Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: superdav95 on February 11, 2023, 12:07:45 pm

Title: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 11, 2023, 12:07:45 pm
Hello all.  I decided to try something new on my next batch of hide glue.  Anyone ever try this… I’ve got this crock pot that has a keep warm setting on it so I tested out the temps filled with water and it was around 60 degrees.   I thought we’ll that’s convenient!  I figured that was a good temp for making hide glue.  I gathered up a bunch of my scrap pieces and started slow cooking it first pic is after day one the next is after day two.  I tested to see if it gels and it did.  Still gonna let it go for another day of so.  If this works then this will be the easiest hide glue I’ve ever made!   Let me know your thoughts and if anyone has tried this. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: bjrogg on February 11, 2023, 12:28:53 pm
I have zero experience making hide glue but it’s something I want to do this winter yet.

I would have thought that 60 degrees would have only been warm enough to make it rot .

I will be watching

Bjrogg

PS if I use one of my wife’s crockpots can it be cleaned up good enough for her to use again? Or will I just have to buy her a new one?

Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: osage outlaw on February 11, 2023, 12:53:07 pm
I have zero experience making hide glue but it’s something I want to do this winter yet.

I would have thought that 60 degrees would have only been warm enough to make it rot .

I will be watching

Bjrogg

PS if I use one of my wife’s crockpots can it be cleaned up good enough for her to use again? Or will I just have to buy her a new one?

BJ, it might be 60 degrees C.  That would be around 140 degrees F
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: bjrogg on February 11, 2023, 01:01:42 pm
Okay that makes sense.

I don’t have experience with hide glue but I do have some experience with hides.lol even a few stinky ones.

Bjrogg

Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 11, 2023, 11:28:08 pm
I’ll post pics of final glue and let y’all know if it works. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 12, 2023, 08:59:49 am
I have a crock pot I bought at thrift store to use as a hot water container to float my bowl of hide glue in, I paid $2 for it. Every thrift store I have been to had a bunch of crock pots for almost give away prices.
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: uwe on February 12, 2023, 10:07:22 am
Hi Eric,
What is a crock pot? I`m from North Germany and don`t know the meaning.
Cheers
Uwe
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Selfbowman on February 12, 2023, 11:27:54 am
This is what I use
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Pat B on February 12, 2023, 12:37:26 pm
UWE, a crock pot is a slow cooker, low temps for extended periods of time. Put supper in it in the morning and it's ready to eat for supper.

 Eric, I got an expensive version of a crock pot, $5 from good will.

Dave, I use a crock pot to make the hide glue I used on my newest sinew backed bow. It was my first attempt and so far so good, although I haven't strained the bow since I sinew backed it.
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 12, 2023, 01:18:11 pm
You might get a little more conversion if you turn it up and monitor it closely. In my experience 180F/82C is about as high as you want to go. Higher temps WILL extract more, but I feel you lose strength, too.

Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 12, 2023, 04:25:35 pm
You might get a little more conversion if you turn it up and monitor it closely. In my experience 180F/82C is about as high as you want to go. Higher temps WILL extract more, but I feel you lose strength, too.

Yes.  I’m curious to see how it works out.  Sounds like others here have tried it so that’s a good sign.  This particular crock pot or slow cooker has a “keep warm” setting which doesn’t get over 62 degrees.  When I make my sturgeon glue I don’t let it get past 65.  For that I just used a large stock pot on a single burner on low and monitor it closely.  I had to play with it a bit but once you get it set you can walk away from it but would never leave it overnight like I have been doing with this sinew glue batch. 

I decided to try something else too.  I took my brawn mixer and purée the mix of soft bit until all chopped up small bits.  I’m gonna let this sit and stew at the 60 degrees one more day and call it good.   The great thing about doing it with the crock pot is the convenience of it with being able to let it go overnight.  It’s gonna be a lot of glue which is nice and not as labor intensive as before. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: willie on February 12, 2023, 08:53:10 pm
if I use one of my wife’s crockpots can it be cleaned up good enough for her to use again? Or will I just have to buy her a new one?

if you just start out by buying her a new one, your day will end with an attaboy instead of an Oh S#!%

The great thing about doing it with the crock pot is the convenience of it with being able to let it go overnight.  It’s gonna be a lot of glue which is nice and not as labor intensive as before. 

you might be able to make it run a bit warmer at the "warm" setting with a towel over the top. ie experiment with some light insulation. maybe inside a cardboard box also
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: bradsmith2010 on February 12, 2023, 08:56:35 pm
you could make jello too ;D
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Del the cat on February 13, 2023, 05:03:17 am
I bought a small deepfat fryer and spot clibrated for hide glue:-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2010/04/glueing-up-ashcherry-bow.html
Del
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: bjrogg on February 13, 2023, 06:41:51 am
if I use one of my wife’s crockpots can it be cleaned up good enough for her to use again? Or will I just have to buy her a new one?

if you just start out by buying her a new one, your day will end with an attaboy instead of an Oh S#!%


Thanks Willie. I’m usually a Oh $@it kinda guy. You know. Better to beg for forgiveness than to plead for permission.

In this case I might consider your option though.lol

Bjrogg

Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Pappy on February 13, 2023, 08:14:31 am
I have plenty of old crock pots that the lids have been broken over the years, I may give this a try, that is looking good. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 13, 2023, 08:19:41 am
More on an electric crock pot for those unfamiliar with them; they come in several sizes, I use a 4 qt for hide glue heating, a much larger one for cooking large batches of deer chili to freeze for later. The settings on them are high, low and warm, you can bring water to a boil quickly on high, let it simmer all night on low or just keep the contents at serving temperature on warm.

I throw the ingredients for chili in mine at 6PM, I set it on low and let it cook all night, usually putting the crock pot on warm when I get up in the morning to hold it until lunch.

This is the largest crock pot available; I think it is a 7 qt one.



Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Pat B on February 13, 2023, 11:56:28 am
The crock pot I use for hide glue doesn't have a temp control. It is either on or off. I don't know what temp it reaches but it worked great for the hide glue I made.
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 13, 2023, 11:55:03 pm
Looks like lots of you guys had same idea.  I think this will be good quality glue.  The finger stickiness seems good.  It gelled up pretty quick too.  Got it cut into little cubes and drying now.  Will do some testing on it before I try and use but seems promising.  If it works for me this will be the easiest glue I’ve made. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 14, 2023, 12:15:33 am
I bought a small deepfat fryer and spot clibrated for hide glue:-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2010/04/glueing-up-ashcherry-bow.html
Del

Looks like a great idea del!  I wasn’t sure how hot my crock pot got at the keep warm setting so I had to use a separate thermometer to be sure.  Mine didn’t get over 62 degrees.  This was fine by me so I didn’t mess with it and kept it there.  It took a few days at this setting but it was great as I didn’t have to keep my eye on it so was very convenient.  Cheers. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: Pappy on February 14, 2023, 08:28:16 am
Good looking glue and chili  ;) :) :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 15, 2023, 05:27:35 pm
Glue is just about dry.  One more day should do it I think.  Once dry completely I’m going to throw it into my blender on low to get it chopped up into granular sized bits.  I’ll post updates on this and see if it works. 

Cheers
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: bjrogg on February 15, 2023, 06:02:38 pm
Thanks for posting this Dave. It looks like you have it on dehydration grates? Are you just air drying or are you using a dehydrator?
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 15, 2023, 06:22:29 pm
Thanks for posting this Dave. It looks like you have it on dehydration grates? Are you just air drying or are you using a dehydrator?

Ya I should have clarified that.  It’s just on the grates from my dehydrator with a fan blowing over them.  The dehydrator would possibly ruin the glue I think. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: bjrogg on February 15, 2023, 06:59:48 pm
Thanks Dave I thought if it was in a dehydrator it would have to be operated at room temperature.

Bjrogg
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: superdav95 on February 16, 2023, 09:30:46 am
Here’s my glue all done and chopped up fairly finely.  It yielded 200grams.  Gonna test it out for strength later. 
Title: Re: Hide glue
Post by: osage outlaw on February 16, 2023, 05:41:36 pm
That looks good