rag.Ĭommon wisdom holds that modern polyvinyl wood glues impart a damping effect on vibrating surfaces, while animal glues are vibrationally inert. Glue that has been reheated many times is ideal for joints intended for future disassembly, such as top-to-rim and fingerboard-to-neck joints. The same pot of glue can be reheated and used for less critical joints, such as block assemblies, linings, and the like. Violin makers traditionally use their freshest glue for permanent joints, such as the centre joint of carved tops and backs. In expert hands, however, disadvantages become assets. It’s little wonder that, up until their recent revival, animal glues had largely been replaced by modern adhesives that offer greater ease of application, longer work time, improved shelf life, and greater consistency. In addition to difficulty of application, even the best animal glue joints are susceptible to failure in hot and humid conditions, and under cold conditions are less tolerant to shock. Room temperature and wood surface temperature must be carefully controlled working time is short, even under shorter, less-than-optimal conditions glue strength decreases with each reheating viscosity requires constant adjustment and gelled glue will eventually degrade even under ideal conditions, or rot if improperly stored. Unfortunately, animal glues offer users many opportunities to produce flawed joints. When heated in a double boiler, the gelatin liquefies into a workable glue that quickly sets after cooling to room temperature. Glue is prepared by dissolving granules in warm water to form a gelatinous protein compound that can be refrigerated and stored for future use. Used by woodworkers in a wide variety of forms for millennia, animal glues are made by boiling hide, bones, sinew, or hoofs and refining the residues into granulated solids. Hide glue, animal glue, and protein colloid glue are names for adhesives made from the connective tissues of various animals. Hot Hide Glue by Dana Bourgeois Question: why is hot hide glue preferred by some luthiers, while others use synthetic glues, and what are its advantages and disadvantages? Dana Bourgeois, the master luthier and the founder of Bourgeois Guitars in Lewiston, Maine answers. Thereafter, the glue remains liquid and is considered stable for months without refrigeration due to the high salt content.Ĭonsidering the authoritative source of the recipe, I'm inclined to try it.Diamond Guitars > About guitars > Hot Hide Glue by Dana Bourgeois Then on the third day, the glue is ready for use after 2 additional hours of 140F heating. Then on the second day, add 1 part of table salt (relative to the 2 parts of glue), and then heat at 140F for two hours, and then immediately chill in a refrigerator. Briefly, the glue is initially mixed on the first day in a ratio of 2 parts glue to 3 parts water, and then let stand for 24hrs. Don Williams, a senior conservator at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute. The article is mostly a comparison of Old Brown Glue and Franklin/Titebond liquid hide glue (which I'm not particularly interested in), but there was also a section about preparing liquid hide glue as done by Mr. I was reviewing methods of extending the working time and liquefying of hide glue, and I ran across this article from Popular Woodworking.
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