Adhesives

[Tony Webber]

Hi. I was wondering what the concensus of opinion is regarding Titebond Liquid Hide.
The bumph says it has superior strength, coupled with longer open assembly times and excellent sandability.
Also Instrument makers will use Liquid Hide on joints that may need to be subsequently disassembled
Does anyone have experience with this particular product in regard to bridges, bridge plates and necks?

[Frank Ford]

Liquid hide glue has some interesting properties, despite the bad press it gets from some luthiers. It can be strong and solid with good heat resistance and very little tendency to creep under any conditions. It has long "open time" before clamping. So, it bears a good resemblance to the "real stuff" - hide glue that is mixed from granules and used hot. Liquid hide glue has additives to keep it liquid at room temp for easy use from the bottle.

Now, the bad news. Liquid hide glue lacks the quick tack that is characteristic of hot hide, so parts tend to slip as you clamp, much as they do with regular Titebond aliphatic resin. But, here's the big bad: the additives in liquid hide glue break down the long chain proteins that make the glue strong, and they start eating away at the strength of the glue as soon as they are added. SO, freshness is a big issue, as is the condition of storage - heat, freezing, etc.

Years ago, I built about 40 instruments using liquid hide glue before I encountered a bad bottle. And, bad it was. Things really fell apart, and I solved the problem by abandoning the liquid glue in favor of hot hide glue with all its difficulty of use. (Not that bad, really.) Those 40 instruments have never shown any glue failure, by the way, after four decades.

All hide glue requires good fitting CLEAN joints and proper clamping pressure to be effective.

[Tim Mace]

I've heard that the shelf life is not the greatest but I've used it a lot with no probs as long as you let set well.
Here's a question? Can you heat liquid hide since it's supposed to be hide glue? I have warmed it up in hot water in the sink before when it seemed sluggish.. Guess I'll have to spearamint. The first time I have a real
failure I'll quit using it!

[Ry Charters]

I often add a little liquid hide glue to a batch of hot granulated glue. I found that it gives me a little bit more working time. I'm talking just a little bit here, maybe 1 to 8?

[Ron Frazier]

About 50 years ago I bought one gallon of liquid hide glue and built every thing I built and to this day all have stayed together . I have the first guitar in my hands yet and the glue hasn't gave up and no slipping. I don't know why I stopped using it I guess Tight Bound came out and it was faster , less time in the clamps. Any way a few years ago I dug it out as they say violins have to be repaired with it so I still had about a pint and I used it then went to the Ace hardware store and bought a new bottle and used it one whole bottle worth and all I did came apart!! I mean everything!! Lucky none was sold so I now have all the repairs to do over and I am so mad that I haven't done any more with it!! I went back to tight bond and will stay till I die!!!!

Ron

[Tim Mace]

That's Ron's story and he's stickin'toit!

[Tony Webber]

Thanks everyone for your comments. From what you all say it seems this stuff is good if it's fresh but strong as spit if it's past the use date.
Oh, and lol at Tim's last comment.