Hot Hide Glue Problem

[Ron Nossaman]

> I mixed up some hot hide glue yesterday. The crystals were from a 
> package (my first/only) which I've had for about six months. I have 
> successfully mixed glue from it in the past, but yesterday it never set 
> up hard. It dried about the consistency of rubber cement (but nowhere 
> nearly as sticky!)  Every time I've mixed it before I've just made a WAG 
> at quantities (cover dry crystals with water, per someone on this list) 
> and stuck it in my hot water pot, set at 140F.
> 
> I cleaned it all out and tried it again tonight, but this time I weighed 
> out 1oz crystals and slightly under 2oz H2O (per recipe on the 'net). 
> Same result. Very gummy, tho' I don't chew gum and don't think this 
> stuff'll make me want to start!!
> 
> Any idea what could possibly be going wrong??
> 
> Thanks,
> Paul Bruesch
> Stillwater, MN


You mentioned tuning the piano. Shop, or elsewhere? If 
elsewhere, why hot hide? Mixed fairly thick, it does gel to a 
not terribly sticky rubber cement consistency fairly quickly, 
and takes at least overnight to dry hard. That's what it does, 
and that quick gel is one of the primary reasons for using it. 
What did yours look like the next day?

I have had hide glue not gel properly in two situations. When 
it hadn't been heated long enough after mixing, and when it 
had been in use and cooking in the pot for too long.
Ron N