# How to make a hide glue pot



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I used a small crock pot… it doesn't have any switches, it's
either on or it is off. It has a plastic lid and is really
not much of a cooker… it's the sort of thing you'd
use for nacho cheese at a party.

I cut a hole for my glue jars in the top. If you do it try
to use jars that are the same size since you'll probably
find having a few is helpful.

I used a digital kitchen thermometer to monitor the
temperatures of liquid in the thing for a couple of days…
for hide glue you want to glue to be about 140 
degress and for that to work I found the water around
it had to be around 150 degrees. I used water in
the jar to test… since the jar is open in use, it loses
that 10 degrees. I drilled 3/8" holes a few at a
time until the liquid in the jar hovered at 140 degrees. 
The holes allow heat to escape from the surface of
the water in the crock pot.

Pretty simple. Your crock pot may vary in performance
so go a couple of holes at a time and give it time so
you know what your median temperature for the liquid
in the jar will be. I found it is pretty consistent.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Good idea, thanks Loren.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I use titebond hide glue that does not require heating.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Masterfully pursued and executed. I love the innovation, the persistence and the precision here.

Thank you Loren!

Kindly,

Lee


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

The only problem I see is that the hole method will only work if the ambient temperature is consistent. So in a shop that is not climate control it may have to be tuned during the changing seasons. You could however add a cheap thermistor and switch to turn the crock pot on and off to a set temp??


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Dunno. Maybe. I live in Los Angeles and it doesn't get so 
cold here. The temperature of the glue in the pot can
be raised by putting the lid on it while it heats. I take
it off to use the glue, then remove the jar when done
for awhile and put the lid on to keep junk out of the
glue.

The exact temperature the liquid in the closed jar reaches
is unknown to me. One could drill a small hole in one
jar lid to put the thermometer through.

From what I have read, if hide glue is not warm enough,
it is not easy to apply. If too hot, it goes bad quicker. 
It certainly evaporates water volume while in the hot
pot. I add a little water occasionally as the glue gets
too thick.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Hot hide glue is much more a matter of consistency than temperature. 
It's just not an exact thing.
140 degrees is usually optimum but 160 won't hurt you and will get you a little more time.
What counts is how thick it is. The water holds the heat so too thick and it will cool quicker. 
Too thin is probably better than too thick. Most beginners work with it too thick at first.

Check this blog and especially the Patrick Edwards videos in the first segment.

Loren, your method is great. The Rival electric kettle model of that style has been a standard for a long time but really anything that will relatively consistently hold 140 - 160 degrees will work.

Once you're hooked however, you will have a far easier time of it with a Hold Heet electric Pot.


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