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Animal Glues PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES Gluescience ng PHOTOGRAPHS BY YANNICK CHASTANG PHOTOGRAPHS YANNICK BY PHOTOGRAPHS BY YANNICK CHASTAPHOTOGRAPHS YANNICK BY Animal glues History of animal glue Yannick Chastang looks at the range of animal & woodworking glues available to the furniture maker and how The earliest making of animal glue is recorded in ancient Egypt. Stone these can be used to their best advantage carvings depict glue preparation and use as early as 1500BC want to start this article by looking at any minute human error in mixing where it was used for wood hide, bone and skin glues. An animal will result in bad curing and fast furnishings, mural painting and Iglue is created by prolonged boiling degradation. Even though most for the furniture in the Pharaoh’s of animal tissue. All animal glues are manufacturers say their adhesives tomb. Although used by the collagen based which is a protein will last forever, their claims are as Greeks and Romans, knowledge contained in animal bones and skins. yet unproven. In my experience, I have of the usefulness of animal glue The production of hide glue has always come across PVA from the 1970s died out in Europe until the been linked to the tanning industries that has already degraded. All too 1400s when woodworking and and is principally, in Europe, of cattle often the glue no longer has any furniture re-emerged as a craft. origin. Bone and skin glues are cohesion or strength and has become The first commercial glue factory prepared from fresh or extracted bones a rubbery mess stuck to the wood, began in Holland around 1700, and connective tissues from cattle and which has to be laboriously removed manufacturing animal glue from pigs. These glues are generally sold as by hand with a scalpel. It is a fact hides. The use of animal glue in coarse powders, pearls or cubes. that furniture conservators are seeing furniture making was at its height increasing demand for restoration of from the 1750s to World War Using animal glue today 20th century pieces made of plywood, II. Since then modern polyvinyl Are modern glues truly that much chipboard and modern adhesives. All acetates (PVA) and aliphatics have easier to use? Poor mixing of modern these are proving almost impossible been preferred. Today, animal two-pack adhesives such as araldite to restore compared to their much glue is generally reserved for the often causes cross-linking and older counterparts. ➤ restorer or conservator. www.woodworkersinstitute.com F&C192 3 9 PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES Gluescience to use urea – is added to the mix. Fish glues Adding 20g of urea to 100g of dried pearl glue will dramatically increase There are two types of fish glue. the time the glue takes to gelify. One is a non-expensive glue More urea can be added but any derived from non-oily fish and more than 40g maximum will have a bones and is generally sold in detrimental effect on glue strength liquid form. It is comparable in and effective adhesion. The dry consistency and use to liquid hide ingredients are then mixed with glue. Its exact composition is not enough cold water to cover them known, however the collagen is before being left for an hour to swell. highly modified with chemicals, a closely kept trade secret. The After this more cold water is added preservatives and, to give it more conservator who desires control to a total liquid content of 200ml – to body, the glue contains a mineral- over his ingredients, and wishes to 120g dried. Of this 200ml of liquid, based thickening agent. As a glue safeguard his antiques against the 100ml can be replaced by beer. it is convenient but the resulting fungicides and additives present in The alcohol in the beer – I use joint is extremely dry and brittle ready made glue, has no option but high alcohol content Belgian – when giving cause for concern. It is also to do things the old way by making added to glue will not only act as not easily reversible. On the other up his own glue from reliably sourced a wetting agent that will improve hand, the other type of fish glue dried pearls, mixing them with water the workability of the glue, but will – isinglass – is made from the and heating. also add natural sugar and tannin swim bladders of sturgeon and is Two very specialised glues in dry form. On the left is one made from sturgeon bladders that need to be cooked in water before using. Sturgeon bladders are reserved for conservation as they are very expensive (£300/kg). On the right is old fashioned Modification to improve the glue’s for added flexibility and retention usually sold in thin dried strips or colle de givet, sourced from the stock of a retired French cabinetmaker and regarded by French makers as the best properties and its workability has of moisture once dry. This moisture as entire bladders. It is not readily been constantly attempted by makers is essential if you want the glue available and has to be dissolved Glue glossary for many centuries and there are many to remain sufficiently flexible to in water, and has a very short shelf ➤ Modern equivalents studies by museums and institutions – stay cohesive despite slight joint life once cooked. Despite the very An electric waterless glue pot. The thermo-control means the glue can Bloom: In the gelatin world, gel Since the mid 1990s, commercially led by the Musée Des Arts Decoratifs reliably be kept at optimum temperature movement. Once the glue loses all high cost (£300/kg) it is one of strength is traditionally referred produced cold animal glues which in Paris 1995 – that research glue its moisture it will revert back to the the best glues for conservation. It to as bloom. It is the force, overcome many of the practical composition and the substances dry pearl state and be ineffective. penetrates better than hide glue expressed in grammes, necessary problems of use have become added to improve them. Recipes need to be clamped down requires The addition of beer is from an and, as it is also collagen based, to depress by 4mm the surface available. These animal pearl glues abound suggesting the addition of a glue with a longer opening time so 18th century recipe and is one that it mixes very well with hide glue. of a gelatin gel with a standard have been modified with chemicals to honey, glycerine, beer, human urine, a combination of 2:3 bone/nerve or scientific research has shown to be I favour it for the consolidation of plunger (AOAC). The gel has a a liquid state so they can be used at sulphur, animal fat, oils, resins and skin glue. A quick veneer gluing on successful. The resultant liquid then antique marquetry, flaking gesso or concentration of 6.67% and has room temperature. For manufacture garlic, to name but a few. Many of the a smaller surface will allow for five needs to be heated and kept at a gilding and flaking lacquer. It is too been kept for 17 hours at 10°C. I would recommend the excellent additives have been the subjects of minutes of applied pressure with a constant temperature of 60 to 70°C. thin to glue veneer, however. Sheppy Cold Glue – called Glutina recent studies and while some have veneer hammer, requiring a glue of Bloom is linked to the mechanical D3 or fish glue replacement – Gorilla proved effective some have proven to 2:3 nerve or skin/bone. Modern process elasticity of the gel and is used to Glue and Titebond Liquid Hide Glue. have the opposite effect. Today, to my knowledge, only Traditionally this was done in copper not drip. Once mixed and cooked, classify gelatin types. It generally There is also Sheppy Scotch Glue The objectives differ depending on Laverdure in Paris sells modern animal glue pots based on the principles of small quantities of ready-made glue ranges from 50 to 300 bloom. which I have not tried but is apparently the makers’ needs but would include: glues that have been carefully sourced a bain-marie cooking pot. The use of can be stored in the fridge for several We may sometimes refer to low, wonderful. 1) ease of use at room temperature; to replicate the old nerve glue and copper or iron pots is still common months. In my workshop I prepare medium or high bloom, within the Of course, the exact recipe of 2) more resilience to water, useful if bone glue. Trobas adhesives from today, however care should be taken large quantities of glue at once and following limits: any commercially available glue is the object glued is to exist in cold and Holland also come in a selection of of the copper or iron oxide which pour it into several small Tupperware 1. Low bloom: gel strength below damp atmospheres, e.g. a church; more than 250 different blooms and can detrimentally alter the quality of moulds. Once cooled and hardened, 120g 3) increase the shelf life of the liquid 80 different viscosities. the glue. It is difficult to control the the cakes are wrapped in cling film 2. Medium bloom: gel strength glue; 4) remain flexible by limiting the Such technical specifications temperature of the glue with a bain- and refrigerated. When needed, these between 120 and 200g loss of moisture content. It is clear are vital to match an old glue for a marie and I prefer to use an electric cakes are reheated ensuring little 3. High bloom: gel strength that point 4 was achieved in the conservation; however, in manufacture glue pot with its precise thermo- wastage or overcooking.
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