Hide glue quantities for complete tolex-novice

[tony hunt]

Hello from over the pond, may I pick your brains about hide glue?

Does anybody have rough a rule of thumb for the quantity of hot hide glue for tolexing your average cab?
This also relates to the size of pot to use to get the job done in one go.

I can order granules by the kilo which is slightly over 2lbs, but I don't have a clue how much a cab needs. The data sheets for "Rinderhautleimstärke" explain everything except give an idea of the coverage. I am being rather optimistic this year and aiming for four 4X10s and four 1x15s.

Cheers, Tony

[billyz]

2lb should more than enough. I use the stewmac heat pot. But Mergili uses an old electric skillet. I would mix up 1/4lb with water and see how far you get.
You can use a foam brush or cheap Chinese hair brush.
You can reheat it a few times too.

[tony hunt]

Thank you Billyz,
I'm looking at an el cheapo wide-neck baby bottle warmer that can be left on and held at 140°F or so.

This week I also dug up a data sheet which suggested 150-250g / m2 which would be around about half a pound per 4x10 cab. That is probably on the generous side.

[telentubes]

2 LBs is a pile of glue. I think I used 2 or 3 cups of mixed for a 1 X 12 combo cab. The glue I used was #192. and it's mixed by weight, roughly one to one. I add a little more water for Tweed, and to add to the "open" time. Strength is not really an issue.
140 degrees is the temp you're looking for. If it's hotter than that, it will cook the glue, as in rack of lamb, and weaken it, if not ruin it. Make sure the room and parts are warm or the glue will gel quickly. I do my wood glue-ups with the room around 80 degrees. Again, adding water to the mix will give you more time to work before the glue gels.
I think I started with a batch of 100 grams of glue, and 120 grams of water. Then mixed another batch when that ran out, estimating how much more I needed by how far I got with the first batch.

[tony hunt]

Thanks for those tips, very useful - especially on the "open" time and temp.
It seems that I will have a lifetime's suplpy of hide glue granules,
assuming the dog doesn't find them at some point

[JMFahey]

Dogs eat anything . [/i]

[pops]

I am a little late on this, but for hide glue use one part glue to two parts water and heat it, let it cool and heat it again before using the first time. I work on instruments and have been using hide glue for 20+ years. Try to do small areas so it doesn't gel as it only takes a minute or less to start to gel.
A candy thermometer works great to set water temp for a glue pot. I use a cheap pot for cooking soup when traveling. I add a shelf with holes in to keep the glue off the bottom of the pot and in the water. Way cheaper than stu mac's glue pot.

[electrochimp]

Anyone use the ready made hide glue?

[telentubes]

Strongly NOT recommended.

[pops]

The glue can be reheated several times and if the room it is stored in is not too hot it will last for a couple of weeks. I usually heat in a bottle in hot water (140) in a travel soup pot. I store it on the cement floor that is cooler than the room and it lasts quite a while. You can put your whole pot in the fridge too.

Don't use the ready make!!!!