# A question about liquid hide glue



## JesseTutt (Aug 15, 2012)

I recall reading somewhere that any liquid hide glue squeeze out can be washed off using warm water and it will not show in the finish. Is this true? I was hired to build a set of projects for a customer, while the clamps are on it is nearly impossible to reach in and remove any glue squeeze out. After the glue is dry and the clamps are removed I end up marring the wood when I use a chisel to remove the hardened glue.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

When the glue is fresh, you can carefully remove excess with COLD water. Try to avoid using more than necessary. When cured you can remove excess with HOT water, same cautionary note. Once cured liquid hide glue is similar to hot hide glue and will require both heat and moisture to soften or reverse it.


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## JesseTutt (Aug 15, 2012)

Will the cold / hot water sufficiently remove the glue so that it will not show through a finish?


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## rockom (Oct 20, 2007)

Glue some scraps and test your results. Make sure you have some intentional squeeze out.

-Rocko


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

I have never used liquid hide glue, but I use Hot hide glue almost exclusively now. You need to remove the dried excess (for obvious reasons), but you don't need to go nuts sanding like you do with PVA style glues. As long as your surface is smooth, HHG has the same effect on the wood and stains/finishes that water does - which is to say it does not affect it at all.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Yes the hot water should remove all the glue. As Joe said, you must remove it all, but the difference from pva glue is that hot water will re-liquify it, dilute it, and allow it to be wiped off. You just don't want to go soaking the new joint down with too much hot water.
It's a good idea to experiment with both the glue removal and a dis-assembly of a trial joint. Soaking a hide glued joint to dis-assemble it will give you a good idea of how waterproof it is. It will take some time and effort and require a good bit of both heat and moisture. Contrary to popular belief, well cured hide glue will resist a lot of water.


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## mloy365 (Oct 30, 2009)

Check out the article in FWW, April 2013, pg. 34.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Jesse 
what most roll top desk have on the tambour(the roll up part) is canvass not paper. Here's some plans that show how it works.
http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/102/102-rolltopdesk.pdf

And a video of someone making a small tambour box.


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## JesseTutt (Aug 15, 2012)

Thanks for the replies.

A follow-up question: Since I am just getting started exploring hide glue possibilities, I don't want to spend money on a glue pot. Is liquid hide glue close enough to hot hide glue so that I can learn without the startup cost of hot hide glue?


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

Jesse…go to the dollar store and get a little crock pot. It's perfect for a glue pot and shouldn't cost more than a few bucks. Or, "borrow" your wife's. 

Liquid Hide Glue has a long open time, which is different from the much faster hide glue. Likewise, it has a short shelf life. Otherwise, I believe the two are quite similar in most regards.


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## Patricelejeune (Feb 21, 2013)

I usually french polish my project before glueing that way I can have nice clean corner. I use liquid hide glue, old brown glue and clean up with old brown glue

For example I finished all the inside of that box before glueing it and finished the outside before to glue the bottom molding




  






The same goes with an empire table we made










We use hide glue and particularly old brown glue eveyday for restoration work not only because it is reversible so we do not kill the antique, because the antiques where made with hide glue and hide glue is the only glue to really bond to itself, because it is non-toxic and therefore safer to use, but also because by doing repairs with it we can clean it of without damaging the patina and the original finish.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I have used small amounts of liquid hide glue that had a shelf life of several years. It worked well for me making artsy crafty stuff. Some of my glue ups are in places that cannot be reached to clean up the squeeze out. What I like the best with it is that I applied a spray on lacquer over it and the squeeze out was then very hard to see. Not perfect but the best of any glue I have found as to applying finish over it.


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## lwllms (Jun 1, 2009)

Patrice, you could have put up the video on Old Brown Glue. It's the only glue I use.


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## Patricelejeune (Feb 21, 2013)

Thank you lwllms.

We started a series of video on Old Brown Glue, our liquid hide glue and here are to links to videos showing the cleaning


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