Electric glue pots

[David Gibbon]

I would like to try using hide glue, but the only supplier I can find in the UK for an electric glue pot is Touchstone Tonewoods who want £235 for the one they stock. As Axminster used to keep one at about £100 until fairly recently I think this is a ripoff, so if anyone in the UK knows of an alternative source for a reasonably priced electric glue pot I would be very grateful,
Dave.

[Rob Mercure]

I picked up a laboratory hot plate from a local school district surplus sale for $5US - takes forever to get to temperature as it uses thermal mass to maintain the temperature set by the thermostat and requires a separate thermometer (which I assume all others use) but once heated maintains a temperature with a couple of degrees C for days on end. There are scads and scores of various heating devices available from surplus and auction - the only reason one would have to pay any sort of high pride, despite any local rip-off economy, is during a true emergency. Most if not all of the folks on this forum are "extreme" tool users and unless one has a wealthy benefactor every other tool nut I know of has long ago learn the art of scrounging and improvising.
This is just another example of a custom designed/built tool.

Rob

[David Gibbon]

Hi Rob,
Thanks for your input, and the good points you make. I have learnt to put my spendthrift tendencies to one side and now take great pleasure in improvising tools and jigs for my guitar making efforts. I am now awaiting delivery of a wax heater which is thermostatically controlled from a very low temperature to 85 deg. C. This has cost me £32 here in the UK as opposed to the £237 which the "proper" electric pot would be, and am looking forward to trying hide glue for the first time (and expecting a steep learning curve!). Thanks again for your contribution,
Regards,
Dave.

[Rob Mercure]

Dave,

That's still almost $50US which is about the low end of made glue pot range - but I'm not sure where you live but here most major cities have at least one electronics/laboratory/industrial surplus outlet. For $50 you could probably use the element from an electric water heater and a 240VAC wall thermostat with some water mass to put together a glue pot - about $15US/10 English pounds (sorry, don't know how to make the pound sign on this keyboard). Hope this works well for you but I'm much tighter with a shilling (what part of a pound is a shilling?).

Hide glue is the way to go as it sets up almost instantly - when dry it looks like the granules you purchased sort of a "crystaline" material that is stiff enough to transmit vibration very effectively. Cleans up easily and if you misalign a bridge, for instance (not that I've ever done this ), you can quickly remove it and reset it. The aliphetic resin glues are obviously for those with more patience than I possess.

Rob

[Steve Baker]

We use an electric tea kettle that has a temperature adjustment dial. You can use a thermometer to tell you when you're at the right water temperature. Works great. It cost about $12 at the pharmacy down the block. ...Though being in the UK, you might already have one in your kitchen!