Hot hide glue

[Dave Bagwill]

I'm concerned about the open time of HHG. How long is that time, does it tack up so fast that no clamping is necessary, any tricks you've come up with in using it, any hints - some information from your experience would be good to have.
Thanks

[Dave long]

Dave, I'm sure you get a lot of info from people, but I think in the end you'll have to work with it and learn. What I like is if something is glued down, but a spot is open you can add more glue because it sticks to it's self. If you take something off, you don't have to clean all the old glue off, because it sticks to it's self. It seems to have a hard finish to let sound though , maybe like bridges. I have taken stuff off of my guitars... don't ask, and things came off easyer with the hide glue than titebond. I'm sure everybody has ideas on glue, but I like it give it a try.... by the way, to me say like when you hold a brace down it does'nt grab and hold like titebond, I give it time to harden. Things have to be warm in the shop, so it's tuff in wisconsin now. But don't freak it's also not as bad as some people make it out to be. Yes you have to move fast, but you can fix mistakes easy. People have used this for a long time so can you.

[Dave Bagwill]

Longbow - thanks for your input.
I have used HHG in a teaching environment - I was the student - so it holds no big mystery for me. Like I said, we have choices, and, at least at my stage of development - 7 instruments - there are other way more important things to master. Later on I may have the time to experiment a bit with the glue thing.
Thanks again.

[Dave long]

Dave, I did'nt know you tried it..I need to spend more time mastering playing the guitars I make..of coarse I am a master in my own mind..@$#

[Dave Bagwill]

LOL, I hear ya!

[TonyinNYC]

I have never tried HHG but I might one day. From what I understand, the hardest thing about using it is getting over your fear of it! Seems that if you have your joinery skills up to snuff, and you should if you are building guitars, you can easily master HHG. My problem is, I have to glue in my house in my living room. If I were to use some stinky HHG, my wife might shoot me. Despite the fact that it is all natural and organic, the smell will make her think it is somehow killing our children.

[Tim Benware]

I don't notice any bad smell but maybe that's just me.